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Nov, 2019

Never Alone

Have you ever walked into a room full of people and just felt completely alone. Its the kind of feeling that you could walk into a stadium of people and feel like you are the only one there. Have you been there?

That is exactly how I felt this past Sunday.

I work with the youth at my church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. This past Sunday, we were all gathered around talking, like we usually do but I felt completely alone. There were probably 10-13 people in the room talking and laughing but I felt invisible. It didn’t matter who I talked to or how much I was involved in the conversation, I felt like I was totally alone.

I also felt like I was totally alone in how I felt too.

My chest felt tight and at times it felt hard to breath. I tried to keep up conversation in order to not let on to anyone about how I felt. Sometimes I’m good at hiding it. Other times, I’m not. Depends on the situation and the people around me.

All I wanted to do was curl up and cry. I wished I was back in bed, hiding from the world and going back to sleep.

After church, my husband was driving and asked me to put on “God Only Knows” by For King and Country. We had heard it a few times the previous days so I wasn’t sure why he wanted to listen to it again. (Check out the version with For King and Country and Dolly Parton!) So I found the song and played it. After listening to it for a moment or two, I realized why he wanted the song to play.

He was wanting me to listen to it. Not just sing along with a song that I know fairly well but to actually listen to what the message of the song is.

This song speaks to those who feel alone and feel as if no one else understands what they are going through.

One part that stood out to me as the end of the first verse “Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you

Nobody, nobody, nobody would believe you”

Hearing this part resonated with me on how I was feeling. I felt like no one saw me Sunday. That I was invisible and didn’t matter. ( I know that is not true but that is how I felt) I didn’t think anyone would believe how I felt. It seemed like people might try to dismiss how I was feeling instead of trying to understand it.

The first part of the chorus says:

God only knows what you’ve been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows how it’s killing you

But there’s a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you’ve been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows the real you

There’s a kind of love that God only knows

The most powerful part of this whole song, for me anyway is when it starts talking about the love that God knows. Only God can love us the way He does. Even when we feel totally and completely alone, He is there with us. He was with me Sunday, regardless if I knew that or felt it or not. He is a loving God who will never leave you.

He knows everything you have been through.

He knows everything people say about you.

He knows who you really are.

Psalm 139:13“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

He is the One who created you. He created me. He knows the number of hairs you have on your head. He knows you better than you know yourself.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

No matter what is going on in your life, cling to this one truth: He will NEVER leave you! Even if everyone else around you does, He won’t. Whatever He brings you to, He will bring you through it. This is what I had forgotten Sunday. This is what the song reminded me of. God used the song to remind me of His love and how much He cares for me.

Another song that God brought up this week is “Another in the Fire” by Hillsong. The basic message of the song is that no matter what you are going through, God will be right there with you. There is actually a line that says you are never alone. This is is what stood out to me in this song. But also the part that is the title of the song “There was another in the fire standing next to me.”

This song is based on a story of three friends in the book of Daniel

In Daniel 3, three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, refused to bow to the idols of the king in Babylon. The king gave them another chance and when they refused, the king had them thrown into a firey furnace. While they were in the furnace, they saw another man in there with them.

(Daniel 3:24-25)

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

No matter what happens, God will be right in the fire next to you. He will comfort you, guide you lead you. Psalm 23:8 says “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

We are never left on our own to defend ourselves. God is always there helping us and protecting us. The times when we feel like we are completely alone are the times that we need to cling to these truths the most. Satan likes to use our emotions to make us think that God is not there and that He does not care about us. That is so far from the truth and is a lie from hell.

The next time you feel completely alone, talk to God. look up any of these verses or listen to these songs to remind yourself that you are never alone.

God is always with you.

I pray you remember that this week.

I pray you have a wonderful and great Thanksgiving.

Please let me know how I can pray for you.

Until next time,

God Bless.

Nov, 2019

One thing at a time.

Life lately has been so crazy and chaotic. I feel like I have said that a lot lately but it is still very true. I’ve been so busy with work and church and my own personal life that I have not had a moment to breath yet alone work on anything for the art studio. It will probably only get worse once the holidays start.

Lately I have felt depressed. For the better part of a week or so, I woke up feeling frustrated and depressed and the feeling was with me all day. I would go through my day to day routine but I was not enjoying any of it. I was simply going through the motions and trying to “fake it til you make it” but that generally did not work.

I struggled with this for about about a week and a half before I was finally able to put my feelings into art. It always seems that when I can show how I feel in art, that I finally start feeling better. This particular piece was done digitally.

(I am starting to play around with digital art more but traditional is still my favorite.)

I started off by drawing the girl, who in this case is me. Generally when I am drawing a woman in the picture, she is representative of me. If the piece is for someone else, I make it representative of them. I think it means more that way. For someone to be able to connect with my art because I placed them in it.

When I started drawing, I honestly didn’t know what I was drawing or where it was going to go. That is really how it starts most of the time. I start by drawing a few shapes and it becomes something completely different than what I originally thought it would be. Sometimes I completely surprise myself. I like to think that this is how God ministers to me sometimes. By using my hands to draw an image that He knows will speak to me on a spiritual level.

The girl took me about 2 hours to get right and then the thought bubbles took me about 30 minutes to complete. Once the whole thing was finished, I sat there looking at it and finally realized how I had been feeling.

I was burnt out.

I felt as if I had a million things to do, not enough time to do them, and no one to help me complete any of them. It felt like my responsibilites were caving in and I had no where to go. So I emotionally, mentally and spiritually just sat down and put my head down praying that everything would just somehow go way.

This is not the case of course. My responsibilities are still there and sometimes I still feel burnt out and like everything is caving in. I have to learn how to say no to certain things when I can or how to delegate things to those around me. But most importantly, I need to learn how to rely on God. When we try to take on the whole world and try to do everything on our own or all at once, we get burnt out. We get overwhelmed. We are not meant to do anything on our own. In fact, we can not do anything on our own.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5

God is who we need to find our strength from. He is the One who provides everything for us. He gives us peace, courage, love, joy and all the other Fruits of the Spirit. (See Galations 5:22-23) If we are not walking with Him on a daily basis, then we will fall apart. We will be like fruit that has fallen off a vine too early and wither away.

God has so much more for you than that. God desires you to walk with him daily. He longs for a relationship with you. If you walk with Him, He will provide everything you need in order to face this world. Does that mean that your life is going to be perfect? Far from it. In fact it may get harder at times but you will have a loving God with you every step of the way.

I pray you know Him like I do.

I pray you find strength in Him if you are feeling burnt out lately.

I pray someone leads you to Christ if you do not know him.

How can I pray for you?

comment below or send me an email or message. I would love to pray for and with you.

Until next time,

God Bless.

Hanging the Stars

Last weekend, I completed a commission for a friend of mine. She asked me do do a painting based on “You know me.” by Steffany Gretzinger. As I listened to the song, one section stood out to me.

You know when I rise and when I fall
When I come or go, You see it all
You hung the stars and You move the sea
And still You know me

I got this image of sitting in God’s hand over the sea as I watched God hanging the stars. This part of the song stuck out to me because of how intimate it is.

Think about it.

The God who created the Universe, who hangs the stars and moves the seas, still takes time to know me. To know you. He loves you. He knows everything there is about you and he wants a relationship with you.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
Psalms 139:13 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.139.13.ESV

When I hear this song, it reminds me that God not only created the universe but He created me. He knows everything about me before I was created. He knows everything that i will ever go through and everything that I will ever need.

Sometimes that can be overwhelming but I take comfort in it. I don’t know everything that is going to happen. I can not control the future, no matter how much I might try to convince myself that I can. I only have the pieces of the puzzle that is my life that are right now. God holds the future. He knows everything and wants to share that with me in His time.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.29.11.ESV

I wanted to convey the intimate relationship that God longs to have with us. This is the relationship that I long to have with God. There have been many times where I have just sat and looked up at the stars and just thought about God’s creations.

I pray that this painting speaks to you. That you see how much God loves you and wants to be intimate with you. I pray you know Him like I do.

Let me know how I can pray for you, either in the comments below or by message.

Until next time,

God bless.

Oct, 2019

Crazy Ride

Everything leading up to the art show has been one crazy ride. I have been moving so fast that I have honestly forgotten what it is like to sit still. The Art show was so much fun and I had a great time talking to new people and talking about what God has done for me through my art.

(Thank you for those of you who were able to come and support me. For those who weren’t, I hope to be in more shows, so stay tuned! )

I know this whole thing with the art show was God in every way. From start to finish, there is no way I could have done this on my own without my husband or God. Being in this show, allowed me to speak to people that I may never see again. It allowed me to get God’s message to people who may not be exposed to it anywhere else. Monday night, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Now that the show is over, my mind wonders, now what?

What is in store for Eph210ArtStudio? This little art business that has come out of getting ready for the show. I feel like all of my energy was put into getting ready for this show for so long, that now I have to refocus on what God has for me. The message has not changed. The purpose of why I do art has not changed but I know God has more for me.

However, right now, I hear Him telling me to rest. This is not a blog about me taking time away from art or the blog in order to recover. This is about what God is saying to me and I hope he speaks to you too.

My life has been so busy lately, and I know I talked about it last week too but this week I am feeling the relief of the show being over and feeling that I can finally take time for myself. That I can be me and not worry what anyone else thinks. That I can spend time with the God who created and loves me and not worry about the time or having to get stuff done.

A song that I have heard a lot lately is “Nothing Else” by Cody Carnes. That talks about getting back to spending time to with God. To just sit with God and be with Him and not come with our agenda or anything that we want.

I’m caught up in your presence. I just want to sit here at Your feet .I’m caught up in this holy moment. I never want to leave Oh, I’m not here for blessings Jesus, You don’t owe me anything More than anything that You can do I just want You
“Nothing Else” by Cody Carnes

My favorite part of this song is where he says he just wants to sit at God’s feet and that he never wants to leave. This speaks to my soul. I see myself sitting before the feet of Father God, leaning against Him, in desperate need of the rest that only He can give. The song continues with saying that nothing else will do. And that is so true. Nothing else will provide rest, joy, comfort, strength or peace that God provides.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

When we actually stop and recognize that God is God and we are not, and we give him our full hearts, there is an amazing peace and rest that overcomes. This is what I am needing now. This is what I feel God calling me to do. Just to sit at His feet and be with Him. Leaving all my worries with Him and enjoying His Presence.

I encourage you to find time this week to do this. Our lives are so hectic and crazy that it seems almost impossible to do that. Yet, if we just took five minutes each day to spend with Him, you would be amazed at how much more rested and at peace you would feel.

Start with five minutes.

See What God will do with five minutes of your time.

Until next time,

God Bless.

Oct, 2019

Burnt Out

The last two months have been crazy! I did not realize until this week just how crazy everything has been. I have not slowed down since school started in August or since I found out I was going to be in this art show. (Which I am still excited about.)

This week was probably the hardest week I have had in a long time. I was getting frustrated at everything thing, even the little things. I was crying at the drop of a hat and woke up every morning feeling extremely depressed. It honestly felt like I was going crazy. I didn’t draw or paint or anything until Wednesday when I drew the picture attached with this post. I didn’t feel like drawing anything. I was either too tired from work or getting ready fro the show or crying and curled up in bed.

Usually I know how to handle my anxiety when it goes crazy but depression is another issue all together. The techniques I use to over come my anxiety generally don’t work to overcome my depression. I finally drew the girl on the ledge when I had some time for me. Even though it was only a 30 second sketch in pen, I was able to show how I felt. It was the first time all week I had been able to do that.

It was then that I realized how burnt out I am. With work. With Art. With church. With everything that requires something of me because all I have been doing for the last two months is taking care of other people and making sure they are okay and have whatever they need. I haven’t stopped long enough to do something I want to do, not because I am in a show or because someone wants something but because I want to do it.

For the first time in a long time, I am seeing the value in rest and alone time. I’ve always known that these things are important but this time it has hit me really hard. God has shown me that if I do not get rest and time alone with Him, I fall into depression because I am trying to do everything myself.

So for the week after the art show, I am taking time for myself. I already have a day picked out. It may be something like taking myself out to dinner or just sitting on my patio listening to music. Whatever it is, I am doing it for me. Because I need to take care of myself too.

If you have ever felt like this and been where I have been this week, please find time to take care of yourself and rest. Rest is important and God made us to rest. He rested on the 7th day after creation, not because He needed it but because He was demonstrating what He knew we would need. Genesis 2:2-3

Jesus went off to be alone by himself several times in the New Testament. One particular time, it was after he had been teaching and preaching all day to large crowds of people and he needed to rest.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

I pray that you find rest this week. I pray the same for myself.

Until next time, God bless.

Sep, 2019

RAW Dallas 2019

First let me apologize for posting this later than I said I would. I honestly try to stay true to my word but things have bee so busy that it’s been hard to post on time.

The last two weeks have been crazy busy. I started back at work four weeks ago(I’m a teacher) and the same time as the first week of school, I got into my first ever art show. I am still surprised it even happened. I honestly just applied to see what would happen and never thought I would actually get in. General, in my life when I apply for things or enter into contests, I don’t win. Yet, the day after I applied to the art show, they called me and said they wanted me in the show.

I was completely shocked and surprised and excited and terrified all at the same time. I’ve never done anything like this before and didn’t have a clue as to where to start or what I was doing (I still feel that way lol). I’ve been running around the last two weeks getting stuff ready and doing new art pieces for the show and when I start thinking about the show and how many people are going to be there, my anxiety goes up. I start thinking I can’t do this or that I’m not good enough to do this.

That’s when I have to stop, breathe and remember who put me here to begin with. I’ve been asking God to use Eph210artstudio to glorify Him. The whole reason I started this was to tell others about Jesus through art. I fully believe this is God telling me “Go. Tell people”.

For this art show, I am going to meet people, I probably never would have met anywhere else. I have been given a unique platform where I can share the Gospel with people coming to the show. I would love to make sales and get commissions but my first goal is just to be able to a share Christ with others. If yall could pray to that end, that would be appreciated.

If yall wanna come check out the show, here are the links. The first one is to my profile page for the show and the second is a link to buy tickets.

https://rawartists.com/eph210artstudio-

https://rawartists.com/tickets/purchase/2674/391540

Praying that you have an amazing week and know that God has something wonderful in store for you. I pray you know him like I do. If you dont, I pray that God places someone in your life that can share Him with you. I pray you listen with an open heart.

Until next time, God bless.

Aug, 2019

Studying the Word.

The last two weeks have been crazy busy, which is why I didn’t blog last weekend. (Sorry about that). This week I started back at work and basically hit the ground running in order to prepare for school starting this coming week. For this reason I have not had the time or energy to draw or paint anything yet. Though I do have a piece I am working on. Hopefully I can finish it and blog about it soon.

I decided today i would talk about what I have learned in Ephesians so far and the importance of studying God’s word.

As Christians, we are called to share the Gospel and what God has done for us. Yet, how can we do that if we never open our bibles? If we don’t actually read what God has to say to us? We can’t. Sure we can memorize some speech we developed from going to church but it wouldn’t be nearly as effective if we read the Word.

I have trouble deciding where to start when I read the Bible. There are so many books of the bible and bible studies and study aids that it all seems overwhelming sometimes. So I picked the book that holds one of my life verses. (I’ll do a separate blog on Ephesians 2:10)

Ephesians 1 can be broke into two parts: blessings and prayer. Verses 3-14 discuss 7 different blessings that God has given us.

What I take away from these verses is that no matter our situation or circumstances, we are blessed. God has given us every blessing in the spiritual and heavenly places. (Vs3) When we accept Christ, we are adopted into the family of God. (Vs4-5) Because of Christ, we are forgiven and redeemed. (Vs.6-7) God reveals to us the mystery of His will. (Vs.9-10) We have an inheritance in Christ. (Vs.11-12) We are included in Christ (vs.13) and lastly, we have been given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation. (Vs.14)

This is a lot to look at, so I am only going to really talk about the ones that stood out to me.

First of all, the fact that we are blessed beyond more than we can know hits me. Dealing with depression and anxiety, sometimes it is hard for me to look past the situation at hand. I tend to focus on how I feel or what is right in front of me, which just makes things worse and I get stuck in my mind. Looking at Ephesians 1:3 shows me that no matter how I feel or how bad I think things might be, God is with me and has already given me so many blessings.

The second one that sticks out to me is that we are adopted into God’s family. We are chosen to be in His family. He wants us and loves us despite our sin. If no one has ever made you feel wanted, know that God wants you. He loves you to the point that He sent His son to die for you. He wants you to be included in His family of believers. As someone who is considering adoption in order to start a family, this means alot to me. I want my children to understand that we chose them. Just as God has chosen them. Just as God has chosen me.

The last one I wanted to touch on is that we are included in Christ. Growing up, I was often left out of things. I was chosen last for sports or not at all. Not because I wasn’t athletic or didn’t like sports but because some people didn’t like me. I hung out with the kids that no one else would talk to at school and so no one outside of that group wanted to include me. But o am included in Christ. I am wanted and I am loved in Him. He sees me for who I am and will choose me to be on his team. I find comfort in this.

Which blessing stands out to you?

Leave a comment and let’s start a discussion.

Praying you sees these blessings in your life this week.

Until next time, God bless.

Aug, 2019

In The Middle Of The Storm

This week, I completed a project I have had in my head for at least a month. A while back I heard the song, “Eye of the Storm” by Ryan Stevens. I had always wanted to draw something that pertained to being in the eye of the storm but could never figure out what it looked like. The song is about giving control to God even when there is a storm all around you. Its is a great song but it didn’t really sink in with me until I heard “Raise a Hallelujah” by Bethel Music.

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me
written by Jonathan David Helser, Melissa Helser, Molly Skaggs,
© 2018 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved.

The verses of this song are wonderful because it says that I will raise a hallelujah no matter what is going on. God will protect me and I will praise Him in the presence of my enemies. The part that stuck out to me the most from “Raise a Hallelujah” was the chorus. It essentially sums up the entire song.

I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive
written by Jonathan David Helser, Melissa Helser, Molly Skaggs,
© 2018 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved.

I first heard this song at youth camp a little over a month ago. I may have actually heard it before then but it wasn’t until camp that it actually spoke to me. To me, the chorus is the most powerful part and the embodiment of the painting. No matter what is going on around us, we are still to praise God. Even if everything seems to be loud and screaming and happening so fast, we should be louder.

When I started this painting, I wasn’t sure where it was going to go. I wasn’t even sure I was going to like it. It is the first time I’ve painted a person and it made me nervous to even try it. But even as I just started off drawing the woman, this song stuck in my head. It was in my head each time I came back to paint on it.

I started to wonder why God had placed this on my heart so much this week. Then I realized that it is because He is preparing me for something. He is showing me how I should be, no matter my situation. No matter how anxious or depressed I am, I should still praise Him. Even if I am being attacked from all sides and feel as if I am drowning, I should still praise Him. There are so many times that I forget this. That I feel as if i am swallowed up by my situation and can’t find a way out.

This is when I have to remember who my God is. I have to remember that He is the God of the Universe, who not only cares for the birds of the air but for me as well. (Matthew 6:25-27) He will not leave me to be on my own and deal with a situation alone.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Hebrews 13:5

Matthew 14:22-33 is the story of Jesus walking on the water. He walks out onto the lake towards His disciples who were on a boat. The disciples were scared, except for Peter, who called out to Jesus asking it if was him. Jesus told him to come onto the water with him. Peter obeyed. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Christ, He stayed on the water. The moment he took his focus off of Christ and on to the storm around him, he began to sank and called out to Jesus to save him.

The same is true for us today. Anything is possible through Christ (Philippians 4:13) and we can face any storm with God by our side but the moment that we start focusing on the situation at hand and not on Christ and what He has done for us, we start to feel like we are drowning. Everything suddenly becomes harder and seems impossible because we are relying on ourselves to get us through the storm and not Christ.

“In the middle of the Storm” reminds me to stop and praise Him no matter what is going on. No matter how I feel or think. God is in control of my life. He knows exactly what will happen and has much more of a picture that I do. I do not have to know what tomorrow brings. All I have to do is trust in Christ. To trust a God who loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me. So when I am feeling anxious or depressed, I will stop and praise Him.

I pray you can praise him in the middle of your storm. He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) You may not hear him or feel him but He is there and is reaching out to you. I pray you know him as I do. If you don’t, I pray that God will put someone in your life to lead you to Him.

If you would like to know the art side of this painting and the techniques I used, let me know and I can do a blog about that as well.

Until next time, God Bless.

Jul, 2019

At Peace

This week has been one of the most peaceful weeks I have had in a long time. It started Monday when my Husband and I took time to find scripture that we wanted to put around the house and then spent time in prayer with each other over our apartment and our lives.

Earlier that day I had tried to spend time in prayer and reading the Bible but I felt so distracted and felt really attacked spiritually. After we prayed the scriptures that evening, everything just felt so much better. It was amazing the difference. It was as if a weight had been lifted. My home felt completely different and I finally felt at peace.

It’s a peace that I have been searching for for so long and asking God why couldn’t I be at peace. It’s not that God was holding His peace back from me but that I was blocking it by worrying all the time. One of the scriptures I have in my home is 1 Peter 5:7. It has come to mean alot to me and I repeat it to myself all the time.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.5.7.NLT

What stands out to me in this verse is that God cares about me. I’ve known this for a long time but it struck me differently this week. The Creator of the Universe cares about me. That is just amazing to me. God is not just some watch maker in the sky that creates everything and sits back and watches everything unfold. He genuinely cares for me and cares about what is going on in my life. Because He cares, and because He is God, I can give him everything that I am worried about.

There are things in this life, everything really, that I can not handle with out God. If I try to rely on my own strength, it all falls apart. I start worrying. I get anxious and then I make decisions out of fear rather than a cool head.

John 15:5 (ESV): 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.5

It is only when I slow down, take a deep breath and give all my worries to God, that my anxiety begins to go away and I can see things clearly.

If you struggle with anxiety like I do at times, you know how it can mess with your head. All of a sudden the worst possible thing that could happen, your mind tells you that is the truth. Often times when I get rid of one piece of anxiety my mind often finds something else to be anxious about. I have strategies that use, such as grounding or breathing in order to bring my anxiety down and under control but the scriptures and relying on God is what fully brings me into His peace.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?
Matthew 6:25-26 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.6.25.NLT

I often worry about tomorrow. I worry about finances and if we will have enough money to make ends meet. Matthew 6:25-26 says that God will take care of you. Even if you dont think you have enough money or food or that your clothes need to be replaced but you can’t afford it God will provide. I find comfort in these words. I pray that you do too.

Matthew 6:27 says:

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Worrying and Anxiety take away from your life. They steal your joy and peace and make you miss moments that you may not have again. It’s easier said than done and it has taken me a long time to be able to get to where I am. I pray that these words and the Scriptures help someone today. I pray that on my bad days I’ll come back to this blog and be reminded of what God has done for me.

Focus on God this week. I pray that you know Him. Remember that the Creator of the Universe loves you! He will provide for your needs!

I pray you remember that this week.

Until next time, God bless

Jul, 2019

Moving forward

One thing I fear is my anxiety coming back the way it used to be. I used to have sever panic attacks that would last for 30 minutes and I would be done for the day.

Thankfully God has brought me out of that and now I only have one every so often and it lasts for maybe 30 seconds.

But I still have the fear of going backwards. Especially when I get stressed out. Sometimes I get mad at myself for even having anxiety or depression and that I have to use the strategies that I have learned in order to overcome my anxieties. My thoughts trigger my anxiety. Whatever I am thinking about or have heard that caused me to think about something at the point of the anxiety attack, is what triggers it. Sometimes I know exactly what thought triggered it. Sometimes I have to really think about it. My thoughts trigger an emotional response which triggers some sort if action.

So whatever I think about has the potential to either help or hinder my anxiety. If I am worrying about the future and how am i going to afford paying bills next month, that will most likely trigger my anxiety. Yet if j focus on God, my anxiety goes away and I can feel at peace.

One thing that always calms me down is when my husband prays over me during an attack. It helps to refocus my mind on what really matters. On Who really matters.

I do not control the future but I have a God who is bigger than my fears.

I do not know what will happen but I have a God who is Creator of all knows everything thing that was, is and is to come.

My God says that I am an overcomer.

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:4-5

I know that my God is bigger than my fears. The Enemy constantly tries to convince me otherwise but when I have to trust in the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Growing up, I memorized Psalm 23. It gave me comfort when I was scared and somewhere along the way, I stopped saying it to myself. The first four verses are the most important l, in my opinion

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Psalms 23:1‭-‬4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.23.1-4.NLT

Verse 1-3 says that God will provide for us. He will bring us to places of green pastures, give us new strength and peace. Verse 4 is my favorite. Even in front of my enemies, I do not have to be afraid because my God will take care of me. He will protect and comfort me.

I haven’t been living this out lately. I need to memorize these verses again so that I can carry them with me always.

What verses help you when you are afraid?

Do you know Christ? I pray that you do. If you don’t, I pray that you come to know Him.

Please feel free to message me with any comments or questions.

I pray for peace in your life this week.

Until next time, God bless.