It's Been Quite a Year!

Although the last ten months have been some of the hardest of my life, and although a full time teaching job was not at all what I had once envisioned,  I can honestly say that I am completely thankful for it, that I would not change a moment, and that I learned innumerable lessons along the way.  Today, I just want to share a few of those lessons with you.

God's grace really is sufficient.

In the midst of complete and utter chaos, God carried me.  I began the school year one week before school started, with virtually no supplies or direction.  I had nothing.  No lesson plans, no materials, and for awhile, no computer or copier!  And to top it off, for some reason the school did not have a teacher edition for one of our textbooks.  So I had literally the exact same thing as my students.  It was a struggle to stay on top of it all.  I constantly felt like I was only a few days ahead of the students,  and then had to come home and take care of three screaming toddlers who were trying to get used to the fact that Mommy was not at home with them any more.

But slowly (very slowly), I learned to stop trying to do it all and to focus on the things that mattered.  I did the best with the time and resources that I had, and relied on God for the rest.  And He carried me.  And revealed Himself to me over and over again.  And I think, for the first time in my life, I am beginning to understand Paul's explanation of true contentment in Christ (Philippians 4:10-13).  And for this, I am eternally grateful.

You cannot show God's love and forgiveness if you are never around people.   


Yes, when I am home, I can show God's love and mercy and forgiveness to my children and husband, but I should be doing that anyway, right?  Being out in the "real world," with cranky, moody and sometimes difficult teenagers (whom I love dearly!) forced me to put my faith into practice each and everyday.  I was constantly challenged to exhibit the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control) because, like it or not, they were watching me!

If I am constantly preaching the gospel of Christ to them, and sharing scripture, and learning together what it means to be a Christian, and yet I behave in an utterly un-Christlike manner day after day, what does that say about my faith?  What kind of hypocrite does that make me?  And more than not wanting to be hypocritical, I did not want to give a bad name to my Savior and His power to change lives.  Not that I lived out my faith perfectly, (or even close to perfect, really), but it was at least in the forefront of my consciousness everyday.  And I am grateful to God and my students for the ways that I have grown in my faith this year as a result.

I relearned the value of hard work.

Obviously, being home with three small children is hard work.  But I think, over time, because of the lack of deadlines and external requirements that school or work will put on you, I had become lazy.  Because there was nothing pressing, things always seemed to get put off until tomorrow.

But I quickly learned that juggling a full time job with being a full time mom required hard work and discipline.  Because I was so busy, things could not simply get put off until later.  When I was at work, I had to get ALL my work done, because I couldn't (and wouldn't) do it at home.  When I was at home, I had to clean up, wash dishes, put away laundry, etc. because I was gone all day at work.  I learned to be disciplined with my time and to plan ahead as much as possible.  Eventually, I realized just how much I could get done before 8 am!

And I realized that there was a peace and joy that I experienced when I was disciplined and hard working because I was doing it for God.  Anything that is hard or challenging will become a drudgery if I work at it with the wrong heart attitude or the wrong motivations.  But if I realize that everything I am doing can be a way to glorify God and show my thankfulness and devotion to Christ, I have a whole new passion and willingness to get the work done!  As Paul states in Colossians,

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ."  

I have been incredibly blessed this year and had so many valuable experiences.  But I am also looking forward to a fun, yet productive summer with my babies!

When It Hurts

Sometimes life hurts.

People can be cruel, circumstances don't go our way, loved ones get sick, incomes are lost.  Being in the ministry, constantly surrounded by church goers, does not make me immune to the pain that this life can bring, and unfortunately, being in ministry does not mean that everyone is nice and loving.  No matter how hard you work at genuinely loving people, you will not always be loved back.

The fact is, we live in a fallen world, full of fallen people.  No one is perfect, and even when I like to try and convince myself otherwise, this includes me.  And so what do we do when it hurts?  When we have been wronged?

The easy answer would be to act likewise and really show them what they did.  But this will not make things better, and more importantly, is not Christ-like behavior.  Instead, turn to the Lord.  He is a comforter and a friend, and His love never fails.

"The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all."  Psalm 34:17-19

"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."  Isaiah 41:10

And then, we must keep things in perspective.  As unfortunate as it is to be mistreated or hurt (especially when it happens in the church), God has things under control.  And one day, they will have to stand before a holy and righteous God and give an account for their actions, just like I will.  So I cannot worry or focus on what other people are doing or saying.  God will deal with them.  All I can do is continue to love them, and remind myself that I am a sinner just as they are.

"But I will keep on hoping for you to help me; I will praise you more and more. I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, for I am overwhelmed by how much you have done for me. I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign LORD. I will tell everyone that You alone are just and good...Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again."  Psalms 71:14-16, 19-21

And I will continue to press on in what God has called me to do, and never stop praising Him for His marvelous love, comfort and peace that only He can bring!!

A Little Thing Called Worry

There are a hundred things that I could find reason to worry about.  Truly.  I won't bother to make a list, so just take my word for it.  But with everything that has happened in my life in the past four years, all the plans that were turned upside down, all the uncertainties, all the what-if's, I have given up on worrying and trying to sort things out for myself.  Because I am finally learning that I cannot figure things out on my own.  I cannot make plans for the future, because I do not know what the future holds, and I cannot worry about how this or that will turn out, because God has proven time and time again that He has already worked things out.  I just have to be patient.

Christ says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Luke 12:22-26

He goes on to say much more, and there is a similar passage in Matthew 6, but honestly, these words of Christ can be very hard to live by.  At least, they have always been hard for me to accept and live out.  But the more curve balls God has thrown our way, the more I am learning to let go.  To stop trying to be in control and to stop worrying.  I know, of course, that talking about not worrying and actually not worrying are two very different things, but I am so thankful that God is slowly working on my heart, and bringing me to a place where I can truly rely on His sovereignty, and live a life of joy, free (or almost free) of worry.

I will leave you with a beautiful quote by Corrie Ten Boom that sums things up:

"Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear...worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."

I am praying that you are not wasting precious moments of your life in a cycle of inefficient thoughts of worry and fear.  God has much bigger plans for us than that!

J.O.Y.

A wonderfully sweet and encouraging woman at our church gave me this to hang in our house.

While it may technically be a Christmas decoration, I think it will be something that stays on our wall year round.  Why, you ask?  Well, when she gave it to me, she explained that joy is her favorite word and that she has it hanging all over her house.  "Oh, that's neat.  My favorite word is probably grace," I responded, thinking the conversation was over.  Then she explained why. 

"JOY stands for Jesus, others, yourself.  It's a reminder to put Jesus Christ first, then others, before yourself and your own wants and needs."  Honestly, my first response was, "Oh, that's nice." Smile and nod.  I don't usually like silly phrases and sayings.  All too often they sound good, but don't really mean anything.  But when I really thought about it, I realized several things.  First of all, even if it were just a silly acronym, I could definitely use that reminder in my life!  But besides just being a visual reminder of my life's priorities, it points to a deeper spiritual truth.   

If you want to have TRUE JOY in your life, you have to put Christ first. 

"You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11

"O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God."  Psalm 43:3-4

Scripture is clear that to live a God glorifying life, and thus experience the joy that only comes from Him, you must put Jesus Christ first in all things, and before all else.  He has to be first in your job, in your marriage, in your family, and in every decision that you make. 

Of course, this is not an easy task, and I'm not going to pretend like it is, or that I have mastered it.  But it is the life that God has called me to.  And I want to have "fullness of joy" in my life.  So I will keep this up as a daily reminder...

And I will work to put Christ first in my life.
 

My Temporary Home

My husband and I have been married for three and a half years.  In that short time, we have lived in a very small one bedroom apartment way out in the middle of the country in Virginia, then for a short time we would have been homeless were it not for an incredibly gracious friend and her family who allowed us to live in their basement, then we made the move out to Texas (it took four days, two cars and a large U-Haul), and lived in a modest duplex in a nice neighborhood, and now we are very fortunate to live in our first home with plenty of space for our ever growing family.

But we won't be here forever.  And honestly, we may never be as fortunate to have this much space again, simply because houses here are much MUCH cheaper than most of the rest of the country.  So I try not to get too attached.

But as my husband and I pray and patiently wait on God's direction for our family, I sometimes get frustrated that we may have to move.  And believe me, I have plenty of good reasons:  we are finally settled, we bought a house, the cost of living is good, we finally have our bedroom painted the color that I want, the schools are good, and we are close to the big city and therefore, any shopping, attractions or amenities one could possibly want.  I mean, it doesn't make any sense to try and sell our house in a terrible market, pack up our family that now consists not only of my husband and I, but also three small children (almost),  and move somewhere new again.  Right?

But the thing is, no matter how nice this house is, or how small a different house might be, or whether we are in a big city, or a small town, near the beach or in the desert, it doesn't matter.  Because no matter where we are, how long we stay or what we are doing, it's just temporary.  This life on Earth is temporary.  And we are just passing through. 

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:18

Even though I know this to be truth, does not always mean that I remember and am able to keep things in perspective.  Let's face it, change is hard!  And no one looks forward to moving, or the possibility of moving.  So one day when I was having a hard time with not wanting to move on, or leave the comfortable for the uncomfortable, and found myself suddenly afraid, unwilling (or both) to step out into the unknown, God spoke clearly and oddly enough, through a Carrie Underwood song.  You can watch the video below, but I just want to focus on the chorus:

"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home." 

It's ok if I do not always feel comfortable here, because this is not my final destination!  It's ok if I'm not living in my dream home, because it's just a stop on the way to heaven.  And it's ok if we have to pick up and move again, because we're just passing through.  All that matters is that wherever I am, and whatever I'm doing, I am living for God's glory and letting the light of Christ shine through me.  And if I can stay focused and be content no matter where God calls us, and no matter where we are living, God will be glorified.  

And so if I occasionally (or quite often) need a little reminder, I just belt at the top of my lungs to my poor, unsuspecting children, quietly sing this to myself, and suddenly everything is back in perspective.  :)

A Theme

Plans do not always go according to, well, "plan."  I feel like if my life had a theme, like in a novel or a play, that's what it would be.  And being a type-A, like to be organized, like to have a "plan", like to know what lies ahead type of person, I am fully aware of the irony. 

I know I've written about this many times over.  About all the things that we've experienced in our three years of marriage so far that weren't "according to plan", all ups and downs, and all the times I had my own perfectly great and wonderful plan of my own.  The problem is, it was just that.  MY plan.  And radically different from God's plan.  And I have had to learn to remind myself that I don't want it any other way.

So apparently, this is a lesson that I am still learning, and probably will be learning for the rest of my life.

Because I do trust in God's plan.  And as I continue to see God work out, in the most tremendously amazing ways that only He can, our life circumstances and challenges, I learn and marvel all over again that God's plans are SO much better than anything I could ever map out.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.  And while a few years ago, I may not have been able to see and recognize this truth in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, the more God gently and lovingly reminds me of His promises, the more peace I am able to enjoy.  Because now I know for a fact that God will work out the details and always bring us out of the trenches.  And no matter what comes our way, I know we will be better for it.

Now, when I look back at difficult circumstances, or happenings that didn't fit into my "plan," I am able to see how incredibly amazing the Lord was to orchestrate things the way He did.  Plans that I never would have planned for myself, but have proven time and time again to work to the glory of God.  And ultimately, that's all that I want my life to be about anyway.  His Glory.

And so when things look uncertain, I can simply continue in the work that God has called me to in this season of life, because I know God already has everything figured out.  Yes, sometimes it's hard to be patient, and it's hard to not question the timing, or try and work everything out on my own, but if I stay focused on the only things that matter, God will work things out in His wonderful and perfect timing.  And so I am able to rest in the peace and assurance of that truth!

And of course, I have to remember that even once things finally work themselves out, another time will come when life doesn't go according to "plan."  Because that is apparently the theme of my life.  Now I guess all I need is a theme song!  Any suggestions? :) 

Back to Blogging-Day 2!

The SITS Girls Blog is hosting a Back to Blogging event this week!  Today is Day 2: A Post you Wish More People Had Read.  For participating, one person will win a Thelma and Louise washer/dryer set!  Sweet!

The amazing sponsors of this event are Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

So onto my post for today. As I was sifting through some of my early posts, I found something I wrote well over a year ago.  And in reading it, I realized just HOW MUCH I needed to hear it again.  So maybe I am re-posting it more for my benefit than for anything else.  Life is pretty stressful for me right now, and I need to remember to be anxious for nothing.  But in the busyness of life, I'm sure there are many of you out there who could use this reminder as well.  :)  Hope you enjoy!

Original post from June 2009 (altered slightly):

We have been through some trying circumstances in recent weeks. I'm not going to get into the details, but I'm sure you can guess.  Leaving our church, a new job, my pregnancy, our finances, it all adds up.  And while I absolutely believe in a loving, sovereign God, I am human. So let's face it, I worry! And how do I typically handle said worry? By bottling it up inside, sifting through all the what-if's, listing every stress and trouble to my friends, and wallowing. But what does God intend for me to do with such worries?

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." Philippians 4:6-7

First of all, notice that Paul clearly states that we are to be anxious for, what now? Work? Family? Illness? Finances? No. "Be anxious for NOTHING." There are no exceptions. No loopholes. This is not a friendly suggestion to help you live your best life now; this is a command of God. As His child, He expects me to be anxious for nothing. Period. He's the one in charge, not me, so what do I have to be worried about anyway?

Right now you may be thinking, ok, easier said than done! True. That is why Paul explains how exactly to go about this. "In everything," every single burden, stress, and concern, big or small, "by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Tell God what you're worried about! Tell Him your frustrations, your desires, your hurts, your struggles. Get some things off your chest-don't worry, He can handle it! Also notice that yes, he says by prayer and supplication, but then also says "with thanksgiving." You may have a lot of concerns that need to be made known to God, and you may have a lot of needs that need to be met, but you are to come before God with a humble spirit. Come before God thanking Him for what He has already accomplished in your life. Thanking Him for your current circumstances, that you might learn and grow. Thanking Him for Jesus Christ and His work on the cross! Trust me, we have much more to be thankful for than we EVER realize or acknowledge! (Or is that just me??) So then, after we have spent this time in prayer before the Lord, then what?

And then, friends, all worry and anxiety are replaced with peace. The peace of God that will guard our hearts and minds from the burdens and stresses of this world. A peace so marvelous that we can't even comprehend it. Isn't that an amazing promise? Who wouldn't love to discard their worry in exchange for peace? So spend some time in prayer today, thanking God, and setting all your worries aside.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a tricky thing.  Easy to say, but hard to do.  You know, and really mean it.  It's something we strive for (hopefully), but how do you know when you have really forgiven someone?  And what if you feel like they don't really deserve forgiveness in the first place? 

Well, I have a few thoughts on this thing called forgiveness today (for several reasons, but mostly because that's what was preached on in church this morning), and so I thought I would share.  You know, because you're just dying for my opinion.

I guarantee you have been hurt by someone at some point in your life.  Well, me too.  Sometimes, I get mad, then I get over it.  Simple enough.  But sometimes, I just cannot get over it, no matter how hard I try.  All the feelings just keep bubbling up, and I continually play the moment over and over again in my mind, and I think of all the things I wish I had said/still want to say.  In the quiet moments, when I am by myself, lost in my thoughts, the hurt and resentment comes out and I find myself sitting there, stewing in anger.  That is how I know I have not truly forgiven.  How I know I have yet to move past whatever offense was done or said against me.  How I know I need to go to the Father, and work through my feelings, and finally forgive.

You see, there are several reasons why I should forgive, rather than harboring such hurt and pain.  If you are a child of God, then you know what true forgiveness is.  God has forgiven me for more than I can bear to admit, and yet I stubbornly refuse to forgive someone else of so much less?  Romans 5:8 tells us that God loves us so much, He was willing to forgive us, die for us, while we were still sinners.  I personally offended the God of the entire universe with my sinfulness, and yet, He forgives me.  Therefore, when someone does something that, quite frankly, pales in comparison, surely I should be able to forgive them (Col. 3:13).

Besides the fact that we should be willing to forgive because we ourselves have been shown such tremendous forgiveness, we should forgive because it hurts us more not to.

"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
         Do not fret—it only causes harm." Psalm 37:8   

We have all been there.  Angry and hurt, while the person who hurt us is completely clueless, and is going on with their life as if nothing happened.  Although there may be a part of our selfish human hearts that wants to believe we are "getting back at them" with our bitterness and resentment, they have no idea they even hurt us in the first place.  And although it may be easier to ignore the hurt, and pretend like we have moved on, we are only hurting ourselves more in the process, and probably those around us as well.

This may all sound well and good, but how does one actually go about forgiving someone? Forgiving the truly painful hurts that run so deep?  Well, we discussed some practical steps this morning that I would like to share:

1.  Reveal my hurt.  Admit that something someone did hurt you.  Write a list of the offenses.  Talk about it if you need to.  Don't pretend nothing is wrong, or act like their actions didn't hurt.  It's ok to feel hurt.  You have to be able to admit that before you can move on. 

2.  Release the offender.  Once you have let out (out loud or on paper) what has hurt you, you have to release the offender.  Forgive.  Allow yourself to move on.  Make things right with that person.  

3.  Replace the hurt with God's peace.  This is very important.  Don't let your heart be filled with anger or malice or resentment, but instead be filled with the peace of God (Col. 3:15).  A peace that can only come from God.     

I hope you will strive to live each day at peace with everyone in your life, and not let anger and bitterness build up.  God has much better plans for you than that!   

One Week Down...

...how many to go?  We're not sure. 

But that's ok.  We made it through the first week.

I am praying that this week was the hardest.  I'm in a constant state of exhaustion.  I'm tired of driving 30 minutes back and forth.  I miss my daughter.       

But that's ok.  We made it through the first week.

My husband has to try and make it through the workday without seeing his son.  He is up at night with our daughter because she's teething.

But that's ok.  We made it through the first week.

"I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.  But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, answer me with Your saving truth."  Psalm 69:3,13 

I'm not going to lie, this is hard.  But the God I serve is an awesome God, and bigger than any medical complications, bigger than my exhaustion, bigger than anything that life throws at us.  And I trust in His plan for our son.  He knew that he would be born last week.  He knew that he would be in the NICU.  And He knows what the outcome will be.  What other complications will my son face? I don't know, but God does.  When will we finally be able to bring him home with us? I don't know, but God does.  So I will wait as he reveals His plan in His time. 

"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord;  Be strong and let your heart take courage;  Yes, wait for the Lord."  Psalm 27:13-14

Sometimes Life Ain't Good

There's this song, you probably know it, with the line: "God is Great, but sometimes life ain't good..."  I don't know who sings it, and I don't know the title of the song, and truth be told, I don't even really like the song.  I find the lyrics silly and well, a little asinine.  HOWEVER, I heard it on the radio this evening, and was suddenly struck with the simplistic (albeit grammatically incorrect) reality of that statement.

God IS GREAT.

In fact, God is so much more than that.  God is the author and perfecter of our salvation.  God is the beginning and the end.  He is Almighty, and omniscient.  He is father and friend, ruler of all and righteous judge.  And His strength is sufficient.  

But also, sometimes life ain't good.  

Sometimes life just explodes in our face.  Sometimes jobs are lost.  Sometimes loved ones hurt us.  Sometimes our children act like well, children.  Sometimes adults (unfortunately) act like children.  And sometimes life is not fair.  Things just do not go our way.  Plans change.

In fact, sometimes I am so frustrated with the unbelievable unfairness of things, I want to bang my head against the wall.  That's right, sometimes I feel like more would get accomplished if I threw my big head against the wall and struck it over and over.  That is just how fed up I get with life, immature people, and the utter ridiculousness of it all sometimes.

But I realize that would  not do anyone much good, particularly my poor head.  What I try to remember instead, is that God is GREAT.  God's grace and power are sufficient for me.  And that while I may not be able to change life's not so great circumstances, or change the hearts and minds of certain people, or change the immature and irresponsible behaviors of those around me, I can focus on my relationship with God.  I can choose to trust (Ps. 9:10, 28:7) in God's sovereignty, and continue to press on to the prize ahead.  I can choose to rely on God's strength alone, and pray for those who hurt me.  I can choose to stay focused on the right priorities-God's priorities.  And I can choose to believe that God will handle all things according to His will, and His purposes, in His time (Romans 8:28).   

Don't let life get you down.  Yes, sometimes life stinks.  Sometimes it's hard.  Sometimes it is downright unreasonable.  But continue to trust in God's wonderful and perfect plan.  He will not fail you.   

A Day of Remembrance

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  While I am unbelievably blessed to have never experienced this immense loss personally, this is a subject that is very sensitive and near to my heart.  In just the past few months, I have had three friends lose their precious babies due to miscarriage.  I am not even going to pretend to know what this kind of loss feels like, but I have wept with them and for them, and prayed with everything in me that God would give a peace and understanding that only He can give.

While it may seem easy to say, the truth is, each and everyone of these babies was created and planned by God.  I don't know why they had to go to be with Him in heaven before their mommies and daddies got to meet them here on this earth, but I do know that God is sovereign and in control.  He has a reason and a purpose for taking them away so soon, and whatever is was, it was for His glory.  I pray that through each and every loss, as unbearably painful as they had to be, my friends were able to draw closer to God and rely on His strength, and experience His love and peace in a way they have never known before.

"The word of the LORD came to me, saying,  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart,"  Jeremiah 1:5a 

God knew these babies.  He created them.  He loved them.  And in the midst of all the hurt and pain of loss, is God's amazing and perfect plan.  Today, as I remember and pray for all the babies who we have not yet been able to meet, and each of my dear friends who has had to go through such a difficult time, I cling to this promise.  Through all the tears I remind myself of the loving and perfect God that we serve, and His plan that is perfect, even if I do not understand.

Please take a moment today to pray for anyone you know who has lost a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth or SIDS, as well as all the people who this difficult loss has affected across the world.  Thank you for your love and prayers.

Be anxious for NOTHING

I have been through some trying circumstances in recent weeks. As I am trying to adjust to staying at home with my daughter, other stresses have come up in our church family, as well as at home in my sweet little family. And although not all the stresses are bad, it causes me to be anxious none the less. While I absolutely believe in a loving, sovereign God, I am human, and let's face it, I worry! And how do I typically handle said worry? By bottling it up inside, sifting through all the what-if's, listing every stress and trouble to friends and wallowing. But what does God intend for me to do with such worries?

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." Philippians 4:6-7

First of all, notice that Paul clearly states that we are to be anxious for, what now? Work? Family? Illness? Finances? No. "Be anxious for NOTHING." There are no exceptions. No loopholes. This is not a friendly suggestion to help you live your best life now; this is a command of God. As His child, He expects me to be anxious for nothing. Period. He's the one in charge, not me, so what do I have to be worried about anyway?

Right now you may be thinking, ok, easier said than done! True. That is why Paul explains how exactly to go about this. "In everything," every single burden, stress, and concern, big or small, "by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Tell God what you're worried about! Tell Him your frustrations, your desires, your hurts, your struggles. Get some things off your chest-don't worry, He can handle it! Also notice that yes, he says by prayer and supplication, but then also says "with thanksgiving." You may have a lot of concerns that need to be made known to God, and you may have a lot of needs that need to be met, but you are to come before God with a humble spirit. Come before God thanking Him for what He has already accomplished in your life. Thanking Him for your current circumstances, that you might learn and grow. Thanking Him for Jesus Christ and His work on the cross! Trust me, we have much more to be thankful for than we ever realize or acknowledge! (Or is that just me??) So then, after we have spent this time in prayer before the Lord, then what?

And then, friends, all worry and anxiety are replaced with peace. The peace of God that will guard our hearts and minds from the burdens and stresses of this world. A peace so marvelous that we can't even comprehend it. Isn't that an amazing promise? Who wouldn't love to discard their worry in exchange for peace? So spend some time in prayer today, thanking God, and setting all your worries aside.