"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." -- Proverbs 4:23
Busy, busy, busy. Some of us race around each day, running from one event to the next, one sporting event to the next, one responsibility to the next. We try to squeeze in time to walk, spin, yoga, P90x...whatever the latest exercise craze is...we just have to TRY HARDER, right? We eat on the run, get less sleep and we are TIRED!
Whether you are young or older, do you feel pressure to just "try harder?" Do you feel you have to do more, and be more?
Living this lifestyle. (and I KNOW I am not the only one struggling with living this way) how are we to have the time to guard and protect our hearts?
Do you honestly think God wants us to be this hard on ourselves? Think about this for a moment...what do you HONESTLY believe God thinks and feels about you?
Many times, when our desires are not being met, we end up working harder, doing more. We think that by doing this we will MAKE our dreams and desires come true. Since it never works that way, I don't believe that's God plan and desire for us. God didn't place these desires in our hearts to torture us. If we learn to look at ourselves through God's eyes...if we learn to study who we are and the things we want, we can learn to see the secret of who we truly are, who we were created to be.
What do you want for your life? Who do you want to be? When you understand that God MADE you the way you are for a reason, there is hope...hope to become the person you secretly long to be.
Your heart holds those secrets. It is the source of all creativity, courage, conviction, faith, hope and of course, our love for ourselves and others. God knows this. God IS love, and God is at the heart of our secret longings because He IS our hearts. That is why it is important to guard our hearts...to protect our hearts and our desires ABOVE ALL ELSE. How do we do that? It's not easy. Life is tough and seems to want to tear us down and break our hearts. Reach out to God. He will help you learn to guard your heart so you can freely give love to others.
I am on a journey to figure out how to be less busy in my life and allow God to show me how to protect my heart. I am doing this so I can discover how to love who I am and help the desires of my heart to come true. If I figure out how to work WITH God to live my life, instead of going it alone, I won't have to try so hard and I will be free to be who I am.
My sun porch
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Be beautiful!
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6 NIV)
If you believe that you were created by God...that He made you...that you are "fearfully and wonderfully made"...than you can believe that you are beautiful! If you are a man and don't want to think of yourself as "beautiful," than think handsome, but even the "ugliest" people are beautiful to God. And, those who believe that also can believe that God BEGAN a good work in us the day we were born and then leaves it up to us to continue that good work.
Beauty...who is beautiful to you? Why are they beautiful?
I think, at least for women, we long to be beautiful. And, I think, down deep, we want inside beauty too...we want to be good. Yet, how many of us consider ourselves beautiful? Do you?
SO MUCH money is spent across the world every day on beauty products, exercise and diet plans, and even surgeries...all in the attempt to make ourselves more beautiful. WHY??? Because we have the inner desire to be beautiful. The problem is, we have chased after that desire for so long, it has overpowered many of our other desires and our culture (we) have depleted the desire by our selfishness. We have taken the natural desire God gave us to be good and beautiful, and polluted it.
But, we also given ourselves a complex and feel bad about our desire to be beautiful. We feel bad, and when we don't feel we live up to culture's vision of beauty, we give up..."I am not beautiful and I am never going to be beautiful" and we put ourselves down and grab another piece of cake!
Do you want to be beautiful? What lengths do you or would you go to to be beautiful? Do you see beauty in others? Can you see beauty beneath an "ugly" exterior?
Think about how you can "unveil" your own beauty...God made you, fearfully and wonderfully...think of ways you can be more beautiful...ways you can SHOW others the beauty God placed inside of you. Being kind to others...comforting and loving other people...letting the love of God shine through you. Be confident! God began a good work in you and wants to work WITH you to complete those good works through your life! Be beautiful!
If you believe that you were created by God...that He made you...that you are "fearfully and wonderfully made"...than you can believe that you are beautiful! If you are a man and don't want to think of yourself as "beautiful," than think handsome, but even the "ugliest" people are beautiful to God. And, those who believe that also can believe that God BEGAN a good work in us the day we were born and then leaves it up to us to continue that good work.
Beauty...who is beautiful to you? Why are they beautiful?
I think, at least for women, we long to be beautiful. And, I think, down deep, we want inside beauty too...we want to be good. Yet, how many of us consider ourselves beautiful? Do you?
SO MUCH money is spent across the world every day on beauty products, exercise and diet plans, and even surgeries...all in the attempt to make ourselves more beautiful. WHY??? Because we have the inner desire to be beautiful. The problem is, we have chased after that desire for so long, it has overpowered many of our other desires and our culture (we) have depleted the desire by our selfishness. We have taken the natural desire God gave us to be good and beautiful, and polluted it.
But, we also given ourselves a complex and feel bad about our desire to be beautiful. We feel bad, and when we don't feel we live up to culture's vision of beauty, we give up..."I am not beautiful and I am never going to be beautiful" and we put ourselves down and grab another piece of cake!
Do you want to be beautiful? What lengths do you or would you go to to be beautiful? Do you see beauty in others? Can you see beauty beneath an "ugly" exterior?
Think about how you can "unveil" your own beauty...God made you, fearfully and wonderfully...think of ways you can be more beautiful...ways you can SHOW others the beauty God placed inside of you. Being kind to others...comforting and loving other people...letting the love of God shine through you. Be confident! God began a good work in you and wants to work WITH you to complete those good works through your life! Be beautiful!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
This is YOUR adventure story...write it WITH God!
"The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper." (Proverbs 19:8 NIV)
I search for meaning and comfort every day. This life is HARD...and dealing with all the hard stuff can be overwhelming sometimes. If I were left to my own means, I would melt away in a puddle of tears and curl up in a ball and give up. But when I reach out to God, try to understand him and his ways...when I study and think and meditate on why things are they way they are, KNOWING that God IS there...I gain wisdom and strength and the courage to move forward and try to make my life better than it is right now.
Right now I am learning that my need to save the world and solve the problems of my family and friends is natural! God made women DESIRE to play an irreplaceable role in the story of their lives. Think about life as an adventure...as a great epic novel. Don't we all want to be the main character in our own adventure? Don't we dream of being the brave heroine that saves the day?
What were your dreams for your life when you were younger? What did you want to be or do?
Some of us have never stopped dreaming and changing our stories. I changed majors in college 3 times, and have changed careers a few times too. While that might be frustrating for my family sometimes...it is exciting to me! I allow myself to dream right now...if I could do anything...what would it be? Where am I meant to be at THIS moment?
Allowing YOURSELF to dream a little bit, if YOU could be or do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?
As you think about that...about the exciting role you are playing and COULD play in your own life story...remember this...any good story needs a good problem...some tension...a hard situation...life is an adventure. We need some hard times to appreciate the good times.
But you say...I have had ENOUGH problems in my life...I don't want any more!!! Life is TOO hard sometimes! If I am writing my own story, I will write only happy things.
Well...I am sorry to tell you, it doesn't work that way. Jesus told us there WILL be hard times...we WILL struggle and we WILL have difficulties. BUT...remember the lesson that Jesus ultimately teaches us with his resurrection...Fredrick Buechner says it this way, "The resurrection means the worst thing is never the last thing." If you believe that, then you know that your adventure story will ultimately have a happy ending!!!
In your adventure story right now...are you experiencing difficulties and struggles? Allow God to work in your life through the other "characters" in your story. The hero or heroine in any good story needs supporting characters that impact their lives. Also...don't be afraid to dream about what your life COULD be. Be brave and lean on your faith in God's promises to give you the courage to work to make your life better for you and for the people around you. How could you be impacting the lives of those other characters in your story? Can you be brave enough, strong enough, wise enough to allow God to work through YOU?
This is YOUR adventure...what if you collaborated with God in the writing of your story? Think of the possibilities!!!
I search for meaning and comfort every day. This life is HARD...and dealing with all the hard stuff can be overwhelming sometimes. If I were left to my own means, I would melt away in a puddle of tears and curl up in a ball and give up. But when I reach out to God, try to understand him and his ways...when I study and think and meditate on why things are they way they are, KNOWING that God IS there...I gain wisdom and strength and the courage to move forward and try to make my life better than it is right now.
Right now I am learning that my need to save the world and solve the problems of my family and friends is natural! God made women DESIRE to play an irreplaceable role in the story of their lives. Think about life as an adventure...as a great epic novel. Don't we all want to be the main character in our own adventure? Don't we dream of being the brave heroine that saves the day?
What were your dreams for your life when you were younger? What did you want to be or do?
Some of us have never stopped dreaming and changing our stories. I changed majors in college 3 times, and have changed careers a few times too. While that might be frustrating for my family sometimes...it is exciting to me! I allow myself to dream right now...if I could do anything...what would it be? Where am I meant to be at THIS moment?
Allowing YOURSELF to dream a little bit, if YOU could be or do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?
As you think about that...about the exciting role you are playing and COULD play in your own life story...remember this...any good story needs a good problem...some tension...a hard situation...life is an adventure. We need some hard times to appreciate the good times.
But you say...I have had ENOUGH problems in my life...I don't want any more!!! Life is TOO hard sometimes! If I am writing my own story, I will write only happy things.
Well...I am sorry to tell you, it doesn't work that way. Jesus told us there WILL be hard times...we WILL struggle and we WILL have difficulties. BUT...remember the lesson that Jesus ultimately teaches us with his resurrection...Fredrick Buechner says it this way, "The resurrection means the worst thing is never the last thing." If you believe that, then you know that your adventure story will ultimately have a happy ending!!!
In your adventure story right now...are you experiencing difficulties and struggles? Allow God to work in your life through the other "characters" in your story. The hero or heroine in any good story needs supporting characters that impact their lives. Also...don't be afraid to dream about what your life COULD be. Be brave and lean on your faith in God's promises to give you the courage to work to make your life better for you and for the people around you. How could you be impacting the lives of those other characters in your story? Can you be brave enough, strong enough, wise enough to allow God to work through YOU?
This is YOUR adventure...what if you collaborated with God in the writing of your story? Think of the possibilities!!!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Protect your heart...
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." -- Proverbs 4:23
My First Place 4 Health group started a new study series, "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. We are trying to figure out why we are the way we are and why the way we are causes us problems.
Thinking about it this morning, I think one of the problems we have is loving ourselves and the way we are...loving the things we want and desire...loving ourselves enough to take care of ourselves....loving ourselves enough to want better for ourselves.
I think that's why we got involved in the First Place 4 Health group in the first place...To do better for ourselves. God wants better for us. He doesn't want us unhealthy...He doesn't want us unhappy...He doesn't want us not to have the things our hearts desire. As the authors of the book say, we are created in God's image...God's heart. Why would He give us his heart and all that comes with it and then say you can't have those things?
Yesterday, we talked about movies and characters that we love and why we love them. We don't all like the same kind of movies, but we all have dreams about what we wish our lives were like. Real life never lives up to our expectations, but those dreams we have give us hope.
What kinds of games did you play when you were a little? What kinds of dreams and fantasies do you have about how you want your life to be?
We read yesterday that the desire to be "romanced" comes natural to women because God Himself wants to be pursued and loved. What do YOU think romance is?
When I was a teenager and in my 20's, I read a LOT of romance novels. I then would have fantasies in my head about myself in those roles as heroine. I wanted a guy to want me bad enough to fight for me...I wanted to be swept off my feet...I wanted a guy with a big heart, but also wanted the hero of the book.
We want these things, and when they don't turn out exactly like our fantasy, we sometimes let that make us think we aren't worthy of the fantasy. So, we squelch the dream...and our hearts break a little.
I think it's natural for us to want those things...God made us to want those things. But...remember the Proverbs verse above...we are to protect our hearts. We need to nurture our desires, but carefully... and have HEALTHY AND REALISTIC expectations. God knows our hearts...He GAVE them to us. Shouldn't we let Him be our guide through life instead of relying on our own, flawed expectations?
When we don't take care of our hearts, our addictions can take over...we eat too much, we drink to much, we look for other things to fill that void. We don't have to do that!!!
I am hoping this study helps us all learn to love ourselves more...helps us realize we ARE worthy of the natural desires God placed within us, and helps us reset our expectations for our lives and makes us want to FIGHT for something better! Are you with me?
My First Place 4 Health group started a new study series, "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. We are trying to figure out why we are the way we are and why the way we are causes us problems.
Thinking about it this morning, I think one of the problems we have is loving ourselves and the way we are...loving the things we want and desire...loving ourselves enough to take care of ourselves....loving ourselves enough to want better for ourselves.
I think that's why we got involved in the First Place 4 Health group in the first place...To do better for ourselves. God wants better for us. He doesn't want us unhealthy...He doesn't want us unhappy...He doesn't want us not to have the things our hearts desire. As the authors of the book say, we are created in God's image...God's heart. Why would He give us his heart and all that comes with it and then say you can't have those things?
Yesterday, we talked about movies and characters that we love and why we love them. We don't all like the same kind of movies, but we all have dreams about what we wish our lives were like. Real life never lives up to our expectations, but those dreams we have give us hope.
What kinds of games did you play when you were a little? What kinds of dreams and fantasies do you have about how you want your life to be?
We read yesterday that the desire to be "romanced" comes natural to women because God Himself wants to be pursued and loved. What do YOU think romance is?
When I was a teenager and in my 20's, I read a LOT of romance novels. I then would have fantasies in my head about myself in those roles as heroine. I wanted a guy to want me bad enough to fight for me...I wanted to be swept off my feet...I wanted a guy with a big heart, but also wanted the hero of the book.
We want these things, and when they don't turn out exactly like our fantasy, we sometimes let that make us think we aren't worthy of the fantasy. So, we squelch the dream...and our hearts break a little.
I think it's natural for us to want those things...God made us to want those things. But...remember the Proverbs verse above...we are to protect our hearts. We need to nurture our desires, but carefully... and have HEALTHY AND REALISTIC expectations. God knows our hearts...He GAVE them to us. Shouldn't we let Him be our guide through life instead of relying on our own, flawed expectations?
When we don't take care of our hearts, our addictions can take over...we eat too much, we drink to much, we look for other things to fill that void. We don't have to do that!!!
I am hoping this study helps us all learn to love ourselves more...helps us realize we ARE worthy of the natural desires God placed within us, and helps us reset our expectations for our lives and makes us want to FIGHT for something better! Are you with me?
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Happiness is...paying attention...
"...weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
It is very easy to get so wrapped up in our own daily struggles that we miss important events and clues around us that could have amazing impact in our lives. If we just paid attention more often, we would see people trying to help us and ways we can help others. And the affects of this paying attention can help us work our way out of our own depression. Did you ever think that THIS is the way God works in our lives? Not by miracles and sending angels, but through the people in our lives?
I have heard them called "Godincidents" instead of coincidence. These have happened in my life many times...probably more have happened that I was not "awake" enough to see. I've been in the right place at the right time when someone needed to talk...I got a check in the mail for the EXACT amount that I needed to pay a bill the next day...a friend recommends a book and when I begin reading it, it says EXACTLY what I needed to hear to pull me out of the funk I was in...
I do believe God still does miracles today, but I think he works through people as well. Have you ever felt "nudged" to go back and do something, or felt the need to go to the store and seen a long time friend while there? You may think it sounds "hoaky" but I believe there are times when we ARE nudged to do things that can lead to "little miracles." But, the key is to pay attention. I have ignored those nudges often too, and later thought I should have done whatever it was.
If we pay attention to the clues around us, and that little voice in our heads...we will find ways of pulling ourselves out of our own funk and find the rejoicing that comes in the morning, as the Psalm above says. I know that has happened for me several times, especially lately.
Happy moments come when you appreciate the "Godincidents" that come into your life. Open your eyes today...who will cross paths with you that you can help or that will help you? Pay attention...let God work in your life. A happy moment may not be far away from you...even if you feel like you are in the pits of despair!
but rejoicing comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
It is very easy to get so wrapped up in our own daily struggles that we miss important events and clues around us that could have amazing impact in our lives. If we just paid attention more often, we would see people trying to help us and ways we can help others. And the affects of this paying attention can help us work our way out of our own depression. Did you ever think that THIS is the way God works in our lives? Not by miracles and sending angels, but through the people in our lives?
I have heard them called "Godincidents" instead of coincidence. These have happened in my life many times...probably more have happened that I was not "awake" enough to see. I've been in the right place at the right time when someone needed to talk...I got a check in the mail for the EXACT amount that I needed to pay a bill the next day...a friend recommends a book and when I begin reading it, it says EXACTLY what I needed to hear to pull me out of the funk I was in...
I do believe God still does miracles today, but I think he works through people as well. Have you ever felt "nudged" to go back and do something, or felt the need to go to the store and seen a long time friend while there? You may think it sounds "hoaky" but I believe there are times when we ARE nudged to do things that can lead to "little miracles." But, the key is to pay attention. I have ignored those nudges often too, and later thought I should have done whatever it was.
If we pay attention to the clues around us, and that little voice in our heads...we will find ways of pulling ourselves out of our own funk and find the rejoicing that comes in the morning, as the Psalm above says. I know that has happened for me several times, especially lately.
Happy moments come when you appreciate the "Godincidents" that come into your life. Open your eyes today...who will cross paths with you that you can help or that will help you? Pay attention...let God work in your life. A happy moment may not be far away from you...even if you feel like you are in the pits of despair!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Happiness project lesson...The will of God is not our happiness but our faithfulness.
"I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13 NIV)
Two things I have read this morning smacked me upside the head!
First of all, I am working on this "happiness project" because...I want to be happier, right? I want to enjoy the life and the blessings God has given me and lately I feel all I do is complain about what's wrong in my life. It's got to be better than this, right? Oh really?
Seth Godin is a best-selling author and a popular speaker in the business world, dealing with mostly with leadership. He writes a daily blog and I read it most days. Today's blog seemed to be written for me. He called it "Trading in Your Pain." Many of us think if we find a better situation, we will get rid of our pain. The pain of a bad work situation...the pain of an unhappy marriage...the pain of poor choices...the pain of bullying...We think if we change jobs, get divorced, go to a new school...we we change our situation the pain will go away. The funny thing is, when we do find ourselves in a new situation, we find we still have pain. It might be different pain, but it is pain all the same.
"The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence" is an old saying, but it is so true. I tend to do that...when things get hard, I start thinking and dreaming of the next best thing. THAT will make me happy won't it? Reality is...probably not.
Then I read that God is not as concerned with our happiness as he is with our faithfulness. I sometimes get the idea that God WANTS me to be happy...how could a loving, caring parent not want his child to be happy? But even the verse listed above doesn't promise happiness. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 says it is better to be happy and do good. It says the gift of God is finding satisfaction in our toil. God wants us to be concerned with the good works he has for us to do than with finding happiness. Don't you think if we really grasped that idea, we would find ourselves happier more of the time?
I am glad I am working on this "happiness project" because I think I am realizing that true happiness is much different than I thought it was!
Two things I have read this morning smacked me upside the head!
First of all, I am working on this "happiness project" because...I want to be happier, right? I want to enjoy the life and the blessings God has given me and lately I feel all I do is complain about what's wrong in my life. It's got to be better than this, right? Oh really?
Seth Godin is a best-selling author and a popular speaker in the business world, dealing with mostly with leadership. He writes a daily blog and I read it most days. Today's blog seemed to be written for me. He called it "Trading in Your Pain." Many of us think if we find a better situation, we will get rid of our pain. The pain of a bad work situation...the pain of an unhappy marriage...the pain of poor choices...the pain of bullying...We think if we change jobs, get divorced, go to a new school...we we change our situation the pain will go away. The funny thing is, when we do find ourselves in a new situation, we find we still have pain. It might be different pain, but it is pain all the same.
"The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence" is an old saying, but it is so true. I tend to do that...when things get hard, I start thinking and dreaming of the next best thing. THAT will make me happy won't it? Reality is...probably not.
Then I read that God is not as concerned with our happiness as he is with our faithfulness. I sometimes get the idea that God WANTS me to be happy...how could a loving, caring parent not want his child to be happy? But even the verse listed above doesn't promise happiness. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 says it is better to be happy and do good. It says the gift of God is finding satisfaction in our toil. God wants us to be concerned with the good works he has for us to do than with finding happiness. Don't you think if we really grasped that idea, we would find ourselves happier more of the time?
I am glad I am working on this "happiness project" because I think I am realizing that true happiness is much different than I thought it was!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happiness project lesson - less ME
"Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." (1 John 2:8 NIV)
My happiness project is veering a little bit away from the book of that name, and is becoming more about a much-needed attitude adjustment. Yes, i do need to get more sleep, eat healthier and get more exercise so I have more energy to do the things that make me happy. But i also think my happiness has a lot to do with the attitude i have about what is going on in my life at any given moment.
We like to think about a new year as a chance to begin again...a clean slate regarding the mistakes we have made in the past year. Since most New Year's resolutions are broken before the end of January, I prefer to look at each day as a clean slate....I can't wait a year to start over again. I messed up yesterday...today I want to think about how I messed up yesterday and seriously try to do better today.
I also want to look at today as a gift...the present is a present, if you will. I have been given a new day... It is mine to do with as I wish. Whether that day has me going to work or staying home, what I do with that day is my choice. How I face the choices and issues that will come to me in this new day is my choice.
2011 was a trying year for me and my family. We had money issues, a life-threatening car accident and the results of that accident, back problems, weight problems, job frustrations, furnace issues, mid-life issues, teenage issues...oh, and did I mention money issues? My husband and I went to bed Saturday night after we had watched the ball drop, and as we wished each other a Happy New Year, we both said we hoped 2012 is better than 2011 for our family.
But what if it isn't? What if more "issues" come our way? Will we be so frustrated and depressed that we will curl up in a little ball and give up? I certainly hope not!
Yesterday, a very wise friend saw that I was struggling with the "why me" issues and told me of a book that helped him better understand why bad things happen and how God's will is involved in those bad things. Being the book lover that I am, I instantly downloaded that book onto my new Nook and I have read the first 2 chapters. My wise friend has no idea how much his advice and that book have helped me already!
I want the first few days of this new year to be a time of contemplation for me...a "come to Jesus" moment when I get OVER myself and realize how all of my "issues" are not failures, but chances to allow God to work in my life and chances for me to begin again! I can't be "Oh woe is me!" all the time. I want to use this "starting over" time to plan how I will use each day as a new beginning. Life is not all darkness...the light is in me already!
May this day bring me many chances to let God's light shine in my dark, issue-filled life and in the dark, issue-filled lives of others who cross my path today! Thinking less about me and more about others may just be the key to my happiness project!
My happiness project is veering a little bit away from the book of that name, and is becoming more about a much-needed attitude adjustment. Yes, i do need to get more sleep, eat healthier and get more exercise so I have more energy to do the things that make me happy. But i also think my happiness has a lot to do with the attitude i have about what is going on in my life at any given moment.
We like to think about a new year as a chance to begin again...a clean slate regarding the mistakes we have made in the past year. Since most New Year's resolutions are broken before the end of January, I prefer to look at each day as a clean slate....I can't wait a year to start over again. I messed up yesterday...today I want to think about how I messed up yesterday and seriously try to do better today.
I also want to look at today as a gift...the present is a present, if you will. I have been given a new day... It is mine to do with as I wish. Whether that day has me going to work or staying home, what I do with that day is my choice. How I face the choices and issues that will come to me in this new day is my choice.
2011 was a trying year for me and my family. We had money issues, a life-threatening car accident and the results of that accident, back problems, weight problems, job frustrations, furnace issues, mid-life issues, teenage issues...oh, and did I mention money issues? My husband and I went to bed Saturday night after we had watched the ball drop, and as we wished each other a Happy New Year, we both said we hoped 2012 is better than 2011 for our family.
But what if it isn't? What if more "issues" come our way? Will we be so frustrated and depressed that we will curl up in a little ball and give up? I certainly hope not!
Yesterday, a very wise friend saw that I was struggling with the "why me" issues and told me of a book that helped him better understand why bad things happen and how God's will is involved in those bad things. Being the book lover that I am, I instantly downloaded that book onto my new Nook and I have read the first 2 chapters. My wise friend has no idea how much his advice and that book have helped me already!
I want the first few days of this new year to be a time of contemplation for me...a "come to Jesus" moment when I get OVER myself and realize how all of my "issues" are not failures, but chances to allow God to work in my life and chances for me to begin again! I can't be "Oh woe is me!" all the time. I want to use this "starting over" time to plan how I will use each day as a new beginning. Life is not all darkness...the light is in me already!
May this day bring me many chances to let God's light shine in my dark, issue-filled life and in the dark, issue-filled lives of others who cross my path today! Thinking less about me and more about others may just be the key to my happiness project!
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