The Battle In Your Mind
When it comes to how you identify yourself, there are countless amounts of objectives you can use. When you look at the experiences you have lived through, what comes to mind for you? Do you see yourself as a survivor, warrior, victim, or fighter?
How you perceive and identify yourself will ultimately help you or deter you along your life journey. The way to answer that question is the quality of life you will live.
I was raised to have a victim mentality and lived that way for way too many years. I wasn’t until I decided I needed to change my mentality that my life began to change. It took a lot of self-love and nurturing to identify with my warrior identity today.
My life journey thus far has shown me there is a mind-body connection, and it is vital to remain healthy if you’ve had trauma in your life.
We may not have the same experiences, but the struggle I believe is the same.
When I identified as a victim, I had a sense of entitlement. Because I was broken everyone had to cater to me. What ever I was feeling was because It was someone else’s fault. I blamed everyone for everything. I have a complete lack of personal responsibility. Since life treated me wrong, I felt so deserved something almost like reparations for my misfortune. I was a complete mess as well as my life.
I’m sure we have all met a drama queen or king. They thrive on drama. It took meeting a drama queen to make me realize I was doing the same thing, only she was worse. To wake me up to the fact that I needed to change.
I had an immature outlook on life. Which was extreme black-and-white thinking. Black-and-white thinking doesn’t allow you to see life the way it really is. It keeps you from seeing life in a way it really is, complex, uncertain, and constantly changing. For example, if I didn’t do something perfect I was a failure. But I also see other people that way. My black-and-white thinking didn’t allow me to find the middle ground.
As a survivor, I learned to function and prosper despite opposition, hardship, or setbacks. As a survivor, I have the desire to live and carry on, despite adversity.
Everyone lives through adversity, and of course, the types, kinds, and severity of hardship vary for everyone. How a person reacts and copes is what is important.
Surviving means to move on, choosing to get through the day anyway you can and choosing to stay positive not matter what comes your way. Living and surviving each day is a win and a triumph. And that is an example of an absolute success.
My Ideal Home
What does your ideal home look like?
My Ideal home would entail full view of the beach, with plenty of comfy furniture, a screened in porch and a few roomy balconies for breathing in salty air. Plus a bunk room for guests. At least 3 large bedrooms, A huge kitchen for baking and serving guests. Along with at least 3 bathrooms with huge walk in showers and sunken meted tubs. With a small lap swim pool in the back yard are well as a hot tub and a place for barbecues, and an outside bar. And an out side shower for a quick place to wash for salty body’s, before they enter the house. Around the 159,000,000 price range.
If you’re going to dream big -dream huge.
Tears Of Joy
What brings a tear of joy to your eye?
When we cry our bodies release endorphins and oxytocin. These hormones can help release pain, and boost our moods. Whether they are positive or negative they can be pretty intense.
Tears of joy happen when we experience emotions so intense they become unmanageable.
I cried tears of joy when I saw my babies when they were born. I cried tears of joy when I got my sweet puppy she was so small. Then she turned into this,
Seriously she was a great hiking buddy. She could go places you would never think a chihuahua would be able to go. As long as I kept her away from the water we were good.
Reserved For Fire
You are probably aware of the monumental fact that: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). But are you aware that one day God will destroy the heavens and the earth with fire?
Shocking? Absolutely. unbelievable? Not at all.
In 2 Peter 3:10, 12 Peter wrote with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and delivered this news to God’s people:
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the works that are in it will be burned up. Looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.”
The heavens will be dissolved, and the earth will literally melt in the heat.
A few scriptures earlier Peter described how scoffers deliberately forget that long ago by God’s Word the heaven existed and the earth was formed out of water and with water. By water also the world of the time was flooded and destroyed. By the same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men (2 Peter 3:5-7).
The coming day of judgment is just as certain as God’s creation of the universe, and just as sure as the great flood in Noah’s day.
John was given a vision of what will happen after God burns up the earth in Revelation 21:1-5,
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear in their eyes. Death will be no more, neither will there be mourning, not crying, not pain, any more. The first things have passed away. He who sits on the throne and said. behold, I am making all things new, He said, Write, for these Words of God are faithful and true.”
Every child of God will inhabit the New Heaven and New Earth with a perfect body that is incorruptible.
“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” – 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
What an upgrade we will receive.
If you could choose today between going to Heaven or going to Hell, you would certainly Heaven, right?
Colorado Sunset Last Night
Why I Blog
Why do you blog?
I blog so that I can share information that I have learned over the years. I am blessed to have an amazing Pastor who shares his knowledge of what it means to be a true Christian with his church.
I am also an avid reader so I like sharing what I’ve learned through the books I read. I tend to be an over-thinker so putting my thoughts in a blog helps me get all my thoughts down somewhere and gets those thoughts out of my head.
Good Enough For Heaven
This post may be a little controversial. I don’t usually write about these types of things, but important if you want to make it to heaven. I have a tendency not to sugarcoat things. I have a family member who calls herself a Christian. We must understand that there’s a reason people feel as though they don’t want to follow God, because of the way people act.
Some of the worst “advertising” for Christ are the people who say they are Christians but aren’t. The truth is m anyone can call themselves a Christian, whether they are or not. There is no restriction that can keep false believers at bay. Scripture tells that there would be false believers and even false prophets. “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15-20).
2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us,
“ Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Yeshua Messiah is in you? -unless indeed you are disqualified.”
Here are some ways I examine myself often. Please don’t call yourself a Christian if:
1, You live a non-christian lifestyle
- Am I dishonest in my finances?
- Am I rude or unloving toward others?
- Do I support behaviors that are contrary to scripture?
This is not to say that to become a Christian you just live a moral life, or if you make a mistake. You cannot be a Christian.
Scripture is clear that Christians made mistakes. The difference between real and false Christians is a habitual lifestyle. If we continue in sin without repentance and a behavior change it shows we are not a true Christian.
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments if a liar, and the truth is not in Him” – 1 John 2:3-4
2. You don’t fully believe in and obey the Bible
- Do I believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God and my guide for living?
The Bible says it is the final Word,
“Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Jesus taught,
“For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the Torah (Bible) until all things are accomplished” – Matthew 5:18
While Scripture is meant to be authoritative and final, some think they can call themselves Christians, yet pick and choose what they what they want be believe and obey.
When we do this we make ourselves the final judge of right and wrong, truth and untruth. In other words, we make ourselves gods. which is what is wrong with the world today. We have effectively created a system where “anything goes,” because there are no absolutes. The world believes and follows what they wants. The standard is effectively destroyed.
People have their own interpretations, but most biblical issues are not just a matter of interpretation. The Bible is clear. Some people simply don’t like what it says, and try to argue around it.
We need to take heed this warning:
“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master (God) who brought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed, they make up clever lies to get a hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed” – 2: Peter 2:1-3 (NLT).
3. Don’t think no you’ll get to heaven by just being good.
If you were to die today and stand before God and He said, “Why should I allow you into heaven,” how would you respond?
The clear majority of people, even if they said they were Christians, would tell God they were “good enough.” Would their goodness be better than their badness?
Most people are totally unaware that our “goodness” has nothing to do with our eternal destiny. They Bible tells us,
“ For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like autumn leaves, we wither away and fall and our sins sweep us away like the wind” – Isaiah 64:6
What does God say can save us and send us to heaven when we die? It is what Jesus called being “born again.” (John 3:3, 7)
We become born again when there is a spiritual transformation from the inside out. The at to receive this spiritual transformation is described in Romans 10:8-14,
“If you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made resulting in salvation, for the scripture says, whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For, whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him who they have not heard? How will they hear without a proclaimer?”
So, where does Christian living come in? The answer is that to live a Christian lifestyle we have to obey the Bible, not to be saved, but because you are saved
“We love Him because He first loved us” – 1 John 4:19
Talents And Gifts
The Bible teaches that:
- God have given very human being a gift, or talent, to use for His purpose.
“As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms” – 1 Peter 4:10
2. God wants us to use these gifts to help others and glorify Jesus, not ourselves.
“If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Yeshua the Messiah, to whom being the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” – 1 Peter 4:11
3. God wants us to use our gifts to help his body of believers.
“Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let’s prophesy, according to the proportion of our faith, or service, ketd give ourselves to service, or he who teaches, to his teaching, or he who exhorts, to his exporting, he who gives, let him do it with generosity, he who rules, with diligence, he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” – Romans 12:6-8
4. God will judge us for how we use our gifts.
“For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that will be taken away” – Matthew 25:29
5. God requires much from those who have been given much.
“To whomever much is given, of him will much be required, and to whom was entrusted, of him of him more will be asked” – Luke 12:48
The Bible has a lot to say about talents and gifts. However, these scriptures and teachings are the most common of the teachings on the gifts and talents that God has given us.
Feeling At Peace
How are you feeling right now?
Across all cultures, we share the same six emotions – sadness, anger, fear, joy, love, and peace.
Although I woke up with a slight headache this morning, I feel at peace. Even in times of trouble peace is possible. I don’t think peace is something we create on our own. I think we have true peace in our hearts. True peace is wholeness, calmness, and completeness.
It is written in the Bible that Jesus is the “Prince of peace. It is closeness to Jesus that calms and gives us peace even in the middle of a trial.
In John 16:33 Jesus tells us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world,”
When we remember that peace is not the absence of conflict or calm circumstances, peace is actually the presence of God amid all our circumstances.
Whether I am in pain or troubled circumstances peace is always found with God.
The Battle For Your Soul
In the world today, many people are oblivious to the fact that they are in the midst of a spiritual battle. They live their lives in sin and they are not ready to please God. Satan gives them daily inspiration to do things that will lead them to hell.
Jesus makes us know there is no profit in gaining the world and losing our souls. There is nothing we can give in exchange for our souls. No amount of wealth, or worldly possession is greater than the soul of a human being. Human souls are more precious than gold or silver, there is nothing that can be compared to it.
Satan wants us to gain the world and lose our souls. He is fighting a fierce and never-ending battle against our souls. The truth is that we can see this battle happening in everyday society. This spiritual battle is between life and death, heaven and hell, light and darkness, and between self-denial and self-love.
We are living in a time where satan doesn’t even hide, and the world still cannot see him
Satan wants you to die in your sin without repenting. He does not want you to reign with Jesus in heaven.
The battles we choose and the lifestyles we live reflect the God or the gods we serve. Jesus went to the cross for you and me, He went there to abolish the power of Satan, Sin, and Death, Sin and Death are the only enemies we have. These enemies constantly whisper in our ears that we are unlivable, unwanted, and powerless. There is no religious, social battle, or political battle that will satisfy your desire for acceptance, comfort, and power. The only place that these desires will be satisfied is at the feet of Jesus.
Daily Habits
What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?
What habit improves my daily life? A habit that completely changed my quality of life is I changed my perspective on it.
The world is a crazy place. I look at life challenges positively. Seeing things negatively only makes us depressed and hopeless. But by changing your perspective you can begin to see new things. You can see the details in a new way. You find that things aren’t as bad as they seem, and you may find the exact things you need for your next step in life. You begin to open your mind to new details, new paths, and new perspectives.
It is the reason I am happy and not hopeless in a chaotic world.
From Pity to Praise 