For the majority of my life, I believed my worth comma value, and purpose were tied to being a mother, a wife, and an employee, and yes, other people‘s opinions of me. My worth was how someone else’s opinion of me, am my accomplishments were all that mattered.
It was exhausting, and sometimes still is when I forget who’s child I am and who’s opinion of me truly matters.
I was so exhausted that I was about to give up. I was tired of holding everything inside, and relying on what others said to brighten my day. I didn’t see any point to life. I hit rock bottom, but that’s when something amazing happened -God showed up. He as the only One left. And He was enough. And He still is.
God doesn’t value us less because of our mistakes, because of other people’s opinions. His opinion of us doesn’t change because our bodies and minds are tired.
On good days and bad days, God‘s opinion is the only one that matters.
I trust my instincts because I believe that they are a spiritual force. I believe it’s a way that God communicates with us to discern good from bad, trust from falsehood, and to make choices that strengthen faith.
I believe that that gut feeling is like listening to the Holy Spirit that guides us.
That feeling I get in my gut either gives me peace or turmoil. If it gives me peace, I know I’m making the right choice if I feel turmoil, it’s time to back away.
But there’s also a need for balance. It must be anchored with wisdom from God rather than wisdom on ourselves because it by itself can be misleading or driven by fear.
Our world is experiencing a time of darkness. But there is hope, it’s not as dark as you think. The light of the world has come, and the light will triumph in the end.
Isaiah 42:16 God said, ‘I will bring the blind by a way they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.
America and the world are experiencing a time of darkness. There are wars, protests, conflicts, lawlessness, and even the threat of revolution by some ideological factions.
There are many law enforcement officers who have taken early retirement or relocated to different places because of what is happening in big cities, because they fear antifa and others who may attack their families.
Some people are fearful of what could happen and discouraged by all the turmoil. There’s a cloud of apprehension that seems to be hanging over us.
Our days are a time when people “call evil good, and good evil, who confuse darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isaiah 5: 20).
In this darkness, there is hope.
There have been many dark times in history. The Romans attempted an all-out extermination of Christians for 3 centuries. Almost 4 million people are buried in the underground caverns around Rome because they had to flee underground to escape.
The civilized world was almost overrun by Genghis Khan, by the Goths, by the Muslims under Saladin. There was a black plague that killed 75-299 million people. There were “dark ages” when the scripture were inaccessible except to the mostly unsaved clergy who spoke Latin.
There was the US Civil War in which the states took up arms against each other in fact 600,000 men died. Then two world wars wracked the world, killing hundreds of millions of people. We nearly had a nuclear war with Russia in 1962 that could have wiped out all life. These times were certainly darker than what we are facing today, yet God brought us through them.
Trouble always needs perspective and comparison. When you think of other people with worse troubles it usually makes you brighten up because yours isn’t that bad.
My pastor spoke about complaining in Sunday’s teaching. Most of the time our complaints are just inconveniences.
There’s a proverb that comes from various Chinese, Indian, Jewish, and Irish, and many more I’m sure that says, “I cried because I had no shoes until I met someone who had no feet.”
Isaiah 9:2 announces the “good news,” “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. This who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on then the light has shined.”
I believe the light of God is coming to the world. Only the people who choose evil will fall. If we choose to believe in Jesus He will never leave us or forsake us. He will lead us out. F
God has given us His Word to light our path, to hide it within our hearts, that we might not sin against God. It shows us where to go, how to live, and how to please Him.
Light represents knowledge, instead of ignorance.
I’m Psalm 119:130 David says, “Your word is lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Before we knew Jesus we walked in spiritual darkness. We didn’t know about our spiritual needs. We didn’t have the right priorities or direction for our lives. But when Jesus came He threw on the light so these things could establish our steps.
I read somewhere that Dr Alexander from Princeton University found that glowworms took such extremely small steps that they hardly ever moved. But when they crossed fields at night, there was just enough glow in them that it lighted their next step. They were never in the dark. When I thought about this, I thought what a good illustration. They weren’t in the dark and neither are we. God lights just enough for us to make the next step.
Light illuminates our darkness.
God’s children are called “children of light” (John 12:36, Thessalonians 5:5). For you were once darkness, but are now light in the world. Walk as children of light” –Ephesians 5:8.
Righteousness VS Wickedness
The light acts as a dividing principle. When people encounter the light, they are forced to decide to accept it or reject it with its implications. The light has come into the world, but people love darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil. John 3:20 says, “Everyone who does evil hates the light.” Light exposes what we are. Some people will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
God is a merciful God.
To accept the light is to accept the life with Jesus. In fact, in the light there is life. In God there is life itself.
In John 8:12 Jesus tells us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it” -John 1:5
Many people instinctually say Fall or Christmas are their favorite. But my favorite month is July. The month America celebrates its independence. I love the warm weather, the barbecues, the fireworks, and America, but what’s most important to me is my son comes to visit.
The very name “angel” means “messenger,” and we can be assured that when they’re here, they have come for a very specific purpose. Throughout history, angels have been sent by God to bring a message of hope to protect, comfort, serve, carry out God’s judgment, and give Him praise.
I have heard a few people talk about their encounters with angels. I believe angels are still with us today. I’m certain there is are known awareness of angels, but sometimes they are around and we don’t even know they are there.
In Hebrews 13:2 we are told, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without even knowing it.”
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And we can be confident that He still works in the same powerful ways.
Many years ago I was in a bad car accident. I hydroplaned and when the car spun around I hit into a mountain at about 50 miles an hour, front first. I was taken to the hospital with a little whiplash, but no broken bones, nothing . I few hours later I walked out of the hospital. I believe an angel was with me today. I should have been killed.
Angels are from a vast spiritual realm that surrounds us, even when we can’t always see them (Colossians 1:16).
There are many examples in the Bible of when God sends an angel to give a specific message to people. Sometimes it was a word of encouragement or offer hope for what was to come. Other times it was a clear warning to God’s people and provided protection and guidance.
There are many times God sends an angel in the Bible a few of those are in Genesis. When God sent three of His messengers to Abraham and Sarah to tell them that even in old age, she would bear a son (Genesis 18). God sent an angel to Hagar in the desert when she ran away in Genesis 16. God sent the angel Gabriel, to Mary to tell her that she would give birth to Jesus, in Luke 1. There are many other examples throughout the Bible.
If you are a believe you shouldn’t be afraid of angels. Even though it can be normal response if we see one. The Bible tells us over and over that we do not need to fear them (Luke 2:10).
Many times throughout history, and still today, God sends angels to protect, guard, and fight for us. We can never have authority over angels, we can not give them instructions or command that they do anything. They work for God alone.
In Psalms 91 God tells us in powerful words that “He would give angels charge concerning us to guard us in all ways.”
Many times, God sends angels to minister to those in extreme times of pain, loss, or grief. I’ve heard a few accounts of people on their deathbeds when I was working in hospice saying they had seen angels, or light before being ushered into the presence of God. Maybe you have a few angel stories of your own.
I know without a doubt angels are among us. God often works in ways we can’t fully see, and sometimes behind the scenes or unexpectedly. He always works on our behalf, whether we recognize it or not, there is a spiritual realm constantly around us.
May God give us eyes to see clearly that angels are among us and that God is working miracles even today.
Many people struggle this time of year. Whether it’s missing relatives, and financial reasons there is always a reason to thank God, not only through the holidays, but every day.
The perfect place to start with a grateful heart this Thanksgiving is in God’s Word.
There are 15 scriptures that encourage us to be thankful.
I would want to see me as a disciple. I want people to see Jesus shining through me. A gentle, kind, grace filled woman who is compassionate. That’s the memory I want to leave behind, when I leave the room.
“Therefore let’s, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and sin which is so easily entangled us, and let’s run the perseverance the race that is set among us” Hebrews 12:1
The Bible uses running a race to describe the life a follower of God should live. We are to discard hinderances, fix our eyes on Jesus and run with perseverance to finish our spiritual race God had set before us.
We are encouraged to finish the race with perseverance as we go through trials and remember the faith of those who came before us and focus on Jesus’s example of enduring the cross with joy that was set before Him.
The race is not a sprint, it’s a marathon that requires endurance, discipline, and commitment.
We are called to throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that can easily entangle us. It involves getting rid of distractions and everything that slows down our spiritual progress.
Jesus is the pioneer and prefecter of faith. He should motivate us to endure. He is our ultimate example.
We are not running this race alone, the Bible teaches us that we are not running this race alone. The people of faith from history like Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham should encourage us to preserve, according to Hebrews 11.
This means running with endurance we should continue our race in faith, in our daily walk with God even if we don’t feel like it. This involves staying faithful to God’s calling through trials, difficulties, and opposition. We should view our trials with an eternal perspective, which can help us endure this life, because there is a promise of eventual gain.
In a world where confrontation is often glamorized and considered a rite of passage. The act of quietly removing yourself from the situation can feel like act of rebellion. It is counterintuitive to the loud, drama fueled resolutions we have been seeing. The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the ability to let go without over explaining, without demanding closure, and without burning ourselves out trying to understand what’s going on.
Sometimes peace doesn’t come from the other person, but from the decisions to stop participating in what drains us. We often stay entangled I’m toxic cycles, explaining and re-explaining ourselves, and trying to bridge, gaps and understanding or seeking validation that never comes. while it feels noble to work things out, the emotional toll it can cost us our peace of mind.
“If it costs you you’re peace it’s too expensive.“
Quietly walking away is not an act of weakness or avoidance. It’s an act of profound strength and self-respect. It’s understanding that our energy is sacred, and not everyone deserves access to it.
When we stop over, extending ourselves, we can make peace for what truly aligned with our soul. When we choose silent over chaos, we reclaiming the energy spent on overthinking, arguing, and explaining. Instead of investing, our time and situations that rob our clarity we redirect it towards self-healing and growth. We allow ourselves to move forward without dragging the weight of other people’s issues with us.
We have an illusion of closure. But closure is a myth. We think closure will heal us but closure doesn’t depend on the other person. It depends on our willingness to accept what is, even if it messy or incomplete. Trying to force closure can lead to a cycle of dissatisfaction because it keeps us tethered to the very thing we’re trying to release.
True freedom comes when we stop chasing expectations and start realizing that some questions will never be answered.
When we feel compelled to explain our feelings or justify our actions, it’s often because we seek permission to feel the way we do. Confrontation will never bring peace. Until the person sits down and can have a reasonable discussion and is willing to have an open mind.
Walking away without explanation is an act of trusting ourselves. It’s realizing that our inner peace is more important than convincing someone else of our perspective. Confrontation and violence will never solve anything.
If we want peace we need to set boundaries. Saying no I’d not selfish, it’s self-preservation. We can protect our energy by identifying what’s worth our time and what’s not.
We must let go of the need to be right. Some battlesaren’t worth fighting, and some arguments aren’t worth winning. Choose peace or the urge to prove a point.
When we accept people in situations as they are and not how we want them to be, it helps us detach emotionally from what’s beyond our control.
Instead of obsessing over what we think is wrong it’s better to channel our energy into activities that nurture our souls.
Silence isn’t a weakness, it’s wisdom. By using silence, we allow space or clarity and healing to the emerge.
Walking away is an act of grace. When we quietly remove ourselves from the situation, we are not giving up, we’re leveling up. We are choosing peace, over the chaos of trying to make everything perfect -it will never be.
We are trusting that our worth isn’t tied to someone else’s understanding of us. Life is too short to explain our soul to those committed to misunderstanding us.
Maybe it’s time we stop over extending it our embracing the power of detachment. Walking away is not the end, it’s the beginning of something better -our freedom, our peace, and our power.
I usually read more that two books at one time, but the one I’m reading now, I’m pretty in to. “Drawing Near, A life of intimacy with God,” by John Bevere.
I think my church is going to have a Bible study, that would give me background context from this book so, I wanted to make sure I soaked everything I could from it.
From Pity to Praise 