We're Gonna Make It!

Today, my students were reading a story about a man who found himself in a fishing boat that was sinking.  The termites had quickly begun eating the wood of the boat, compromising the hull.  Instead of immediately trying to find a solution to the problem at hand, he began to panic.  In fact, his first remark was, “We’re not going to make it.”  Eventually, he made an attempt to fix the gaping hole in the hull of the boat, and they made it safely to the shore.  By overcoming his fears, he managed to emerge victorious.

While this is simply a children’s story, I feel that it applies to our everyday lives as well.  So often we find ourselves in difficult situations, uncertain of what we should do.  We become frustrated and our ability to think clearly fades significantly.  Many times, our first inclination is to give up.  That is the easy way out.  Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  With Christ on our side, we don’t have to admit defeat.  Instead, we can confidently declare, “We’re gonna make it!”

How many times this week have you said, “I can’t?”  If you’re like me, I’m sure these two infamous words have graced your lips at least once.  As humans, we are imperfect.  We struggle and sometimes we fail.  But even when we face difficult times, we can rest assured that everything will be alright.  Romans 8:28 tells us that “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”  Bear in mind that this does not mean that everything will be good.  Instead, it means that everything we do will work together for our good.  God will never leave us hanging.  If we trust Him, He will ensure that our lives fit perfectly into His perfect will and His plan for our lives.

What struggles are you going through at this very moment in your life?  Are you trying desperately to lose weight?  Is it becoming more and more difficult to pay your bills each month?  Do you worry daily about someone in your family who is going through a physical or emotional battle?  I want to encourage you right now wherever you are.  God has not forgotten you.  He knows exactly what mountain you may be facing or what river you may be crossing.  Look around.  He is standing right next to you.  He will never let you fall.  He will help you remove all doubt.  Hold on to His hand and never, ever let go.

This world is ever-changing.  The news is full of sad, heart-wrenching stories of people around the world who are hurting, starving, or ailing.  There are those who are scared or depressed.  And some of them simply want to throw in the towel.   But even through the wars, famines, and destruction, we have a Hope that reaches beyond the most hopeless situations.  God’s hand is upon you and me.  He will be our Shelter from the storm.  He will catch us when we fall.  He will keep our ship afloat.  And no matter what comes our way, we can boldly proclaim, “We’re gonna make it!”

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

358 Days and Counting!

Can you believe that the first full week of the year 2013 is now history?  Seven days of the New Year have already come and gone.  Either those New Year’s resolutions you and I made are clicking right along or else they have fallen by the wayside.  There are now only 358 days remaining to make a difference in the year 2013.  Only 358 more opportunities to start the day with a smile on your face, make someone’s day brighter, or end the day with thanksgiving to God for blessing you with another day to love, another day to laugh, and another day to live.

Living is what my New Year’s resolution is all about.  Sure, I’ve made resolutions in the past to lose weight, consume less sugar, exercise more, etc.  While I still plan to work on these things, I wanted to make a resolution that I could stick to, one that would make a difference not only in my own life, but in the lives of others around me.  And so, my New Year’s resolution for 2013 is to love life more, love my family and friends more, and love Jesus Christ even more.  Granted, I already love all of these things with all of my heart and soul, but I still know that there is an infinite amount of love in the world, so there is always more love to give.  And that’s what I want to do in 2013: give more love to the ones I love the most!

In life, we get so busy that it is easy to get wrapped up in our daily routines, not even realizing the day-to-day blessings that God bestows upon us.  It could be a hug, a smile, a handshake, or a sweet note, a smiley face, or a cup of coffee.  Even the smallest little things can make a huge difference in our day.  We may even set out to bless someone else in return, thinking we will pay it forward and do something nice for them tomorrow.  365 days later, the year has come and gone, seemingly unbeknownst to us.  We don’t mean to forget, but the year comes and goes so fast that we simply lose track of time.  And so, I urge you to make the most of every single day, even on the busiest of days.

Don’t let one minute sneak by you.  Enjoy every moment of your life, whether you are at the office, sitting in a hospital waiting room, or riding the subway home in the evening.  It doesn’t matter if you are walking down the aisles of the grocery store, driving your son or daughter to soccer practice, or waiting at a red light, there is always a blessing waiting just around the bend.   Sometimes, it comes when we least expect it.  And sadly, there are times when it comes and we don’t notice it at all.  That’s why we need to pay special attention to every day of the year.  Why?  You never know if tomorrow might end up being recorded in your book of memories as the best day of 2013!

What about you?  What are your resolutions for 2013?  What goals do you hope to achieve?  What hurdles do you hope to jump over?  Who can you love more?  How can you enjoy life more?  I would like to give you a little assignment.  I challenge you to post a comment below where you list one resolution you have for the New Year.  Big or small, write one thing down.  You’ll be surprised at how writing it down can be the little nudge you need to watch yourself actually achieve whatever it is you set out to accomplish!  Plus, we’re all in this together.  I’d be happy to pray for you and help encourage you in your journey to success!  May God bless you always and may you always remember to live every moment to the fullest!  There are 51 weeks left of 2013!  What are you waiting for?  Get out there and LIVE!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Let Go

Have you ever taken a vacation, only to arrive at the destination with the realization that you packed way too many items for the length of your stay?  Or did you ever try to carry an entire load of groceries into the house in one load, just to avoid making a second trip?  Perhaps the burden you carry is not a literal one, but a figurative one.  Do you ever stuff your emotions into a bag and then carry them around, unsure of what you should do with them?  When we find ourselves toting around extra baggage, we need to learn to trust God.  We need to trust God and ask Him to bear our burdens.  We simply need to let go.

Last October, I had the opportunity to attend my first Women of Faith conference in Tampa, Florida.  This was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life, and it came at the perfect moment.  This event allowed me to clearly see the purpose-filled future that God wanted me to enjoy, as opposed to that one sorrow-filled night, which I had focused on far too long.  I thank God for this renewal of joy, as it enabled me to let go of some of the emotional baggage I had been holding onto for over a year.  Of course, that one tragic night continued to haunt me, even after this time of fellowship and worship.  There were things I still held onto, even after letting go of a few burdens along the way.

Several weeks later, I was blessed to be in attendance at the first “Shelter of God’s Promises” tour led by Sheila Walsh.  During the concert, Sheila sang a song titled, “Let Go.”  In this very moment, I felt God speaking to my heart, telling me that it was time to let go of all of the emotional baggage that I had stored up since my Mom passed away.  Every word spoken seemed to be articulated just for me.  The messages brought forth brought to mind the verse in the Bible that says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22 NIV).  I knew that this was the moment that I would give my burdens to the Lord.  Not only that, but I was determined to give them away and never pick them back up again.  God ministered to my heart, giving me calm assurance that this was the day that I would begin my journey back to true, unconstrained joy.

Later in the day, Sheila asked how we would feel if our friends and family could see a movie of our life, including every single detail.  She proceeded to say that God has seen our movie.  I began to think about the fact that the burdens I had been carrying around were seemingly pointless.  While I had kept the majority of them hidden from many people, God knew about every single one of them, whether big or small.  He knew that I was carrying these burdens around.  He longed to help me carry them.  He wanted me to release these burdens, and He waited patiently for me to finally decide to let go of the things that had been weighing me down.

Imagine you are planning to run a race.  But, there is one catch.  You are the only one competing in the race who must wear 500 pounds of baggage on your back for the duration of the race.  It is likely that you would not have the stamina needed in order to finish the race.  Your body would not be able to withstand this additional weight, eventually collapsing under the load.  The emotional baggage we carry is much like the extra baggage required to run this race.  Inevitably, we cannot carry our burdens alone and win the race.  Instead, we must cast aside our burdens, so we can endure to the end.

In Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV), we read, “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…”  Notice that the author of this scripture did not say to “lay aside” a few weights, but to “lay aside every weight.”  Many times, it may be easy to let go of a small burden.  Or it may even be effortless to release two or three pieces of “baggage” that we carry around inside.  But, in order to live a life according to God’s will, we need to look to Jesus and let go of all of our burdens.

I encourage you today to let go of your emotional, physical, mental, financial, and any other burdens that you may be carrying around.  God can do the same thing for you that He did for me.  He will take your burdens, every single one of them, and allow you to enjoy living your life.  Talk to the Heavenly Father.  He wants to hear your story.  Give your burdens to Him, and let go of the things that have been weighing you down.  He will reveal to you the life of perfect peace and abounding joy that you have been searching for so long.  And the best part?  All you have to do is to simply let go.
 
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer