It seems that my biggest trials come when I'm not doing very well anyway. Just when I am spiritually struggling a brand new trial...a big one...smacks me right square in the face.
Our oldest has been diagnosed as bi-polar. Just like me. My fear is that he will turn out, just like me. They also say that he has been diagnosed with several other things that I really don't need to go into. The point is that right now isn't the best time for me.I found myself asking why? Why would God...the God who loves him enough to die for him......allow him to have such disorder. What's HE thinking up there?
After some prayer and tears and then more tears and prayer...I have come to the conclusion that He's thinking that He's making my boys into exactly what He created them to be. No matter what any Doctor has to say, they WILL fulfill HIS purpose for them. There is no such thing as a disorder. We are all different from everybody else. Life is what we make it. And He gives us what we need to make it a great one!
NO more tears. I am encouraged that He is in control.
I pray that you will be encouraged with me today!
Trusting in Him...even when it's hard,
Shirley

School is out and I'm not quite sure that I am ready for the summer. You know, I have always been told that God will not put any more on us than we can bear. And that sounds great but the actual scripture is quite different than I have always heard.

The verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13 and what it says is this;

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
So, here is how I see it. This verse is all about temptation and how to beat it. In other scriptures we are assured that we are not tempted by God. (Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man. But every man is tempted , when he is drawn away if his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hast conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James1:13-15)
So here He is telling us that we are all temped by the same kinds of things. And we are all given and escaped route. The difference is that some choose to take that way out and some do not.

If you find yourself greatly tempted to sin He will give you a way out. I think that the most common way out is calling on Him for strength to resist. He is ever present with you and will always answer your cry. And He will always give you strength when you ask. But sometimes your way out may be as simple as calling on Him to bring you through this temptation as your daddy would. He may just pick you up and carry you away from it.

Either way, He is always your way out and He will always be there.

You may be going through a hard time. You may be feeling overwhelmed in your situation right now. But He is there with you. You are not in it alone. He offers Himself as your way out.

I don't know about you, but that is encouraging to me. If it hasn't encouraged you yet...read it again and be encouraged with me today!

Trusting in Him

Shirley

Have you ever had a very well meaning person take you on as their personal project?
Unfortunately, I have. As a matter of fact, I have that very thing going on in my life right now. It seems that no matter what I do, she knows a way to improve on it. I mean it is everything I do; cleaning, laundry, parenting, marriage, finances... the list goes on. While she may be right about a lot of it and she may have some good points and good advice, I am not a project and I REALLY don't like being treated like one!
This makes me think about (and appreciate) our Heavenly Father. While we may not yet be all that He wants us to be, He doesn't force us to change. He isn't pushy. He is quiet and gentle with us. He patiently guides us along and slows down when we need to slow down and He speeds up as we are able. He doesn't make us feel bad about ourselves or make us feel guilty for not being all we could be for Hem. He doesn't condemn us. He encourages us to grow in Him and He gives us His Spirit to help us to accomplish anything!
I am proud to be the project of the LORD! I am encouraged that He would take the time and make the effort to help me to be all He wants me to be!
If you have someone in your life who has made it their goal to "fix" you, try to remember that the only opinion that matters is His and He is the only one who is able to truly "fix" the things that need fixing in us. Be proud to be His project. And be encouraged with me today.