When Are Things Going To Get Better?

How many times do you know what God is asking and wanting you to do and yet...you choose to stay exactly where you are? You continue doing exactly the same things that have been making you unhappy for the past several years. You talk about making the tough, yet necessary changes but somehow you continue to rely on your own strength, will and might. It is never quite enough to get your life back on the right path to happiness.

I'm going to be very frank with you. There is one constant and continual problem. It is something that we all struggle with...pride. We think we can handle everything on our own. But the one question I have to ask you is, "How's that been working out for you?" Do you still feel, lost, sad, alone, afraid and unable to stand strong and change the areas of your life that are out of control? The very thing that got the devil kicked out of heaven was pride. Unfortunately he uses that weakness in your life to continue to lie to you. He isolate's you and then fills your head with thoughts of defeat, and hopelessness. He tries to make you feel weak if you need to ask God for help. He does not want you to go to the very source of love, truth, light, wisdom and hope.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:7, 9-10

Jesus came to give you life through a relationship with Him. This relationship is built on getting to know Him and His Word through prayer and scripture study. As you spend time with Him daily, He begins to heal your wounds through His love and truth about who you really are. He slowly begins to take away the desires to do the things that are causing you heartache. He leads you beside still, calm waters; allowing you to take all of your pain, addictions, heartache, and loneliness and hand it over to Him. He will fill you with a peace that is incomprehensible. A peace that defy's all human logic. As you lean on Him, He builds you up and reminds you of how special you truly are. You are not your sin, you are not your addictions, you are not unworthy, you are not unloved. You begin to see who you truly are in and through HIS EYES. A person of great importance and value in advancing His Kingdom. A person worthy of giving His life for. 

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

Do not continue to struggle alone. Do not feel ashamed to go to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. Do not feel unworthy of being loved. Do not feel the need to control everything in your life and feel like a failure when you can't. You were not made to travel this journey alone. You've been made for a love relationship with Jesus Christ. That emptiness you constantly feel is the huge gaping hole that God created in you to be filled with HIS LOVE. Do not continue to weather your storm alone through the deception of pride. Look to your Savior, your Redeemer, and your Healer. He stands at the door waiting...will you let Him in to your heart and your life?

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

The Power of Your Words

Let the Lord be the wind in your Sails

Do you know there is power in your words? Your words can build up or tear down. I had the incredible opportunity to use words to help someone. This was a young girl on the other side of the world. A girl I’d never met personally, but through my blog, I “stumbled” across her blog. I will use the word “stumble” very lightly because I know that God was answering my prayers. I asked to be used. I asked to help someone who was hurting, just as Jesus Christ helped me and put people in my life to encourage me to keep pushing ahead when I wanted to give up; pointing me to the Lord and His ability to make all things new.

When I “met” this sweet, broken, lost girl, she was suicidal (which unfortunately is very common in the Asian culture due to the high pressure to succeed.) With each of her posts I found myself without words, unable to “talk” her out of the thoughts she was having. But the one thing I did know; God was highlighting this young, beautiful girl and HE knew the words that she needed to hear. I spent time praying, reading the scriptures and asking for HIS WORDS to fill me up as I typed my responses to her. I knew that God had a plan and I was finally open to be an instrument in His hand.

I know that I am no one particularly great or special, just a once broken...now healed woman through Jesus Christ's forgiving love. I have been given the ability to write, a gift from God and I want to use it FOR HIM and HIS PURPOSE. My hands floated effortlessly over the keyboards, thoughts spilling out, pouring God’s life affirming words of love, forgiveness, kindness, grace, hope, promise, truth and the perfect and wonderful plan He has for her life. I watched the words spring to life; a new encouragement in response to her heart ache each and every week. I consistently prayed and relied on the Lord for help to reach this lost, hurting girl.  Slowly, as the months passed, she began to change. Her posts were no longer of suicide, but of hope. She was beginning to see herself through God’s eyes. The lies of the enemy, washed away through the Lords truth and love.

It’s been several years since our first meeting. She now affectionately refers to me as her “American Mama.” I recently posted a story about my dad on my blog on the one year anniversary of his passing, “CLIMB YOUR MOUNTAIN-A TRUE STORY OF DAVID BOLDA,” and I wanted to share a portion of a comment she left after reading my post: “I would not have survived my struggle with suicide and the depression I had back then if it wasn't because of your constant caring, uplifting and understanding comments. I am living a good life now, and I too will take on his example. I will fight everything that comes my way, I will look at the world positively and I will be grateful and happy.” God had worked a miracle! He had reached this young girl all the way across the world!

Your words have life giving power. Allow the Lord into your day. Ask for His Words to fill you up and help you be a blessing to others. In my own ability, I would never have been able to reach into that young girl’s life, but the Lord knew exactly what she needed to hear. Are you willing to step outside of your comfort zone and ask the Lord to use you? It may be difficult, but never underestimate what the Lord has in store for your life. Are you willing to allow Him to use your words and life for HIS GOOD AND PERFECT PLAN? Pray today and ask for His will in your life…there is someone who needs you. God is waiting for you to say, “Send me Lord!”

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galations 6:9

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalm 34:8