Faith or Fear?

I can say this is one place God has truly grown me the past several years. You might not think that about me…but that is a place in my walk that i have struggled. I let things get a hold and take my strength that i am very afraid. But you can not be both…you can not live in faith and fear…it’s one or the other.

I handle things now much differently than i did about 3 to 4 years ago. I would let fear take complete control and would be a total basket case…crying at the drop of a hat…no faith that God would bring us through..Oh believe me…I could say it…but it’s that little 12 inches from your head to your heart that he can do it.

Even now in my life…I’m facing things that I can either live by Faith or Fear! Things that I want to run from…things that are staring me right in the eyes….things that I wish would go away..But that’s not possible.  I am CHOOSING to live by Faith….Choosing to know that God will help me & my family through what we are facing. Choosing to know that God is right here….midst all the pain and fear….my faith is in him…Where I am…waiting on the call…waiting on the answers…I will have faith..i will worship…I will serve. Right now I will live as I am called to live…when in loving and caring for others…my suffering is lessoned and blessed by sacrificial worship. Not just when Life is Easy!

A MUCH Needed Trip

with my sweet hubby…we are on Jason’s Birthday trip…for those of you who do not know…Jason turned 30 in June and I suprised him with a trip to see the Yankees & Red Sox play in NYC before they tear down the old Yankee stadium…we are both HUGE baseball fans. We are actually traveling back home right now. I will post more and pics when we get home…but the game was awesome…we got to see & eat at our favorite places in Manhattan…and have had a blast so far. We decided to drive up a while ago….I must admit i was quiet nervous…but Jason did an awesome job fitting right in with the New Yorkers and how they drive.  But I want to post some things we have seen and done so far on our trip & that have amazed us.

1) I actually saw a man get out of his car in Manhattan and make a cab driver roll down his window to only cuss him out for the way he was driving and behaving. As many times as I have been…this would be a first for me.

2) We saw 6 people get kicked out of the game yesterday…they are really stricked on what you can and can not do..one actually ran from the cops for a few minutes and one obviously upset the crowd around him so bad they chanted…A-Hole (not abbreviating) over and over until he was gone….

3) People actually were brave to yell at my husband the Boston Sucks and he was in the wrong city with his Boston Red Sox hat on….My question was…..do you see the size of my husband..he can crush you with his PINKY!

4) If you’ve never gone through several walls in China town to get to the “REAL” stuff….I encourage you to. It is an experience that you will never forget.

5) Johns is STILL and always be our favorite pizza on the planet…This is why I don’t eat pizza at home…It’s just not the same…(side note…the 2nd best is the pizza place at Seagrove Plaza in Florida- It’s worth driving to get it.

6) They don’t have gas stations & fast food restaurants at every exit in the Northeast. They have rest areas..much different than ours in the south. They have a gas station…then a buidling with bathrooms and several restaurants in them…It actually is a very good idea! You’ve got several options of what you would like.

7)Everywhere you go…you’ve got to pay a toll…

we’ve been through several states….and it was a beautiful drive. Georgia…Tennessee…Virginia….West Virginia…Maryland…Pennsylania…New Jersey then New York…and so far on the way home…New Jersey…Delaware…Pennsylvania…Maryland…and that is where we are now..We wanted to go see Historic Philadelphia and we are so glad we did…we want to go back when we have more time…it was beautiful…Standing in the room where our Independence was written and founded was amazing…

Well..I’m going to run for now…but I will post more when we get home and get rested…

2 Little Letters Make all the difference!

My question to you is simply this….Are you the Victim or the Victor?

There is obviously a lot that God is teaching me right now and leading me through. This lesson keeps bringing itself back into my sight over and over again. Even tonight as I am driving to do my show…here we go again. IF you have read my previous post about letting go…simply just that. For about a year now…God has been showing me a whole lot. I have allowed myself to be surrounded by negativity…by passive aggressiveness…by victims…In turn….as you well know….it rubs off and i don’t want to be that person. I am not called to be that person…

Now…i know some of you have been worried about me…I’m not in a deep depression….please don’t read into words that i type…This is a mind dump for me..my journal spot when i find the time to write…and an outlet for me. I do not sit and fret over this all day long…it comes to mind…i type it…i move on…

but back to this topic…when going to my shows…i’m in a state of thankfulness …worship…prayer…

i have alot to be thankful for…i have a job where i make really good money…i have a wonderful family…a husband and children who adore me…those are just skimming the top..but on the way to my shows..i pray for what god would have me do that night. when i got through…tonight…i turned on the radio…who else was on christian network…but joyce meyer…and here goes the topic of victim mentality.

WOW!!! OK..GOD…I”M LISTENING!

I do know that I get my validation from him. I do have precious and wonderful friends & family that validate me to. Thank you. BUT I am also around people who would rather be victims that victors. who would rather have attention for what is going wrong in their life than what god is blessing them for. WAKE UP People!!! How can you truly be happy when life is like this. When you constantly dwell on the bad and not the good. I do not want to be that kind of person.  I want to be happy where I am at this time in my life…Have all my dreams come true…Do I have everything I want…NO..But where would continued growth come from if I Did…The REST of my life would be a total bore.

It amazes me the difference in 2 little letters…victIM or victOR! Through Christ alone…my hope is found…he is my rock, MY STRENGTH  MY ALL. Through Christ am I a victOR. Through Christ alone can I move on when feelings get hurt, when money is tight, when families get sick…when jobs are lost, the list goes on and on…There are people that I know today who are hurting far worse than I have ever hurt that would kill to have my problems.

Thank you GOd for teaching me to find victory through you. Thank you God for constantly teaching me to find the good in everything…to look for you everyday…to seek only your validation and keep my eyes focused! Thank you God for what you have done in my life and what you continue to teach me everyday!

Letting Go…

 

is so hard to do when you know its the right thing to do…believe me….i’m in this struggle as we speak…friends…that you thought were friends…thought that loved you….thought that cared about you …i’ve known it…i’ve spoken it…but my hearts not done it…my hearts been hurting…about lots of things…. i can only love those who want to be loved…and can’t make relationships that are not meant to work work. As easy as i can speak that…i have not been feeling that. Praying for guidance and wisdom each day to heal my heart, help me forgive…and help me moooooovvvvveeee on! then i find this…and it spoke to the core of me…so i’m clinging to it…following God’s word and letting go of what i hoped would be. I am blessed with those who I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW love me no matter what and so grateful for their love and friendship. I am going to cling to that which i khow is true….and friends…if you are holding on….clinging to what isn’t meant to be…wishing for things to change. LET GO!!! and Let God!

Let it go for 2008…by T. D. Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this!
When people can walk away from you: let them walk.

I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you,
loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you,
staying attached to you.
I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
The bible said that,
They came out from us that it might be made manifest
that they were not for us.
For had they been of us,
no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you.
And if they are not joined to you,
you can’t make them stay.
Let them go.

And it doesn’t mean that they are a bad person,
it just means that their part in the story is over.
And you’ve got to know when people’s
part in your story is over so that you
don’t keep trying to raise the dead.

You’ve got to know when it’s dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s over.
Let me tell you something.
I’ve got the gift of good-bye.
It’s the tenth spiritual gift,
I believe in good-bye.

It’s not that I’m hateful, it’s that I’m faithful,
and I know whatever God means for me to have
He’ll give it to me.
And if it takes too much sweat I don’t need it.
Stop begging people to stay.
Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something
that doesn’t belong to you and was never intended for your life,
then you need to ..LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains …
LET IT GO!!!

If someone can’t treat you right, love you back, and see your worth…
;LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you …
LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge ..
LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction …
LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or
talents ..
LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude…
LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better…
LET IT GO!!!

If you’re stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new
level in Him…
LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship….
LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won’t even try to help
themselves..
LET IT GO!!!

If you’re feeling depressed and stressed ….
LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling
yourself and God is saying “take your hands off of it,” then you need to..
LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past.
Forget the former things.
LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then
LET IT GO!!!

“The Battle is the Lord’s!”