When God Disappoints Us

Yes, I'm still around. :-) Is it nearing May already? The spring is finally springing here, and I love seeing all the new life!

I just read an article by T.D. Jakes in SpiritLed Woman Emag, and I feel the need to share it here:

"Some of the greatest challenges to our faith are those moments when we must endure the cold blight of a disappointment. The greater the anticipation, the greater the disappointment when we fail to receive what we have anticipated.

There is no shield that can keep away the days that come to teach our hearts submission to God's will and purpose for us. There are no roses so fragrant that they dismiss for us the tingling sensations of brokenness that come upon us when we see our expectations cave in."

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For With God All Things Are Possible

When I started this blog it was my intention to write 2-3 times a week. It's not working... I am presently taking a two-year writing course from Christian Writer's Guild, and I immensely enjoy it. However, it does require time and dedication, so I've decided I need to concentrate more on my writing than on this blog.

Sometimes life gets overwhelming for me because of a chronic lung disease - chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and asthma. Four times a day I need to take nebulizer treatments and 20-minute vibrating vest treatments. I also need to put in time for sleep, exercise, etc. in order to function better. Lung infections or stressful situations sometimes bring me down, and I have to again build up my strength. My time for writing is limited at times. This is not to complain but to explain. :-) God is so good, and I have learned so much as I deal with this condition day by day. Yes, I often get discouraged, but I try to keep thinking of all the blessings I may still have, not at what I don't have. :-) Impossibilities abound from my side, but in God all things are possible. There are times when He miraculously gets me through things. He is so willing to help us and so very faithful!

My family is extra-important to me, so I try to reserve most of my energy for them. :-) I have a precious hubby and precious kids and grandkids. I feel so blessed to have their love. I also have loving brothers and sisters and friends. Though my mom passed away 3 years ago today, my dad is still living. I still miss my mom, but it comforts me to believe she is dancing with Jesus!

Anyway, I'll try to share some inspirational thoughts with you from time to time. Today I want to leave you with a link a friend of mine shared with me. A young autistic man, nicknamed the Living Camera, has been given an amazing gift! I hope his story may encourage you today. He is limited in many ways, but God has wondrously given him an extraordinary gift in another way. All things are possible with God! :-)

>>> http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=0k4lsi1dql

"Precious Jesus, please show helpless, discouraged ones Your Almighty possibility! Give strength for each one for each day. Thank You, Jesus, for always being so willing to help us, even when we are not always so willing to be helped. What a faithful, loving Savior You are!"

"Hope" by Emily Dickinson

HOPE

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune--without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

~Emily Dickinson

"Jesus, please fill us with YOU! YOU are the HOPE that springs eternal, the HOPE that is the anchor of the soul, the HOPE that will never fail! Thank You for Your infinite, unfailing love!"

He Will Get Us Through It

It's tough to motivate myself to write today, but I still want to leave you with some thoughts of hope. God never promised we would never sink into deep waters, but He has promised He will get us through it. No matter what befalls us in life, let's hang onto that hope.

My dad-in-law passed away this morning. He is already 97 and we expected it, but it's still so final. Another generation has passed. Both parents are now gone in that family of 15 children.

No matter where you are or what you're going through, please know that Jesus cares about what you're going through, so let Him lift you and carry you through.

"Jesus, lives are passing and new ones are born, and You care for each of them and know each of their thoughts and needs. Please enable hurting ones to let You pick them up and carry them through whatever they are facing. Thank You, Jesus, for all Your infinite love and compassion! I could not live my life without You!"

Meditative Breathing

This morning when gloomy, depressive thoughts filtered into my mind, threatening to suck all the motivation out of me, I decided to do some deep meditative breathing. As I breathed deeply in and blew slowly out, I mentally thought:

Pull a Deep, Slow Breath In - "I am renewed in Jesus"

Push a Long Breath Out - "Out with Satan and all gloomy thoughts"

Breathe In - "I am renewed in Jesus"

Breathe Out - "Out with Satan and all gloomy thoughts"

I did this about 5 or 6 times, and I felt more relaxed and ready to begin the day, no matter how tired I was or how achy my chest felt.

If you'd like to work on meditative breathing, check out this article at Serenity Online Therapy:

"Meditative Breathing is a simple yet deceptively powerful technique that can be used for relaxation. When practiced on a daily basis, it will also change your relationship with your thoughts. This can aid in emotional regulation by helping you "see" the true nature of your thinking mind, which is: Your mind has a mind of its own and not all your thoughts are helpful or even true. In addition, as you meditate and become distracted by thoughts, you will practice letting go of them, which will also help with emotional regulation. After all, it is frequently the inability to let go of certain patterns of thinking that fuels anxiety, depression, and anger."

>>>How To Practice Meditative Breathing

"Dear Jesus, help us to daily see ourselves as precious in Your sight. Help us to see that You will never leave us, never forsake us, no matter what! Thank You for Your heart-renewing grace and compassion!"

How Would I Respond?

Recently my husband and I watched some of the movie "Titanic." As I watched the reactions of the different characters, I was both amazed and appalled. People were pushing and shoving out of terror for their lives. One man who had passed up a crying child clinging to a pole later went back to pick up that child. To help her? No, he was only thinking of himself. He crowded through to the remaining boat and said, "Please, I have a child here." I have to admit that put a burr under my skin...

But how would I respond in a dire situation like that? Would I only concern myself with "Me"? Would I close my eyes and ears off to the desolation around me and only think of myself and my own welfare? "Gotta get to that boat..."

"Jesus, please give us self-sacrificing hearts each day as we face different situations. May our focus be on You and what You would want us to do! Thank You so much for Your sacrificial love!"

Waking Up to What We Still May Have

"This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

We may wake up and not feel like even getting out of bed. Whether from chronic illness, fatigue, pain, depression, or other things, the day may look so gloomy. If we dwell on the negative things in our lives we will sink down further. It may take extreme effort on our part, especially if we have a pessimistic nature, but we need to open our eyes to all the gifts we still have. Our day will go so much better when we can concentrate on what God has given us rather than on what we don't have.

It's not always easy, because Satan tries hard to keep us looking down into the bottomless pit of doom and gloom. He doesn't want us to look up to Jesus Who is always with us and will even carry us when times get tough.

If you are in a deep valley of hopelessness, reach out your hand and ask Jesus to pull you out into the light of His unfailing love! Hang onto HOPE!

"Jesus, please lift up our hearts and our hands to You! You have invited all who are weary and heavy laden to come to You! You will welcome us with open arms. And when we are too weak to lift up our arms, You know our hearts and will gently lift us out of the muck of discouragement. Thank You, Jesus, for Your unfailing love!"