I Believe

My theme for the holidays came a little later than usual, but today I got my inspiration.

While on my morning run, I passed a little wooden bench with a small, evergreen wreath carefully attached. It was labeled with one sparkly, elegantly printed word: Believe.

As I continued, I thought about how nice it was for someone to place that wreath there to spread a little Christmas cheer. When I see the word "believe" at Christmas time, it's usually in reference to Santa Claus and Christmas magic. Which is fun and exciting, but nothing is farther from reality and when it's all said and done, it's really a let down. This year it hit me- Christmas is about believing. Not about believing in magic, but believing in miracles.

Christmas is truly about the most amazing miracle of all time. God wrapped Himself in flesh to save us from sin, so we could live eternally with Him. What a wonderful miracle!

So this Christmas I'm going to remind myself of this: Believe. Believe that the God who performed the miracle of Christmas is the same yesterday, today, and forever, just as Hebrews 13:8 reminds us.

I'm going to believe that Christmas is a reminder of the miracles to come. I believe that even now God is doing miracles that we cannot see. 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us to set our eyes on things that are not seen...I think that means believe! Believe that He is breaking chains. Believe that He is setting captives free. Believe that He is bringing prodigal sons and daughters home.

Luke 1:37 tells us nothing is impossible with God. Lots of us cling to that verse. Do you know that is the beginning of the Christmas miracle? That is the last thing the angel of the Lord told Mary. The angel told her about how she will be carrying this miraculous baby, and the last thing he said was: "for with God nothing shall be impossible."

Why would he need to make that statement to her? Because the foretelling of such a work of God was huge! It was unbelievable to her! He saw the questions in her eyes and cut her unbelief out of the picture. She was most likely thinking, "this is impossible." She even said at one point, "how can this be?" So his response is, "nothing is impossible with God."

Alone, on your own, it may be impossible. But you are not alone. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, God will never leave you, nor forsake you. And if you have Him, NOTHING is impossible!

It really doesn't matter what kind of miracle you need this holiday season. It doesn't matter how small or how great it is, you have to just believe. In Mark 9:23 Jesus, the Miracle of Christmas Himself, says, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

So this Christmas season, I say join me and BELIEVE! Believe in the true meaning of Christmas, but don't just believe in the miracle of Christmas, let Christmas remind you that miracles have happened, and still happen.

Don't believe in magic, believe in miracles! God's Word does not fail!

I believe!

My Day of Wondering

Have you ever found yourself in a place wondering, "how did I get here?" ... or wondering, "how do I get out of here?"

A few years ago I found myself in a place wondering, "how did I get here?" It was a desperate cry, a cry of despair. In my misery, I wondered how I ended up where I was. I felt like my life had turned out all wrong, but I had no idea how it happened or how to fix it. My helpless heart cried out to God while my foolish mind ran wildly trying to understand the mess. 

Thankfully, the Lord heard my heart and ignored my head. While my mind was busy trying to figure things out, the Lord was busy resuscitating my almost dead heart.  

Just today (years later), I found myself wondering the same thing: "how did I get here?" Only today, it was out of astonishment and awe. It was with abundant gratefulness that I wondered how I had been delivered from where I was and brought to where I am now. This place where I am now is full of life. Each day I find His love and peace surrounding me.

Don't get me wrong, I have not "arrived," by any means! However, when I have those moments when I feel not-so-happy, I refocus on what I have been delivered from and where I am going, instead of the pitiful woes of today. 

In a world overcome with negativity, I find great optimism in knowing that my steps are ordered of the Lord. Though my path is unknown to me, it is known to my Redeemer. Though I may not know what tomorrow holds, I trust in Him knowing that He fixed my yesterdays, so He can handle my tomorrows. 

A few years ago, some said that I had it all. The whole American dream was played out perfectly: luxury vehicle, large house, successful career, regular vacations, perfect little family... yet I was miserable. Why? Because I had ordered my own steps and in turn, had become lost. After losing it all and finding Him, I can honestly say, nothing in this world can fill the void that is meant to be filled by Jesus Christ. We were created to worship Him, and until we are worshiping Him in every aspect of our lives, we will be left wondering. Wondering why we are so empty when it seems like we have it all. Wondering how to get out of our mess. Wondering if there is any hope for our lifeless situation. Quit wondering and find Him. He is always waiting with open arms.

Make a List...Check It More Than Twice!

There's power in being thankful. When you are looking for things to be thankful for, you can't focus on negative things. Your focus is on the good. When I look back over the last few years of my life, I'm brought to tears in thankfulness.

I had to just sit down and make a list. I love lists. I live by lists. Apparently Santa does, too, but this list is one that I will check more than twice. I will read it over and over reminding myself of what God has done. Some of it may seem vague to you, but just know that He has done more for me than I could ever describe in a blog, even if I tried.

1. God delivered me. He yanked me out of my comfort zone, my life of complacency (why be average?), and pushed me into an uncomfortable, painful place forcing me to find Him, forcing me to rise above average, and find the Supernatural. Not the way I would have ordered that, but He knew what would work for me.

2. God healed me. He took me to a place where the pain was so great only a Divine intervention would answer the questions of my breaking heart. He completely healed my heart. Then He healed my mind. He spoke an indescribable peace to the raging thoughts in my head that had captured my life and crippled my walk with Him.

3. God forgave me. He went back to when I was 14 years old and washed away all the guilt and shame from then until now. No, I shouldn't have been harboring those feelings, but I did. I honestly didn't realize how strong they were, until He washed it all away. He covered me with His precious blood and gave me another chance. Now He remembers none of it (that part makes me shout!). He actually freed me from the old life and gave me a new one.

4. God loves me. God has shown me the depth of His love. He doesn't get tired of hearing me talk. He doesn't think I'm annoying. He comes to my rescue and holds me when I'm alone. I'm never lonely with Him by my side. His love NEVER stops. No matter how many times I mess up, He still loves me. When I think about how He loved me when I didn't really even know how to love Him, I'm amazed.

5. God wants me. He has a plan for me. Each day He reveals another step to that plan, and each day I'm in awe of His power. He doesn't just love me, He adores me, and I have a future in Him.

6. God changed me. He changed my thoughts, my moods, my words, my actions, and ultimately my whole life. He is moving in me. He isn't finished with me and is somehow, despite my failures, making me into what He wants me to be.

7. God blessed me. He has given me more than I could ever imagine!! I'm not referring to money or things. He has blessed me with friends, family, love, joy, and peace. He has given me a purpose and wonderful passion to pursue my dreams. He has opened my eyes to see what really matters in life. He has opened my eyes to see the needs of others and not be self-centered. He has changed my perspective on so many dimensions.

So there's my list. You know what the best thing about my list is? He will do all that for you! He loves you as much as He loves me! It's NEVER too late! You're NEVER too far gone. Just like the prodigal son, even if you come home smelling like a rotten pig and completely broke, your heavenly Father will run to you and give you another chance! Actually, I think Jesus likes it when we blow all that we have and come home to Him completely hopeless. It is then that He can get the glory for the Supernatural intervention, because it's obvious to others that we couldn't have saved ourselves. It had to be Him! So go make your list and check it more than twice! (;

Wanted, Not Wasted

I once heard a sermon about how everything you are going through is happening for a reason, "nothing will be wasted." The preacher pointed out how Moses was in the wilderness 40 years ALONE before he was in the wilderness 40 years with the children of Israel (Acts 7:30). Moses was raised in a palace. He knew nothing about the desert. If he had not messed up (murdered the Egyptian) and fled to the desert, he would have continued to live in that comfortable place, ignorant of God's perfect will for his life.

Sometimes we see our sins as weights, black marks on our lives. The truth is that God knows we are human, and we will mess up. In His awesomeness, if we let Him, He will use our mistakes, our sins, to bring us to where we need to be in Him. Once we repent, those sins are under the blood. The blood of Jesus not only covers those sins, but it redeems us, according to Ephesians 1:7. One definition of "redeem" is, "to make something that is bad into something better." The blood doesn't change the sin, it changes us. It makes us (something "bad," because we are flesh) into something better! How powerful is that?!

There's a song I love by Lauren Daigle called, "How Can It Be?" She sings, "You plead my cause. You right my wrongs. You break my chains. You overcome. You gave Your life to give me mine. You say that I am free. How can it be?"

If you allow yourself to truly believe in the power of the blood of Jesus, you will be amazed. You'll be in awe. It really leaves you wondering, "how can it be?" It breaks me down to think about how He not only loves me and saved me, but also redeemed me. It makes no sense how Someone so powerful would love me that much.

Nothing will be wasted. You, your sins, your trials, are not wasted. God is using them to show you something, to make you into something He needs you to be (James 1:2-4). It might be the change you need to reach your lost family. It might be the change you need to reach your neighborhood. Or, it might be the change you need to reach an entire nation! Whatever it is you are going through, let the blood of Jesus redeem you, let Him break your chains, and set you free, so that you can be what He wants you to be. You are not wasted. Your trials, your pain, your storm, is not wasted. You were called into this desert place because you are wanted. He wants you. You may feel like your life is wasted. That is a lie from the enemy. Rebuke those thoughts! You must allow Him to transform your thoughts, your mind. Romans 12:2 says that we must be transformed with a renewed mind... only then can we accomplish what His perfect will is for our lives.

Your life is just beginning. Step into His Grace. Let Him set you free and feel His love wanting you.

"You say that I am free. How can it be?" ...because I am wanted, not wasted.

There is nothing like the freedom you find in Him. When you are free from the past, you are open to what He has for you in the present. When you are open to Him in the present, you have a secure future. The enemy's only tactic is to remind you of yesterday, because He knows that you are covered with new mercy every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Now, look in the mirror and say, "Jesus has redeemed me. I am free. I am wanted, not wasted." Say it until you believe it, until it is stuck in your mind, because it's true! God's Word never fails.

Don't Grow Up Too Fast

Raising children is an unending complication of adulthood. There are many phases to parenthood. It starts out challenging your physical composition. How little sleep and how little food can you live off of and still survive? How long can you go on that way? The physical breakdown causes a mental breakdown. Can your mind function effectively without physical nourishment? Yes, I'm referring to having a new baby. It sounds fun to imagine, but when it actually happens, it is a harsh reality for which no book or lecture or class could ever prepare you.

And that's just the beginning of the challenge. The more they grow, the more they require from you, as a parent. The questions they ask get deeper and deeper. No, you won't be graded on your answers. However, your answers to their questions will guide the rest of their lives. No pressure, right? They have more physical and emotional needs. They require more time and attention. The sleepless nights and lack of nutrition are just the first phase of the process. 

Often we find ourselves in a spiritual battle or a rough trial, and pray for God to just get us through it. We can only see what is right in front of us. The big picture is that this trial prepares us for the next trial. The next trial changes us into something more like Him. It's a growing process. We don't get through the newborn phase and life is over. After the newborn phase, we go through the infant stage, the toddler stage, the preschool stage, and so on. We must go through each trial to get to the next phase spiritually. 

Moses was called out of his isolation in the wilderness to go set the people of Israel free from Egypt (Exodus 3). God did not give him all the details of how the process would work. Moses initially argued about speaking to Pharaoh. Really? We know the whole story. He should have been like, "how do I handle this crowd once I get them out of there and they go crazy on me?" Instead, he asks and argues about the little part he can see at that moment: How do I talk to Pharaoh?

Psalm 119:105 says, "your word is a lamp to guide my feet." You wouldn't need a lamp if it wasn't dark, right? In complete darkness, a lamp will only light the area right around your feet. It will not shatter all darkness, allowing you to see for miles ahead. So when you are in complete darkness, frustrated by the process of your trial, you MUST allow His Word to guide your feet, to guide the very step that you are in. Seek Him out, search His Word. Only then will He light your feet, so that you may continue on. Rarely does He show us where He is taking us. That is what builds our faith in Him. Allowing His Word to light each step (the part you can see) will lead you to where He wants you to be.

The problem is that we want to know and understand the whole process. If He told us the whole process, everything that we would go through, we would not be able to handle it with our human minds. Ephesians 3:20 says that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. His ways are so great that it's beyond what we can ask or even think!

If you had a book about parenting that told all that you would go through with raising a child, before you had children (and I'm sure there are some out there), you wouldn't believe it or you wouldn't believe that your child would do those things, or you'd think that you could handle it. You really cannot understand the gravity of parenthood until you are completely submerged in it. You go into parenting one step at a time. You can't birth a 5 year old well-behaved, potty trained, sleeping-through-the-night child! You get a newborn that must be nourished and loved. God knows right where we are. He is "parenting" us at the appropriate spiritual stage. He knows what we need to be disciplined so that we will grow in Him. He does this to us, because He loves us and wants us to draw closer to him. He won't put on us more than we can handle or more than we need to move on to the step in Him.

Not only have faith in Him, but have faith in His process. Trust His ways. Children trust their parents without question. Maybe because they are ignorant to the devices of this world, or maybe because they see their parents as superheros who can protect them from anything and everything. Either way, revert to that faith. Have faith that God, your heavenly Father, loves you and can protect you from anything and everything.

Just like growing up is a process, so is growing spiritually. Each step of the process you find yourself deeper and deeper in love with Him. Your prayers are no longer shallow; your heart is no longer empty. It doesn't happen over night, and He knows this. Through your trials He is growing you. Just like you would tell a child not to rush growing up, don't rush your trial! Thank God for it and seek His Word to understand what you are supposed to be learning from it. You will be more "grown" after this trial, and the next one will be even greater.

BUT, in the next trial, you will be more mature, and you will learn a different lesson. All I know is, this trial that I'm in now is not the first trial. It is much more difficult than the last trial I went through. However, I know God better than I did during that last trial. That makes it easier to trust Him for this one. Also, now that I'm able to see that the trials are never going to stop, and I'm supposed to learn something from each one, I'm trying to stop throwing prayer tantrums begging, "God please get me out of this trial," because I know that as soon as I get out of this one, another one is coming. He will pull you through each time, but only after you learn what you need to learn.

Just like you don't want your children to grow up too fast or you would tell a teenager to slow down and don't rush into adulthood, so I am telling you: Slow down and enjoy your trial. Look for the good, seek out the lesson, and let His Word light only your feet, right where you are. He knows what He is doing. Take one step at a time knowing that He is teaching you something, growing you spiritually, and you will come out a stronger, more mature Christian. 

Be Careful What You Pray For

First, let me just tell you all that I appreciate you continuing to hit up my blog site even though there hasn't been anything new on here lately. It's encouraging to see those numbers rise...I love y'all, too! (:

It's been a busy last few months with graduation and job hunting. God is good, and the doors are opening, so I'm praising Him for that! With that behind me, I thought I'd share some new thoughts.

I've always heard that you shouldn't pray for patience, because God will be sure to put you in a position where you will need to develop patience. So of course, I've never prayed for patience. I did, however, pray for other things that I'm now realizing were just as dangerous. Since you all are so diligent in reading all about my life lessons, I just have to tell you about these dangerous prayers.

You know I love the Christian artist, Natalie Grant. She has a song called, "Awaken" that I diligently listened to for years and sang it fervently. I've even prayed the lyrics, "Lord, I feel like I'm just existing, I'm not really living, I'm far from my destiny. Awaken my heart and soul. Awaken Your power in my life and take control. Give me a passion to live for You."

There was another song that I loved to sing and pray called, "Empty Me," by Chris Sligh. The lyrics were all too true for me, and I begged God to empty me of anything that is coming between me and Him. Remove the poisonous pride from my life. Pride is sinful and separates us from God (Psalm 10:4). First, I had to admit I was prideful, then I had to be willing to let it go.

Praying that He would "awaken" me, and show me how to get back to where I should be, involved admitting that I was prideful and wanting to change. I surrendered it all to Him. That fall that I referenced in my first blog, that was the fall of pride that Proverbs 16:18 warned me about. Then through fiery trials, He awakened my heart and soul. He powerfully intervened in my life and emptied me...of everything. And I mean, every thing.

In my brokenness, I began questioning God, "where are You? Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this mess?" And He powerfully answered, "you prayed for this." Oh wow. I did, didn't I?

When He multiplied the loaves and fishes, what did He do? He broke it first according to Matthew 14:19. Before there is fruitfulness, brokenness is a prerequisite (Refer to the fruitfulness blog for scriptures). It's during this breaking, painful process that we question living for God. Many people give up. They don't see that actually, they are closer to Him than when they were comfortable in their sin, comfortable in being around Him, but not really knowing Him.

We love the story of Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm for the frightened disciples, but look closer. In Mark 6:45 Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and go out into the sea. Jesus knows it all...He knew there would be a storm. They were in the perfect will of God and were in a storm. We think because we are in a storm, we are not in the will of God. NO! It's quite the opposite! It's in the storm that we learn Who God is. At the end of that story in Mark 6:52, it says that they had not really understood the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus knew they were questioning Him in their hearts, and He used this personal miracle to show them He was God. According to Matthew 14:33, after Jesus calmed the storm, they worshiped Him and said, "truly you are the Son of God." Finally, they got it! ...after a huge, frightening storm.

Pray what you want to, but know that when you really truly surrender, your prayers will be answered, and it will not be the way you expect. I guess I just thought Jesus would come down and say, "I forgive you," and wave His miraculous hand over me and I would go on my way a brand new person. I NEVER thought it meant that I'd find myself where I am-- in a storm.

When you allow Him to take control, you get to know Him better. He reveals Himself in the storm. You draw closer to Him, He shows you His heart. He puts a burning passion in your heart for the things that He wants, like loving others and reaching the lost. You can't help but show compassion to those who are hurting and lost, in the church and outside the church. When you allow Him to "empty" you of what is in the way, and "awaken" you, your eyes become open to the critical spiritual needs flooding our environment.

It's not at all about your storm. It's about Who He is. He wants you to know Who He is...only then can we be about His business.

I'm so thankful that first of all, God revealed my sin to me. The sin of being lukewarm and complacent is so overlooked. Then He powerfully dealt with me to bring me back to Him. I just want you to know that if you pray for God to take control, and you really allow Him to work, it is a painful process. Being disciplined is always uncomfortable. Being broken is miserable. But think of the alternative: staying lost in sin, complacency, which is eternal damnation. Just being around Jesus isn't enough. You must truly dig in and know Him. Surrendering to Him and allowing Him to change my heart was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I know the reward is being able to worship my Savior, my Deliverer, my Redeemer for all eternity. And in the mean time, I'm riding out the storm and reaching for other who are hurting. Hold on. He is walking on the water to show you Who He is.

He's Holding Me

Someone asked me the other day how I could be so happy after going through such trials. The answer is so simple: "it's not me, it's Him. He's holding me. My trials are far from over, but I'm not letting Him go, so I know I will be safe in His arms."

It was in the lowest of my lows that I turned to Him in frustration and despair and began to shake my fist and say, "why me, God? Why do I have to go through this?" Yet, when I did, I was met with a merciful, loving Savior who had nothing but compassion and peace to offer me. 

I melted into Him. Instead of running from Him and trying to figure things out on my own, I fell into His arms. I literally collapsed in a heap of tears pouring my heart out to Him. And He listened. I whispered my fears and shouted my frustrations. He kept listening. Then I left it all with Him, and He picked me up and held me. 

He was waiting for me to be serious about leaving it there at His feet. This time I had no choice. At one point I felt like Job. A "friend" told me that you can't live for God once you get divorced. Another "friend" said my life would be ruined and God could never use me because I wasn't willing to fake my marriage anymore. Let me just tell you something, they were wrong! 

God has brought my relationship with Him to another level. I will live for God, no matter what, and God has already begun to use me in ways that I never imagined! Every single day I am so thankful that He has been holding me, and I praise Him for loving me unconditionally. Romans 8:39 says NOTHING (which includes anything anyone would say) can separate us from the love of God. 

You might feel like you are trapped in an unbearable situation, but I hope you listen when I tell you this: Jesus is waiting for you. His arms will hold you. He will give you peace while He is working it all out. You can trust Him with your heart. He will fill your heart with more love than you have ever felt, and He will NEVER break your heart. And that's how I'm so happy through all these trials...I'm safe in His arms.

Let It Rain

Through the years, rain has become one of my favorite things. It smells so fresh after it rains. In the spring, rain washes away pollen and purifies the air. It can be frustrating when it ruins your shoes or slows down traffic, but rain is a beautiful thing.

Rain brings fruitfulness. There's that word again! It's one of those things we are praying for this year. In another blog I talked about how painful pruning must happen for there to be fruitfulness. Well, I hate to tell ya, but you gotta endure the rain to have the fruitfulness, too! 

All throughout scripture, rain precedes fruitfulness:

James 5:18  ...heaven gave rain and the earth bore it's fruit. 

Leviticus 26:4 I will give you rains in their season, and the land shall yield it's increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Isaiah 55:10  For as the rain...come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and spout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater

Acts 14:17 ...he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness

Rain is not always pleasant. The clouds are dark, and the ground is messy. Rain changes plans. Rain affects what you wear, what your drive, and how you feel. Rain interferes with vitamin D absorption from the sun. Rain, in excessive amounts, can create hazardous conditions. 

Yet we endure the effects of the rain and are able to enjoy the fruitfulness of the earth. 

In life, we must endure the rain. It feels like the pain and persecution is pouring down. It feels dismal clouded by darkness and disappointments. You're enduring the changed plans and hazardous conditions, the darkness and messiness. But don't focus on that. Focus on the beautiful sound of the rain. Focus on the benefits of it's cleansing. Know that when it rains, it means that fruitfulness will follow. 

Stop waiting for the rain to end and appreciate the storm. The rain seems harsh and heavy, but it's part of the process. ...that fruitfulness process you've been praying for. If it's raining, then your prayers are being answered and fruitfulness is on the way! So, I say, become a pluviophile, and let it rain!!!!

(Pluviophile. (n) A lover of the rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days)

Oh! I forgot one more thing...everyone always complains about the rain. Why be like everyone else? That's so average!  Rise above and appreciate the rain! Rain in the forecast means one thing: fruitfulness is in the forecast! 

Praise and Tell!

Sometimes you pray for something, and then when it happens, you forget to praise Him for it!

I want to praise Him as passionately as I petition Him when I am in need! 

James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Apparently, I was immature, incomplete, and lacking a lot, so I've been put through some trials lately!  It sure has produced some perseverance, though! Thank God for verse 12 of that chapter promising: "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." ...gives me blessed assurance of the ending to my trials and the reward for my perseverance! 

So in all these trials, I've been asking for different things. One of my trials had to do with finances (who doesn't have that trial, right?!). My car is paid for, but it was costing me $200-$500 per month in repairs for several months last year. In November, I prayed, "Lord, you can do anything. Please fix my car so it won't need major repairs until I am done with school." 

It wasn't until last week, when I was going through some paperwork for my car that I noticed something miraculous: the last car repair receipt was from that day in November when I prayed that prayer!!! It sounds so small, but for me, it is huge! It was a huge burden on me, and I didn't even realize He had answered my prayer until now! It's April! That's about 5 months of no repairs! 

God is so awesome. He loves us so much. Don't be afraid to take even the small things to Him in prayer. If it means something to you, then it means something to Him, and He wants to help you with it! 

I Chronicles 16:9 says, "Sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!" It doesn't say to tell of some of His wondrous works, it says all! So next time you recognize an answered prayer, whether large or small, praise Him for it and tell someone! 

You Can't Trust God

In my first blog I talked about how trusting God was so hard. Recently, I've found myself truly trusting Him without any difficulties, just comes naturally. Something completely ridiculous happened, and it was easy for me to take it to Him and say, "what was that? It made no sense and it was obviously not from You. I don't understand, but I know from Your Word that You are working out Your Master plan, and I trust You."

How was it so easy? Because I know Him. You can't trust someone that you don't know, right? You wouldn't trust a stranger to hold your wallet or watch your children. It's the same thing with God. Sure, you've met Him, been filled with His Spirit, are acquainted, but you can't know Him without studying His Word. Pray His Word, and ask Him to reveal Himself through His Word. You've got to really know Him to completely trust Him.

It's natural to trust someone you know. It's easy to believe what they say. Once you start getting to know God, you will see. You will see specific prayers He has answered. You will see Divine intervention in the hardest of times. Then when you again are faced with an issue, you can say, "Lord, You did that last thing for me, I know You will not fail me. I trust You."

King David was known as a man after God's own heart. He most certainly knew the Lord. In Psalm 91:1-3 he wrote, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from every trap..." This lets us know that when you dwell (meaning to live in or not ever leave) in the shelter of the Lord, you can trust Him and He will deliver you. You have to constantly chase after Him to get to know Him. It's a way of life, not a one time action. It's a commitment to a relationship with the King of kings.

Psalm 37:5 says, "commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!" When you commit your way to the Lord, He will be your Defender. He will act. He sees your righteousness and will bring justice. Once He forgives you of your sins, He can only see your righteousness. This was written by King David, who was very familiar with sin, but He knew that God no longer sees those sins once they are forgiven, even though men try to carry out evil devices!

It's such a relief to be able to let it go and let God handle the situation. He brings peace and joy, when you would usually be worried and upset. He brings love and hope, when you should be lonely and afraid. Oh! Trusting in the Lord will also make you fruitful! Jeremiah 17:7-8 says that the man who trusts in the Lord is blessed, is like a strong tree planted by the water who does not fear, is not anxious, and does not cease to bear fruit!

It all goes back to that "putting Him in charge" thing. I've always known of Him, but I've never allowed myself to get to really know Him until everything fell apart. This is very common among believers.

Even Job was described by God as blameless and upright, fearing God and turned away from evil (Job 1:8), but he completely fell apart when he was tested and had to repent. At the end of the book after God tells him that he was wrong to ever doubt Him, Job tells God, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you, therefore I despise myself and repent.." Job 42:5-6. Job admitted that he had heard God, but did not really know who He was. He despised himself for this. I'm sure he was wishing that He had known God before, so that He could have fully trusted Him throughout all those trials.

Don't wait for your world to fall apart! Seek Him now! Then, when you find yourself in a situation you don't understand, you can say, "I trust You, Lord," and really mean it! You can't trust Him, if you don't know Him. It's impossible.

I Caused a "Trauma One"

Working in the hospital you hear many different messages called out over the paging system. Most people are familiar with a "code blue, " which pretty much means someone has died. Sometimes the person is able to be resuscitated (revived), and sometimes they are not or it was expected for them to pass.

Most people, including a lot of nurses and doctors who do not work in the emergency room setting, don't know what "trauma one" really means. After working in the emergency department and seeing patients brought in labeled as a "trauma one," I cringe when I hear that called out over the paging system.

The initial arrival of a patient in the trauma one status is chaos to an observer. There is usually an unresponsive victim with massive amounts of injuries and body fluids going everywhere. Dozens of people are swarming to save the person's life, which is hanging in the balance and seconds can make a huge difference in the outcome.

Some of the criteria for a "trauma one" include:

Airway/Breaching Unstable, requiring immediate airway intervention

Severe Facial Injuries

Moderate-Severe Respiratory Distress

Arterial Bleeding

Spinal Shock, Spinal Cord Injury

Head Injury with Loss of Consciousness

Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis Injury

Cardiac or Major Chest Wall Injury

Multiple Long Bone Fractures with Shock

Pulseless Extremity with Evidence of Trauma

Penetrating Trauma to the Head, Face, Torso

The trauma team includes, but is not limited to:  Trauma Surgeon, Emergency Department Attending Physician, Chief Surgical-Trauma Resident Physician, Emergency Department Resident Physician, Several Emergency Department Nurses, Paramedics, Emergency Department Charge nurse, Emergency Department Tech, Respiratory Therapist, X-Ray Technologist, and CT Technologist.

You may wonder why I'm telling you all this, but I want you to get a good visual image of how we respond to someone who meets the trauma one criteria. When someone has suffered these injuries, it's a HUGE deal.

This morning a minister came to our church and preached a message about the crucifixion of Christ. The picture verbally painted by the minister was of a man most certainly in a trauma one status. Read the criteria for trauma one that I listed above again...that was Jesus. I was thinking of how I would have felt if I had walked up and found this Man in that condition today. I know the deep wounds from His beating and torture and agonizing pain He experienced would have required a trauma center and an entire team of medical staff to respond to this Victim.

Then I thought about how I was the cause of this trauma one Victim. My sin beat Him and nailed Him to that cross. My sin induced torture and agonizing pain. My life meant so much to Him that endured great trauma and death to save me. His resurrection allows me to have the gift of eternal life. Why? How? Who am I that the King of kings would endure that for me?

Maybe this isn't profound to you, but picturing Jesus as a trauma one Victim made me realize how serious sin really is. I don't ever want to take for granted the price that He paid at Calvary. I don't ever want to forget that I caused Jesus to be a trauma one Victim, and He loved me enough to endure it.

Just as serious as sin is, His blood is that much more powerful. My sin has been covered by His blood. His crucifixion brings Power to cover that sin. Ephesians 1:7 says that we are redeemed by His blood. Isaiah 43:25 tells us that once He forgives us for our sins, He remembers those sins no more! That is how powerful His blood is!

What an awesome, powerful, merciful, loving God we serve!

News Flash: Life's NOT About You!

One of the most important lessons that I've learned as a parent is that life is not about me. Oh, it was a pretty hard lesson to learn. You know what I'm referring to....

You don't get to sleep when you want to. You don't get to spend your money on what you want to. You don't get to eat what you want to. You don't get to pee in private. Yea, you know what I'm talking about! The list goes on and on.

My kids and I had a theme last month: OTHERS. We had Philippians 2:4 posted all over the house. I tried to teach them to think about others. Help others. Encourage others. Forget self.

It wasn't until I started trying to teach them this, that I started realizing all the selfishness in our world. So many people are searching for happiness and contentment. Their loneliness is so overwhelming, they can't think of others. They are thinking, "what about me?" or "who is going to take care of my needs?"

God will always provide. Your needs greatly diminish when you see the needs of others. If you are focused on what you are holding in your hand, you can't see the world around you. Put what you are holding back on the altar, let Him take care of it, and go find someone in need. Pray for someone else. Encourage someone else. Reach out to someone else.

Some people have a personal story for everything. Forget your personal story and listen to someone else's personal story. They might be making their last cry out for help before they attempt suicide. They might be crying out for direction to the Prince of Peace.

Matthew 16:25 says that whoever loses his life for His sake will find it. Jesus walked this earth focused on others. He was healing others, saving others, teaching others. We have to "lose" our own life being like Him, focused on others, and we will find true fulfillment.

So, yea, life isn't about you, really. It's about others. Give God your mess. Let Him give you peace while He's working on it, and go help someone else. Leave the pity party and join the Peace party! It's a much better place to dwell in!

Good Luck With That! Ha!

You people (my awesome followers) crack me up! I get the most hits on the blogs where I include my personal feelings and personal details...so here's some more personal feelings for y'all! (:

Today I felt super emotional. No, it wasn't a female thang, it was a flesh thang. No matter how much I "crucify" my flesh, it still likes to be in control sometimes. Today, I woke up feeling an emotional heaviness. This is different from the spiritual heaviness to pray about something. It was like a heavy emotion, almost making me cry. Frustration, maybe? It's difficult to describe.

So, I'll let you in on a secret: I fasted. I'm telling you this because I want you to know what I tried to do to "fix" this emotion. This is really personal, but I think someone else might need to hear all this, so I'm gonna share it. With the fasting, I prayed, of course, mostly crying. Just asking God what it is that He wants me to do. Where does He want me to go? Who does He want me to be? I told Him, "I'm willing, God. Whatever You want from me, I'll give to You."

Then (what I think is) the enemy tried to get in my head and tell me, "see how lonely it is to do what is right? See how lonely it is to chase after Him? If He loved you so much, He wouldn't let you feel so low today. You think you're special, set apart, called. Nope, you are average, just like everyone else, and a failure. Might as well give it up. Just go back to being average and trying to fit in. Go back to pretending. No one will ever know the difference."  (And, YES, that enemy said all that! Dumb Devil)

Oh, right, no one except me, who has poured myself out to the King of Kings searching for meaning and direction. Why would I totally surrender, feel Him, know He is here, and then pick my hurts back up and try to fix it myself again? I tried that already, remember? Crashed and burned.

So after this ridiculously overwhelming low emotion attacked me all day, I fell asleep during my kids' nap time. Usually I clean or study, but today, I was just emotionally drained. I'd love to tell you that I had some amazing epiphany of a dream and woke up inspired. I didn't. I woke up feeling a little more rested, though, able to think a little more clearly.

Later in the evening, during my alone time, a friend of mine called me, feeling the same way as I was today and looking for encouragement! Crazy, right? We compared feelings and both agreed: this "chasing after Him" is an emotional roller coaster! Yes, sometimes we are screaming out of excitement and giddiness because of the high we feel riding with the Prince of Peace....but then there are days like today: Screaming because we want to get off the ride! Ha!

After thinking about this all day and discussing it with my friend, here's what we came up with: Yea, you can get off the ride anytime (take back your pain and try to do things your way, like everyone else), or you can keep on riding, ride it out through the low and know that high is on the way. Something amazing is about to happen! Shut-up, enemy, I'm not going to quit now! Get thee behind me, emotional attack, I'm hanging on to see where my Prince is taking me! Even if this ride feels like it is going around and around in circles sometimes, I'm not going to give up my faith!

So, if you do get off the ride and want to handle your life on your own: Good luck with that!

I choose Him...again! Because any day with Jesus is better than my life was before I knew, I mean really knew Him.

What Is Whiter Than Snow?

The ground is covered in snow this morning. It reminds me of Psalm 51:7 saying, "wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

When we repent of our sins, truly repent, meaning to not only be sorry, but to stop the sin, He washes us. We become whiter than snow.

I was thinking this morning, "that snow is pretty white, how can we become whiter than snow?" If you look closely at the snow, you can see debris that has fallen with the snow. The snow caught some dirt on the way down or leaves or branches are peaking through.

But, when God washes away our sin, there is no trace of the dirt. No trace of debris! When He looks at us, He sees a pure, repentant soul starting over. He doesn't remember our sin at all!

Sometimes we struggle because we can't forget our sin or others want to remind us of our sin, but we have to remember that no one is perfect, and we've all messed up. We can only be whiter than snow when we let Him wash away the dirt with the sin and start over.

The snow reminds us of how He sees us after true repentance. Forget how you see yourself or how others see you and know that your Creator sees you as whiter than snow! Let your heart be full of gratefulness for a new beginning. Live your life in confidence of your salvation, so that others can see Him through you.

Oh! The best part? Lamentations 3:22-23 says that His love never fails and He makes His mercy new every morning. So if you messed up yesterday, you can start over today! What a faithful God we serve!

So what is whiter than snow? I am, because my Savior has washed me! And you can be, too!

My Valentine Is The Prince of Peace

I was reading my first blog today and remembering how I felt when I typed it. This part I did not totally reveal at that time, but you have to know this to understand the rest of this blog. 

When I typed that first blog, I felt like I was giving God control out of default. I had lost control and had no idea how to regain it. Giving Him control, trusting Him, was all that I could do. Trust Him or die. I felt like I was jumping off a cliff and free-falling, knowing He was going to catch me, but totally terrified of the fall. When would He catch me, and why was He letting me fall at all? It was like I threw my mess at Him and said, "here fix this junk." I hated giving it up, but there was nothing else I could do. Hated the trusting, the letting go, and the anxiety, but I did it anyway.

From then until now, I've been seeking Him. Everyone does it differently, so I just started seeking Him with every ounce of my being, the best way I knew how. And I mean, desperately seeking Him. He has truly revealed Himself to me. This is how I know...when I read that first blog again today, the way I felt when I typed it flooded my mind. BUT, that is NOT at all how I feel now!!!! 

In that first blog, I talked about how I was driving with Jesus in the passenger seat and lost control. I talked about how I'm letting Him drive, I have no idea where I'm going, and I'm learning to trust Him. I really did not expound how terrifying it was for me, or how much I was struggling with letting it all go.

Now, though, now I feel like I'm on a romantic rendezvous with the Lover of my soul! Oh, I'm still in the car, letting Jesus drive and have no idea where I'm going, but now I feel like I'm riding in the front seat with a blind fold on and I'm so excited and giggly because my Prince is driving! He is taking me to that special place that I've always wanted to go to, but didn't know how to get there. 

He's not telling me the details, or how long it will take, but He knows me so well that He knows what I like and want! I know when He gets me there, and takes the blind fold off, it will be better than I can imagine! 

I know this is true because His Word tells me each of those things: 

Psalm 37:5 says to commit your way to the Lord, trust Him and He will act-- I gave Him the keys, so He is driving. He is leading me to a new place in Him.

Romans 5:8 He loves me-- He wants to make my dreams come true; He knows what I need and want.

1 John 4:18 His perfect love has cast out all my fear-- His perfect love removed my fear and replaced it with contentment and excitement.

Psalm 139:1-2 He knows my thoughts-- If He knows my thoughts, He knows me well!! He knows where I need to be and what needs to happen for me to get to that place in Him.

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart-- I am truly excited/delighted in Him, He will fulfill His promises!

Eph 3:20 He is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think--- Where He is taking me will be better than I can imagine!

I'm not full of fear and anxieties anymore. Just as 1 John 4:18 says, His perfect love has driven out all my fear! I'm not frustrated with the lack of control. I'm not driven to my knees out of desperation. I'm full of peace and excitement. I'm full of joy and contentment. I'm driven to my knees to spend quality time with the Lover of my soul. I'm driven to my knees to be held in His arms and pour my love out in worship. 

Philippians 4:7 says the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the Prince of Peace. 

My Prince of Peace, my Valentine, has shown me perfect love to remove my fear and given me peace beyond my understanding of my situation. His peace is guarding, shielding, protecting my heart and mind!

With his peace, He is protecting my heart from pain and bitterness. He is protecting my mind from doubt and negativity. 

Amazing love and peace from the perfect Valentine, the Prince of Peace, is the best Valentine's gift I've ever received!

Oh! The best part: He wants to be YOUR Prince of Peace, too! He wants to hold you in His arms and show you what it feels like to love without fear of getting hurt. He wants to show you what it feels like to rest in His peace although your situation is beyond your understanding. 

When you have the Prince of Peace as your Valentine, it is by far a HAPPY Valentine's Day! (:

Celebrating YOU!!

Today this blog reached 70 followers! 70! Wow! Most of you know me from school and work, and I want to just tell you from the bottom of my heart: Thank you for reading this blog!

So many of you have inboxed me telling me personal stories about how each blog has spoken to you and encouraged you right where you were in your own situation. You have no idea how much that means to me!

With school keeping me so busy, I can't respond to every message, so I wanted to post it here to make sure that all of you know how much your encouraging words inspire me! I've been brought to tears reading about how some of you needed to hear the exact words that the Lord laid on my heart to blog.

Everyone is facing their own battle (It's Just a Chapter!). Everyone has trials to go through, but when you realize that you are not alone and He is fighting for you, you find strength to carry on (All Is Well!)! It's my prayer that you will find strength to keep pressing on toward the crown of life!

James 1:12 says "blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (We Win In The End!)

It is my humbled privilege that He is using me to encourage others. It's only His grace that keeps me standing, but just as it is written in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," His grace is all I need!

He wants to combine His grace with your weakness, your lowest of lows because of your trials, to prove His perfect power!

I'm reminded of part of an old Hymn that says:

"To God be the glory,
For the things He has done,
With His blood, He has saved me,
With His power, He has raised me!"

His power made perfect in my weakness has raised me, so what can I say, but:

                           TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Give Him your weakness (Withholding Nothing!), and let Him combine it with His grace (He's got plenty, John 1:14), to prove His perfect power in your situation! 

His power will raise you up, too! 1 Corinthians 6:14

Are You Sure About That?

One of the things this year that our church is praying for is "fruitfulness"....are you sure that you want to be fruitful?

Sure, it sounds great, but it's not really that simple.

John 15:1-2 says, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. . .every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

That pruning thing isn't fun. One definition of "prune" is to reduce or cut away, removing dead parts, to stimulate growth.

Over time an apple tree will put on more bark than fruit. The only way to restore the production of fruit is to convince the tree that it is dying. It is only after the tree is severely pruned that it will start producing fruit again.

When Jesus healed the blind man (Mark 8:24), he saw men as trees. That's because God sees our lives as trees. It takes more than just watering and fertilizing to be fruitful, He has to prune us, too.

We love the watering part of this fruitfulness thing, the bucketfuls of blessing in living for the Lord, but no one wants to face the pruning part. The pruning part is painful. No one wants to be cut down so severely that they feel like they are dying.

Pruning is painful and usually involves losses. But when you find yourself enduring losses, remember that the Gardener is working on you. There will be a gain from it.

Because of your pain, your losses, your pruning, you will find fruitfulness!

You will get what you are praying for, but it won't come easy...the Gardener has to prune first!





Reference: "The Point of Low Points" by Rev. Ken Gurley

Withholding Nothing

We sang a song in church about surrendering all to God, withholding nothing. We sang "withholding nothing" over and over again. It hit me this morning: withholding nothing means giving Him everything, both good and bad.

God wants us to surrender our lives to Him, all the "good" things we can give Him, but He also wants us to give Him our hurts!

Matthew 11:28 (NIV) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

You don't have to get things in order in your life to surrender to Him, He wants you just as you are, with all your problems.

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

He cares about you, even when you are full of anxieties! He wants you to surrender all to Him, withholding nothing!

We live for God day after day, trying to do what's right and be a witness for Him. Yet, we keep our problems thinking we can figure it all out or it's not really that bad, continuing to carry around those burdens. But the same God that heals the sick and raises the dead cares about us and wants to take care of our problems! You see those things as problems, failures, mistakes, issues, but He sees them as potential. He can take what you think is a mess and make it a miracle!

Giving your life to God means giving every aspect of your life to God, your successes and your failures. Give Him glory for the successes and trust Him with your failures.

Don't just give God your time, talents, and tithe, give Him your troubles, too! Withhold nothing! He can handle it!!

Dream On, Baby!

One definition of dream is, "an unrealistic fantasy." Being a realist, it's difficult for me to call my life goals, "dreams." They have always been attainable, measurable, easy-to-plan-out goals, so there was no "dreaming" involved.

Despite my minimization of dreams, I've had a quote on my bedroom wall for years saying, "Dream until all your dreams come true." I've always liked the idea of dreaming, but I didn't think I was "allowed" to do that anymore. Dreaming is for kids, immature adults, and extreme optimists, right?

Don't get me wrong, I used to dream about wonderful things or doing great things. But when they didn't come true it was such a let down, that I decided to avoid the feeling of failure and stick to realistic goals for my life. 

Until recently, it was going great: set a goal, attain the goal, feel accomplished, and repeat. It was when I lost control (like I described in my first blog), that I realized that a dream God gave me as a teenager never died. 

Why would He bring that dream back up? I was crushed when it didn't happen the first time. I was devastated when it didn't happen the second time. Why would He remind me of this dream? 

Because it wasn't just a dream. It was God's Will for my life. It seemed unrealistic because without Him, it would be. It didn't work because I was trying to do it my way, instead of letting Him bring the dream to pass His way. At 13 years old, it's hard to know what to do with such a big dream. 

Think about the most famous dreamer in the Bible, Joseph. God gave him those dreams about where he was going and what he would become, and he was so excited about it that he shared it with his family. ...and they encouraged him and helped him bring those dreams to pass, right? NOPE. They contemplated killing him and then sold him as a slave instead!

He was betrayed and then lied on and left wondering what in the world just happened? I am so very sure that at some point, he thought, "why would God give me those dreams and then let me be betrayed and lied on?" 

But even if that thought crossed his mind, he didn't quit dreaming. He did two really important things on the way to his dreams: 1. He didn't get bitter, and 2. He trusted God, believing that somehow all things would work together for His purpose.

Dreams aren't cheap, they cost a lot. You gotta give up things that mean a lot to you, like pride, or a flawless reputation. Forget what others think when you find yourself face down in the altar crying out to Him. Forget who is watching when you feel the Spirit nudge you to shout for the victory over all your trials. You have to give up the comfort of being in control and let God have control.

To keep your dream alive, you have to get over the whispering of the enemy and not let it make you bitter. Quit trying to figure out all your trials and just know that each one you make it through leaves you that much closer to your dream. Joseph trusted God even when things looked like they would never get better.

Dreams don't happen without sacrifice. The bigger the dream, the greater the cost will be. Jesus dreamed of the world's curse being lifted and the earth being filled with the knowledge and the glory of the Lord. He laid down His life for this dream to come true.

Dreams without God are unrealistic. That's why it is a dream and not a goal. That's where I messed up. I thought I could accomplish this dream on my own. He's such a merciful God. Even after all my mistakes, He's still waiting with open arms reminding me He hasn't forgotten that 13 year old girl's dream.

Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God"

I have to "be still" or quit trying to be in control. I have to just "know" that He is God, meaning trust Him, rest in the assurance that He has the power. He will bring it to pass in spite of all that I did to mess it up, because He is the One in control. If, no, when it happens, it will be obvious that it was ALL Him. 

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

The dream can only happen when we let go and let Him work within us. My version of this verse is: God is able to bring to pass more than our biggest dreams, if we let Him have complete control!

The second part of that verse says "according to the power at work within us." His power is immeasurable. He has all power, but what will come to pass is based on how much of His power you allow to work within you!

Imagine what can come to pass if you give Him complete control! ...actually, you can't imagine it! It will be far more than you ask or think (or dream)!

Then when He brings that dream (that impossible, how-could-You-use-me thing) to pass, it will be completely for His glory...isn't that what our life is all about anyway? 1 Corinthians 10:31 ...Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

So forget average (setting and accomplishing goals), and dream on, Baby! (:

What Jesus Didn't Heal

One of my favorite songs mentions how Jesus is the Healer of my scars. I love that part. Medically, a scar represents a wound or injury. Something traumatic happened, and even after it was healed, it left a scar.

For years, I've heard that song and smiled thinking that Jesus not only heals the wound, but He will heal the scar. He will remove any evidence of a wound! 

Then I was wounded. He healed me. But there are still scars, little things that remind me of my healed wound. 

Why do I still have scars? I kept thinking about that song and praying that He would heal my scars and asking Him to take away anything that reminded me of the wounds. He healed my wounds and took the pain away, so why did He leave me with the scars?

Then it hit me: if He takes away my scars, He takes away my reminder that He healed my wounds. Without the wound and the pain, all that's left is the scar to remind me of the healing. It's not that He can't heal a scar, He left it for a purpose. 

If I didn't have these scars, it would be easier to blend in with everyone else. It would be easier to be accepted by society. It would be easier to deny that I was ever wounded. It would be easier to pretend to have always been strong, if I didn't have these scars. But, that's the average person. 

I'm not ever going to be average. I've got some scars, but I'm ok with my scars. These scars keep me from forgetting where I came from. These scars prove to myself and others that I'm not perfect. I have made mistakes. These scars remind me of the wounds that thrust me into the position to chase after Him and not settle for average.

These scars also remind me that Jesus heals. These scars remind me to live a testimony of His healing power. These scars keep me from pretending to be someone that I'm not. I'm not ever going to fit in with my scars, but now I understand why. 

Jesus Himself had scars after His resurrection. If He was raised from the dead, why wouldn't He be completely healed without any scars? Jesus used His scars to prove His crucifixion and resurrection to His disciples (John 20:19-31). 

Psalm 147:3 (KJV) He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 

Jesus still heals. Even if your wounds are emotional. I think this verse says that He heals the broken heart AND binds up the wounds, because He knows that with a broken heart, there are other wounds. He won't just heal your broken heart and ignore your other wounds. He will heal you completely, if you give it all to Him completely.

So after you allow Him to heal you, don't let anyone tell you that you shouldn't have scars from that healing. Testify about your healing when someone points out your scars.

There's a great quote from Pilgrim's Progress in part 2 which says, "My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles who will now be my Rewarder."

Hey, my scars also remind me that: WE WIN IN THE END! (: