Encouragement (Page 25)

I am not perfect and know I will make mistakes.  I feel shame and embarrassment for my past mishaps.  Whether I said something I should have not, or ate dessert after I was full, I had failed again.  I felt worthless and believed I was a failure who would never experience success.  I thought these guilty, low feelings would motivate me to try harder next time, but it made me feel worse.  No matter how hard I tried, I continued to occasionally fail and felt worse about myself every time. Psalm 103:4 is, “who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”  (HolyRead More →

After suffering from slow and unreliable online service for years, we finally jumped into the fast lane of high speed internet.  Naturally, I have been exploring entertaining sites and actually doing work at home. Unfortunately, I have discovered the addictive nature of binge watching TV shows.  I must watch another episode to see what happens next.  Watching TV helps me unwind when I am exhausted from doing too much.  I know there is a time to relax and be entertained, but I was getting bored after watching several episodes from a series.  This boredom is a sign I need to get off the couch and do somethingRead More →

I don’t always know the best thing to do.  Pressure urges me to make a quick decision.  I know I should wait instead of continuing to hash through all my bad options.  In His time, God will provide me with either a better alternative or wisdom that makes one option the right one.   I want to know how to fix this mess I find myself in right now. Psalm 62:5 is, “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2007).  The hardest part of waiting is surrendering control of the situation.  I want toRead More →

I hate losing arguments.  I like being right and want others to agree with me.  As I got older, I realized I am sometimes wrong.  It no longer offends me when others don’t like my suggestions.  I have matured, but I still like getting my way. Luke 9:23 is, “Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.’”  (Holy Bible New Living Translation, 2007, emphasis added).  God is the only one who is right all the time.  It is foolish for me to think I haveRead More →

I read my Bible regularly.  I also try and listen to what God says to me.  This brings me peace and shows me steps I need to take.  But, reading is not enough.  I must do what His Word says.  Instead, I sometimes choose to do the opposite.  I feel I should give a random stranger a word of encouragement, but don’t want to be embarrassed.  Other times, I get sucked into gossip or laugh when others are made fun of.  People who might never read a Bible see me as an example of Christ.  When I fail to convey Him with my actions, I fail.  I don’tRead More →