Encouragement (Page 29)

There are times I wonder why I am spending time writing this blog.  I know God wants me to put these posts on the internet, so I keep going.  Some days I eat only food my body needs and think I have completely kicked my food obsession.  Other days I lose sight of God and eat everything in sight.  Even though I have slipped at times, God has changed my heart so I quickly see my error. Before I started this blog, I had written a book detailing how God has helped me end my obsessive eating.  This book has sat for almost 3 yearsRead More →

November brings the 30 days of thankfulness challenge on social media.  Every day, people are challenged to post one thing they are thankful for.  I have never taken this challenge or tried to name 30 different things I am thankful for. Sometimes I got caught in the spirit of thankfulness, and occasionally posted something I was thankful for throughout the month.  Deep down, I know I am blessed with family, friends, and enough of everything else to live. God has given and will continue to give me everything I need.  Psalm 109:30 is, “But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him toRead More →

Problems and issues from everyday living wear me down.  Minor concerns add up and drag me down.  As I have got older and aware of danger, I worry more than I did when I was younger.  I want to be prepared if the worst possible thing happens.  However, I get stressed over something that may never come to pass.  I want to have future plans mapped out so I know what to expect.  Anytime I focus on negatives, I create emotional distress.  I need to lean on God and let Him carry me. Isaiah 46:4 is, “I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until yourRead More →

My selfish wants stand in the way of my devotion to God.  These self-seeking wishes divide my heart and make my spiritual walk wishy-washy.  I fear never getting my desires fulfilled.  My unwillingness to surrender these wants keeps me from growing closer to God. James 1:8 is, “Their loyalty is divided. between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  Divided hearts are detestable to God.  He commands us to completely surrender to Him.   When I have one foot chasing my wants and the other trying to follow God, I can’t doRead More →

Stress is my constant companion.  I wish for of peaceful days, but end up surrounded by trials and troubles. Sometimes I turn a minor inconvenience into a larger complication by my reaction to stress.   My mind replays a unfavorable scene over.  I rehearse possible endings for situations, creating the worst possible scenario.  My reactions to stress create a larger problem that what I started with. Isaiah 43:1 is, “But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you… he who formed you …;  I have summoned you by name, you are mine. (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011).  God has namedRead More →