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Like everyone, I have been deeply hurt by others. I believe I have forgiven and reached the point where a past rejection no longer bothers me. Somehow, I remember everything about it and feel the pain all over again. My mind keeps thinking about how unjust this situation was. To put this emotional pain behind me for good, I have to seek Jesus. Exodus 14:14 is, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. “ Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2001 I am grateful to serve a God mighty enough to fight my battles. He is the only one canRead More →

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My mind can be as scary as a dangerous neighborhood. I know I should trust God instead of worrying. But, my thoughts can shift from calm to full blown anxiety in less than 10 seconds. My imaginary and unrealistic fears keep me awake at night. I get stressed out and forget to seek the Lord to help carry my burden. Psalm 23:4 is, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), 2001 The Lord walks with meRead More →

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I do my best to love others. I try to encourage those who are down and help when I can. When I am busy or tired, I forgot those “prayer requests” I promised to do. I find it hard to show love to those who are negative, mean, or hard to be around. It is hard to love, or be nice to people that bring me down. Romans 8:38 is, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today, nor our worries about tomorrow – not even theRead More →

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Finding satisfaction in the world is impossible. No matter how much I have, I see something else I think is needed. We are remodeling our house and I see updates we can’t afford to do. I want a few extra days after my spring break is over since the week off was not enough. My soul yearns for something not of this world to fill it. Psalm 63:5 is, “You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I will never be satisfied with anything the world offers. God is the onlyRead More →

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Last week, the news of an major ice storm brought me into a sea of fear. I prepared best I could, but kept thinking “What if our electricity goes out?” I could not sleep with sounds of winter precipitation banging on my windows. I was certain our lights and heat would go out soon. When morning came and the power was still on, I still worried that it would go out. Instead of relaxing on my snow day, I wasted energy over something I had no control over 1 Peter 5:7 is, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”Read More →

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Every New Year, I resolve to improve myself. Over the years, I have learned I am not perfect. I will never be kind enough to others and hit 100% on my personal health goals. I can resolve to do better and beat myself up when I fail. Philippians 3:12 is, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I will never be perfect. Jesus helps me make better choices and fix bad habits. He moldsRead More →

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It is mid December and my Christmas decor is still in boxes. We are remodeling and I waited until our tv wiring was completed. I usually have everything decorated immediately after Thanksgiving and think I am the only one without Christmas festivities up. My perfectionist self is struggling. I love Christmas and have listened to carols since the week after Halloween. All this work of getting my house ready for the season does nothing to prepare my heart to meet Jesus. Luke 10:38-42 tells the story of Jesus’ visit with 2 sisters. Verse 41-42 is, “But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, youRead More →

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I have lost weight and my clothes fit better. However, my not-long-enough summer is over and I had to go back to work. Even though I know eating never helps my problems, I overindulged in food. My old triggers of stress and fatigue made it harder to resist these temptations. I no longer enjoy overeating. I would rather seek Jesus instead of food. Psalm 119:147 is, “I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 Days I start with the Lord go smoother than times I wake upRead More →

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Sitting still and waiting is hard for me. I like to blame my impatience on my ADD. Even though I know God’s power solves any problem. I want to help. I should know from past experiences that putting my hands where they don’t belong causes more problems. Psalm 27:14 is, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2007 God is the one who rescues me when no one else can. I can’t put broken pieces together as well as He does. My weak efforts do more harm than help. Waiting is theRead More →

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I have not updated this blog since early March. I wrote new entries weekly until a year ago. The craziness of 2020/21 gave me a new goal of posting monthly. Since my last entry, I have not found time (or made time) to open my blog app. My stresses added up: teaching students in a public school during a pandemic, my mom’s death last year, and daily chores/challenges. I stepped on the scale during my last checkup and was slapped by reality. The scale passed an old number I never wanted to see again. When I got honest, I realized I was eating too much.Read More →