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I did not intend to take a break from blogging. Teaching students in 2020 (with twice as much work) has drained my energy. My oven recently went out, making it tougher to throw together easy meals. It has been hard to balance everything I need to do. I would be lying if I pretended my eating was fine. Matthew 6:33 is, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I need to seek the Lord first. He is my only path to peace. My mind turns pessimistic whenRead More →

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I feel like I have experienced a life’s worth of hard times in 2020. If another struggle/trial/obstacle is thrown my way, I might go crazy. When I focus on negativity, everything seems doomed. I hate to admit that my hopeless feelings lead me to excess food. Romans 5:3 is, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation Seeing the heavenly view changes my perspective. God is not finished with me and uses everything to make me more Christlike. Unlike food, the Lord comforts and helps me deal withRead More →

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This past week (more like an entire month) has been hectic. I feel like I will never finish everything I have to do. Everything on my list needed to be done yesterday. To say I am stressed is an understatement. I need rest, but don’t have time to relax. Psalm 91:1 is, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I find rest when I seek the Lord. No matter how busy I am, I have time to cry to Jesus. He gives me strength so I canRead More →

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I once sought pleasure in excess food. I enjoyed eating anything and everything I wanted to. The world tells me to seek what I desire and that food can comfort me. It whispers other lies such as, “You love pizza and should finish this last piece.” I fell for this lie and believed stuffing my body with food would make me happy. Psalm 37:4 is, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2001 The Lord has changed my heart so I want Him more than food. I no longer get pleasure fromRead More →

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I will never reach perfection. I do my best to follow the Lord. For the most part, my eating is great. Occasionally, I slip and eat too much. When I do, there are times I want to keep eating. Deep down, I know what I am doing is wrong, but I enjoy food. Galatians 5:16 is, “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2001 I need Jesus to keep from slipping, He gives me strength to walk in His Spirit instead of my flesh. On my own, I will choose my desires. IRead More →

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My muscles swell after working out, so my pants fit tighter. Other times, my body retains water. My mind tells me I have gained weight even though I know better. I listen to lies. I believe I have failed and feel like I will always be overweight. Psalm 42:5 is “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior…” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I get discouraged when I take my eyes off the Lord. I fall for lies and forget to seek Jesus. When I praise God,Read More →

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When I worry, my fear level jumps from mild to extreme. Deep down, I know the Lord will guide me through any crisis. If I take my eyes off Jesus, anxiety sets in. This worry quickly takes over, so I forget God is in control. Psalm 34:4 is, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” Holy Bible, New International Version Only God takes away my fears. He helps me let go of situations I have no control over. Jesus shows me I don’t have to fix world problems. He gives me wisdom to navigate though my troubles.Read More →

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I went to an exciting event last Sunday. Our community hosted a prayer gathering with pastors from different churches. This included people that look different than me. This diverse crowd praising God is what I think heaven will be like. We worshiped the Lord and prayed for healing on our community. Psalm 120:1 is, “I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 Circumstances change when God’s people pray as one. People of different races came together to pray for reconciliation from past sins of racism. We also interceded for thoseRead More →

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Many years ago, I learned the importance of forgiveness. When others hurt me or someone I love, I need to forgive. This releases me so my hurt can heal. If I don’t let go, bitterness and anger festers in my heart. When I get upset by others who disagree with me, I am unforgiving. Colossians 3:13 is, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 God wants me to tolerate others. To me, this is a heart issue of wanting people to agree with me.Read More →

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Over the past few weeks, I am alarmed by the amount of hate in the world. It is scary to see all of this ugliness. I know God is in control, but wonder how He will guide us to solve racial issues. 1 John 4:7 is, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves God is a child of God and knows God. Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 Love will overcome hate. God has changed my heart so I love others. “Love” means I treat everyone with kindness and respect. I don’t have to likeRead More →