This will probably be the shortest blog post I will ever write, but they are word’s straight from the Father’s heart.
I come to you to say, go to the secret place. Sit at the Lord’s feet, this is the only thing that will not be taken away. Cut away the distractions and sit at his feet. It is there you will find wisdom, peace, and strength. There is much to be distracted by, but you will only know the next step by sitting at his feet.
Go to the secret place, sit at his feet, press into HIM. This is what is truly important.
“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 NLT
For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. -Psalm 32:7 NLT
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” -Luke 10:42 NLT
When everything seemed to fall apart this year with 2 car accidents, a miscarriage, and my Grandma dying, I didn’t realize that God was up to something greater. I didn’t realize that the 2 car accidents was the vessel for God to prove his faithfulness and prove time and time again HE is our provider. He has used these 2 car accidents to allow us to be debt free and blessed us with 2 reliable vehicles that are honestly an upgrade from what we had. I didnt realize that God wanted to use the miscarriage to help encourage women who have stayed silent and felt alone. I didn’t realize God telling me to share my weaknesses was going to help women who have endured the same to loss. It would give them the courage to speak up and many began to tell me how they now known they aren’t alone and he is with him. I didn’t realize that my Grandma passing would teach me that it truly is the little things that matter most and teach me how to look past offense and love people, really love them. Her passing taught me life is too short to do anything less than love people where they are. I didn’t realize that this year would test everything in me. That God was going to refine the doubts, fear, and people pleasing right out of me because honestly I didn’t knew these things existed in my heart. Growth is painful. Refining is painful. But I know now, HE is my solid footing. He is my foundation. He was the one who never left. He is the one who makes ALL things beautiful in it’s time. His ways are perfect and he is trustworthy even when I don’t understand. I know each and every one of us has been effected this year in some way, shape, or form. Maybe you can’t see how things are going to work out. Honestly, in the midst I couldn’t either. But instead of relying on what I could see, I shared my heart with God. When I did this, he gave me his peace, his promises, his compassion, love, and even sometimes loving correction. Even if you cannot see it or feel it right now, God loves you. He is working everything out for the good for those who love him. Be unashamed, share your heart with him because he cares. He hears you. He see’s you. He loves you. & remember, he is up to something greater.
After the loss of our first baby through miscarriage and the loss of my Grandmother I was in desperate need of biblical based help. That is when Grieving With Hope ended up in my lap. I cannot rave enough about this book and they way that they intricately composed the contents to make you understand that grief is not a race nor are you alone during the midst of the loss you are enduring.
The pages are filled with real life examples and testimonies of people who have endured loss. Whether you have lost a child, spouse, family member, or close friend Grieving With Hope gives you example of other people that have been through the same type of loss. One of the most beneficial testimonies in this book for me personally was about a woman who had loss friends due to her not being ready to hang out yet. For me, over the past several months it has been hard to get out of the house. Hearing that it was hard for others, made me realize that what I was feeling was normal.
(Thankfully I have friends that understand)
The main reason I love this book so much is because of the biblical application to help you heal throughout. Loss/Grief tests every bit of your faith, hope, and trust in God. They talk about how there are times anger can build up over the “why” questions. They discuss in Grieving With Hope that God can handle you asking questions. What is important is that you seek God to heal because that is where healing ultimately takes place.
Grieving With Hope is a 5/5 stars for me. The contents of the pages were like sitting in a counseling session with God and others, giving me support when I needed it most but did not know how to talk. This book gave me help I needed to press into God and make healthy decisions for myself in the midst of grief. If you or someone you know has endured a recent loss Grieving With Hope is a great tool to help heal. I recommend Grieving With Hope to those have endured any type of loss, whether it happened yesterday or 30 years ago. The way this book is laid out draws you closer to the heart of God and helps answer hard questions you may have in the midst of ongoing grief.
This book is not sponsored for a review. However, an Affiliate Link is provided above to help provide more book reviews like these. It does not cost you anything but does help a fellow author continue to provide content like this!
Last night I was overwhelmed with a deep sense of guilt. It was so heavy that my chest felt like it was caving in. The tightness began in my chest and soon my mind flooded with racing thoughts. I could barley breathe, I was crying, and to be frank with you even though what I felt in that moment seemed real. Looking back, what I was feeling was quite irrational. Anxiety is no joke. But ,anxiety is certainly NOT what God has intended for us. I eventually calmed down by sending my husband out of the room and praying to the Lord, meditating on scripture would have to say about my present circumstance. What Holy Spirit revealed this morning, however, would be another piece of the puzzle that would set me free.
Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.-1 John 3:20 NLT
Holy Spirit revealed that the anxiety attack I had yesterday was rooted in guilt. It was rooted in how I was feeling. The thoughts I was having soon became overwhelming to the point of a complete breakdown. There was no reason for this guilt. That is what did not make sense to me. Why did I feel the weight of guilt when I had not done anything to feel guilty about? I was surprised when Holy Spirit revealed what was in the next verse.
Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.-1 John 3:21 NLT
As I said, there is no reason I should have felt an ounce of guilt yesterday. The feeling of guilt was sudden and soon became overwhelming. The feelings brought me to a FULL blown anxiety attack (key word here, ATTACK). Holy Spirit revealed the reason why the devil wanted to entrap us in guilt whether there is a reason for it or not. The devil does not want you or I to come with God in confidence. Our feelings should not be dictators of our life. When they are, we believe the attacks of satan rather than standing in faith against them. God has given us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and not even the devil himself can hurt us (Luke 10:9)! The guilt I felt yesterday were to stop me from coming to God with confidence and bold requests through prayer. It was a direct attack from the spiritual realm. The enemy knows that when we come before God with unwavering faith and our expectation upon him, we can bring heaven to earth through what Holy Spirit leads us to pray.
In moments when you feel overwhelmed with emotions, remember 1 John 3:20.
God is GREATER than your feelings and HE KNOWS EVERYTHING. There is nothing that is hidden from God. He is the beginning and the end and everything in between. When your feelings start to overwhelm you, interrogate the thoughts you have been having. Do your thoughts line up with the truth of God’s Word? Are your feelings leading you closer to God or further away? Our feelings can cause us to increase in zeal spreading the good news like wildfire, help others understand they are not alone through weeping with those who weep, and even give us a deeper understanding of love. However, God designed us with feelings to bring us closer to him, not further apart. The guilt I felt was a liar and straight from hell itself. After all, even if I did do something wrong, Jesus died on the cross to say I am forgiven and justified.
Whatever you may be going through right now, understand God is with you, he hears you, and he understands the feeling you do not even understand. He desires you to be raw with him especially in times you do not understand what is going on. If I would have never asked where the guilt came from or it’s purpose, it would have not been revealed to me it was to stop me from coming boldly before God. I encourage you to be real about what you are feeling so Holy Spirit can give you his truth to hold onto.
Remember, God is greater than what you are feeling. Do not let you feelings dictate your path. God knows everything, he see’s everything, and in him all things were made. He is the perfect one to go to when you are unsure of what is going on. He not only gives you truth but his perspective. Be encouraged, even if things have been rough lately, God is your ever present help in time of trouble. Despite what things may feel hold onto what God is saying, speak what he is saying, and never forget to be real about what is really going on in that heart of yours. God will meet you there.
My day started much earlier than expected and I am not usually a morning person. Usually I get up around 8am but am not fully functioning till at least 10 or 11am. Just ask my husband. I didn’t anticipate to be up so early and have very important things to attend to, so I stayed up pretty late. God knew I would need some extra time today to do all he has called me to do. Like the quiet time I so desperately needed this morning to be able to write this post, the dishes in the sink, the homework I have procrastinating on, and the doctor’s appointment I have later.
You may be reading this thinking, man my morning did not go as planned. Or maybe you are reading this anticipating the events of the day, like a doctor appointment, a job interview, or a test for school. Wherever you are at this morning, I want you to rest in this profound truth.
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.” -Psalm 139:16 AMPC
Even before your mother knew you were in your womb, God had his attention on you. He has today planned that all plays into the eternal purposes he has for your life that cannot be stopped. He knew I would need to wake up at 4am to answer my phone because a friend needed help. He knew that we would have a miscarriage in March. God knows what you and I will face today. After all, today is a day HE has made (Psalm 118:24). I am not sure what today hold’s for you. But I know that God is not surprised at what today holds.
