I know I have said it often, but once again I say, “Life is hard!” 

Recently in prayer, I was telling God that life is overwhelming and the burdens are so heavy. My extended family is facing so many heartbreaking situations from ALS to cancer to Alzheimer’s. My older brother is having memory issues. He has two daughters, one is battling ALS, and the other is battling colon cancer. Their mom is stretched thin trying to keep up with all the needs. The golden years are not so golden for them right now.

I have five living siblings, and the above is the circumstance for one of them. That is just one situation and does not include health issues being faced by my other siblings. Life is hard! Burdens are heavy.

Jesus addressed one of the things with which so many deal today – heavy burdens. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

This passage should be a breath of fresh air. In a world that is exhausting with its toil, demands, and trials, God has a different way for His people. His way is life-giving, and it allows us to experience the fullness of life. 

Often, we hear this taught a little differently than what Jesus actually said, or we ourselves kind of misread this scripture. Jesus did not say come to me, and your burden will be gone immediately. Come to me, and you will not have to bear anything. That is not quite what He said. Jesus invited us to yoke up with Him, which makes our burden lighter because we do not carry it alone. When we are daily yoked with the Living God, we go where He goes; we stop where He stops. He is in control.

Each of us faces heavy burdens at times in our lives. As God’s children, each of us also has access to the power of God to help us through challenging times and to bring peace and joy into our lives. Sometimes the help comes by removal of the burden. Many times, the promised rest and peace come into our lives even though the burden is still present.

I wish I could promise you that you will never have another burden in your life. I wish I could promise you that you will never feel heaviness again. I cannot. I can invite you to walk with the burden lightener. Jesus said, “Is it feeling like too much for you to manage? Is the burden destructive to your peace? Then come and attach to my yoke. I will be gentle with you, and not beat you over the head. He says, “Come. I will carry the burden with you and lighten your load and give you peace and rest.”

That is a great offer. That is an offer I will take right now. How about you?

When our grandson Luke was a toddler, he brought us so many smiles.  He laughed and smiled about almost everything. He was just a fun kid.

There was one thing that Luke said regularly that brought big grins to all of us.  As he was beginning to talk, he couldn’t quite figure out how to form sentences correctly.  His response to things he did not like or did not want was, “I can’t wike it.”  He didn’t say I don’t like it, or I don’t want it. He would always say, “I can’t wike it.”   I remember offering him sliced bananas and one piece had a very small bruise on it.  He ate all the slices except for the bruised one.  I tried to get him to eat it, and his response was, “I can’t wike it.”

A new year was birthed yesterday.  It is hard to believe that 2024 is here.  In the year 2024, I make a suggestion that one of our themes as God’s people be, “I can’t wike it.” 

• When ungodly conduct tempt us – “I can’t wike it.”
• When we want to be filled with doubt instead of faith, “I can’t wike it.”
• When we are ready to lash out in person or on social media, “I can’t wike it.”
• When we are tempted to stay away from church services, “I can’t wike it.”
• When we start to neglect spending time with God, “I can’t wike it.”
• When we become complainers instead of praises, “I can’t wike it.”

Happy New Year to each reader, and my prayer is that we will choose to walk close to God, obeying His word.  Anything less than that, well, “I can’t wike it!”

The “three” wise men in scripture are often not given credit for anything but the gifts of worship they brought to Jesus. There is only one account of the Magi and that is in the gospel of Matthew. We are not told there were only three men, but we assume that because they offered three gifts.

How wise were these Magi?

First, they were wise to find their way to the Christ child and worship Him. They did not come to observe Jesus, stare at Jesus, or make judgments of what they thought of Jesus. These men set out on a journey to find the living Lord and bow before Him in worship. They, by faith, accepted that He was Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. With all the “wisdom” around us, the wisest thing one can ever do is to worship the Lord Jesus and offer our gifts to Him.

Second, these men were wise to listen to God and act based on what God communicated. God had provided a star so these fellows could find Jesus, and they took the time to follow the star. Later, God gave them a dream telling them to return home a different way. Herod intended to interrogate them, so he could find Jesus and kill him. The important thing is not how many sermons we hear or Bible studies we attend, but how much of that becomes action in our lives. We might know a lot, but that in itself is not wisdom. It is a wise man or woman who listens to God for direction and quickly puts it into action.

As I reflect on these wise men, I have purposed in my heart that I want to be a wise woman. The Bible tells of many wise people:

• There was Enoch and Noah who were wise enough to walk with God in their day while the world around them refused to live for God. Thus, they were both saved while others perished.
• There was Ruth who was wise enough to say to her Jewish mother-in-law, “…for where you go, I will go; and where you live, I will live; Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” – Ruth 1:16, while her sister-in-law turned around and went back to a sinful society. Thus, Ruth became an ancestor of Jesus.
• There was Andrew who was wise because he brought people to Jesus. “He that wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30.
• There was David, who was wise enough to say and understand, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
• There was Martha, who was wise enough to invite Jesus into her home.
• There was Mary, who was wise enough to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His word.
• There was Peter who was wise enough to step out in faith towards Jesus, even though the storm around him was raging.
• Then, there were the wise men, who came to worship the Lord Jesus and offer their gifts.

Am I some sort of wise guy? I hope so. I want heaven to record that Barbara Benton was wise. Why? She followed God, worshiped at His feet, and lived by His word. Are you a wise guy?

As a kid growing up, I was “po.” I have often said that we were not poor, since we could not even afford the “o and the r.”  We were plain old “po.” Additionally, we grew up in a really bad house, unlike so many with whom I attended school.  By societal terms, we were not much of anything.

I was chatting with one of my sisters and asked her if she could help me recall fun memories as a kid. She said, “Are you kidding? We were abused and poor. We have no happy memories.”   Though she said this in jest, there was more truth to the statement than either of us wanted to acknowledge.

For years, I considered myself as the bottom rung on the ladder.

There are many characters in the story of the birth of Jesus. I love the fact that God chose to involve shepherds in the story. Many scholars agree that in that time, shepherds were people of the lower class, a very low rung on the ladder.  Though not all scholars share that opinion, most agree that shepherds were certainly not among the elite. These “non-elite” shepherds were visited by angels, who told them of the birth of the Savior. After that experience, they took the initiative to say, “We must find Him. We must see Him. We must meet Him.”   They started the journey towards the Savior. After finding Him, they could not help themselves – they began to announce the Savior to everyone who would listen. It was life-changing when they met Jesus.

As we peer into our nativity scenes, let us not pass over the shepherds. God used the non-elite, the regular folks, to share in the story of the birth of Jesus. Let’s not lose sight that God chose those diminished by society, to be the ones who would herald the birth of Jesus Christ.  Let us rejoice in the shepherds. GOD visited and invited them to be a part of the story.

I am so incredibly thankful God included the shepherds. I cannot identify with kings in palaces, but I can identify with those who have felt less than, those who have felt hopeless that they could ever get off the bottom rung. A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes changed my perspective.

I once was a shepherd, but now I am a child of the most high God. “Nuff” said!

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” – Luke 2:15-20

Fifty-two years of wedded bliss!  Gaylon and I celebrated fifty-two years of marriage in June of this year.  Soon it will be fifty-two and a half years.  We have been blessed in so many ways, and I would marry him again if presented with the opportunity. 

One thing I can say, without hesitation, is that we did not get to this point by listening to our feelings.  Oh, like most couples, when we got married, we just knew it would be sweet every moment. That simply is not reality.  Feelings have certainly popped up in our marriage – some good, some not so good.  We had to learn not to let feelings control reality.

We live in an hour where feelings are the new reality, or so we are told.  If you feel something, then that is your reality.  I recently read a true story of a man who felt he was a dog, therefore he paid thousands to have a dog suit crafted with real fur.  The man slips into the dog suit, gets down on all fours and walks around his apartment, drinking and eating from dog bowls, and doing all things dog.  He “feels” more natural as a dog.

Feelings are the new reality.  If you feel like a boy, then that is your reality.  If you feel like a girl, then that is your reality. If you feel like a cat, then that is your reality.

As we walk with God, it is essential to be led by the Spirit and the Word, not by feelings.  Sometimes I can go to bed with a joyful song of praise on my lips and wake up feeling demon possessed!  Know what I mean?   Feelings ebb and flow in our lives and in our spiritual journeys.  As I have heard others say, “We can have feelings, but we cannot allow feelings to have us.” 

We are people of God, led by His Spirit, and changed by His Word.  We find ourselves living in a time where feelings could easily dictate our stance on what to believe. 

According to Second Corinthians five and verse seven, we are called to not live by our feelings but by faith. We live by faith in God, the unchanging, perfect, eternal, sovereign One.  This faith is founded on the infallible, life-giving, authoritative Word of God. Scripture tells us how to live and what to believe. This is what should govern and determine how we speak, think, and act—not our ever-changing, easily-influenced feelings. How we live must be guided by God’s unchanging Word.

In the end, it is God and His Word that should inform our feelings, not the other way around. When you are tempted to listen to your feelings or your feelings are overwhelming, stop and look to God’s Word. Compare what you are feeling to what He says.  Live by that, not your feelings!

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” – Proverbs 14:12,15

Several years ago, I was part of a group of women who met each week.  The purpose of the group was accountability to eat healthy and exercise regularly.  As we met each week, we would share how the week had gone. 

Each week our leader “Paula” would ask how we did, and we would go around the room and share our week. After all of us had finished, Paula would speak about her week.  It was as if Paula had a script because each week, she would say the same thing.  “I ate a whole bag of potato chips at one sitting and did not exercise at all.  I ate a whole box of cookies. I did not walk even one block.”

We all tried to encourage Paula to not give in to temptation and to walk just one block during the week. Just start with one block.  Yet, each week Paula’s statement would be the same. 

Several weeks into our group, Paula added to her usual script.  Paula said, “I do not want to be deprived by not having treats in my house.  I want the Holy Spirit to keep me from eating more than four or five chips at a time.” 

During that discussion, I gently asked, “Is it possible that the Holy Spirit is telling you to keep temptations out of your house?” 

What we allow in our house can cause us to never be victorious.

As God’s people, we will always be faced with temptation.  Be very sure that you do not deliberately place yourself in a position to be tempted.  My strongest temptations are probably different from yours. To one, too much alcohol may be the temptation; to another, it may be impure thoughts and acts; to another, greed; to another, criticism and an unloving attitude.  The sooner we get it out of our house, the better we will become at walking in victory.

Ask yourself, “In what area am I tempted most to transgress against God?”  Prepare now to overcome the temptation that will arise again and again. Here are a few suggestions to help us not continually be upended by temptation.

1. Keep a vibrant spiritual life.  Spend a few minutes in the Word of God before starting the day.  Talk to God and ask for his strength to live victorious that dtay.  Sing songs to Him throughout the day.  Stay alive spiritually!
2. Cry out to God immediately! “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” – Psalm 50:15
3. Flee! “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” – 1 Timothy 6:11.  I have kiddingly said that to overcome temptation one needs a twelve-step program.  When you encounter something that God doesn’t want for your life, turn, and walk twelve steps the other way, and twelve more, and twelve more.  The Bible tells us to flee temptation.
4. Have at least two trusted accountability partners.  I have two people that I can tell when I am facing temptation.  Partners should be trustworthy.  “He who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered” – Proverbs 11:13. Accountability partners need to be able to tell one another intimate details about their struggles with sin. Don’t be so foolish as to think, “It won’t happen to me.”  Prepare for it not to happen by talking to God and another strong believer. 
5. Develop a plan to make no provision for the flesh. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” – Romans 13:14. Plan now how to overcome tempting situations that you might face. What is my plan to control my temper?  What is my plan to stay faithful to my marriage?  How will I overcome envy?

God called us to live higher than the earthly realm. There is a high cost for low living. You will never regret resisting sin. Know yourself and know your temptations. You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. Remember the words of Christ to His disciples in the garden on the night of His betrayal: “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41

It’s simple to thank God when He does miracles and answers prayers just the way we want them answered. It’s easy to thank Him when we look around and see many blessings in our lives. When our situation seems awful, or we’re struggling through tragedy or hard times, it can seem unbelievable that God is working for our good.

The following is one of my favorite stories about learning to give thanks, probably my favorite!

In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time she discovered that God was working even in the most horrific circumstances.   Corrie and her sister Betsie had been imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews behind the wall of their Holland home, and Nazi prison conditions pretty well unbearable.

Corrie writes:  “Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us–perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers–were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop.

“It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy.”

Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible “like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God.”

When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?   It was Betsie who discovered God’s answer:  “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.”   That’s it, Corrie! That’s His answer. “Give thanks in all circumstances!”  That’s what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!’

“I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…”

They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God’s Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.

“The fleas! This was too much. ‘Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.’

‘”Give thanks in all circumstances,”‘ she quoted.  “It doesn’t say, “in pleasant circumstances.”  Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.”

“And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong.”    It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out.

Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment.  Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God.  Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met.

We all have “fleas” in our lives. We all have those things that we can see no use for, things that are obviously horrible, unpleasant, painful things that we want gone.  No life is free of “fleas.”   We all have aggravations, inconveniences and pain.  If God can use fleas to protect Corrie and Betsie, He is fully capable of using difficult things to bless us.  God does care; God is working even when we are uncomfortable with or disappointed with life.   As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, lets thank God for His constant care and provision, and for His hidden blessings that come in ways we can easily overlook.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18

There are periods during the day or night that my world spins.  Literally, it spins. 

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo has been a problem for me on and off for years.  WebMD describes it quite accurately. “Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is an inner-ear disorder that is the most common cause of vertigo, a very specific kind of dizziness that makes you feel as if the room is spinning around you.”

One day, as I was getting out of my car, I tilted my head too far down and suddenly the world around me began to spin.  As I stood, my whole world was suddenly circling out of control.  I quickly grabbed my car door to steady myself, and I was thankful for the strength it gave me during the spinning.  That firm grip kept me steadfast even though the world around me was spinning out of control.  My door became my anchor.

Life can get incredibly challenging.  Have you ever gone to bed needing a good night’s sleep, only to have your spinning world keep you awake? A phone call that day that threw you for a loop. The unexpected repair for the car is way more than you can afford.  You think about what is going on in the family, and it throws you off balance.  As you recall stories of the unrest and violence in the land, fear begins to take over your mind.  You just want to scream, “STOP!”

There are times that it seems we are on a merry-go-round, and we can’t get off.  I choose to change my focus and call it a mercy-go-round.  I cry out to God amid all the spinning and ask for His mercy and His peace.  I hold firmly to Him when my world is whirling out of my control.

There is a verse that I grab hold of quite often.  Romans 8:34 says, “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” 

Most of us have heard that verse many times, but I want you to stop and imagine the scene. For example, let’s suppose I just lost my job, and my world is spinning.  I grab hold of Romans 8:34 and envision Jesus sitting by the Father.  Jesus says, “Barbara lost her job today, and her world is spinning.  She is on the mercy-go-round and needs a fresh dose of mercy.  Father, I am asking You to work all things together for her good.”

It does not get any better than Jesus, the Son of God, praying for us. 

Beloved, I don’t know what is causing your world to spin today.  Maybe you are holding on for dear life and wondering when the rollercoaster ride of ups and downs is going to stop. I encourage you to take hold of Christ to find calm in the middle of any situation.

God’s world never spins out of control.  He is never dizzy over situations. He is never bewildered.   When your world suddenly begins to spin, quickly reach out and grab hold of the Anchor.  He will keep you steadfast when your world is spinning.  His mercy-go-round eclipses your merry-go-round!

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

Amazing to me is that we actually have people who make a living by being an “influencer.”  An influencer can persuade other people, for example their followers on social media, to do, buy, or use the same things they do. They get paid or are given free products in exchange for doing this. Sign me up! 

Some business sites have even categorized influencers:

• 1,000–10,000 followers = Nano-influencer
• 10,000–50,000 followers = Micro-influencer
• 50,000–500,000 followers = Mid-tier influencer
• 500,000–1,000,000 followers = Macro-influencer
• 1,000,000+ followers = Mega-influencers

Though it is not my cup of tea, the fact is, it pays to be an influencer. How the influencer reviews a product can have a direct bearing on people being interested in the product.

The New Testament is full of “influencers” who gave Jesus a great review. 

In his review of Jesus, John the Baptist declared Him “the Lamb of God,” a statement that heavily influenced Andrew and John. That influence along with an invitation from Jesus to follow Him, caused their lives to be changed forever. They gave Jesus a great review by their words and their lives. John the Baptist, Andrew, and John became influencers.

The Apostle Paul lived a deeply religious life, always playing by the rules.  His first encounters with Christians did not go very well. In fact, Paul led campaigns to destroy Christians, but Paul had a divine encounter on the road to Damascus. The story is recorded in Acts chapter nine. Paul was influenced so powerfully by the Holy Spirit that Paul himself became one of the greatest influencers in the kingdom of God. Paul influenced thousands by setting up churches and sharing Jesus. He is still influencing millions through his writings found in the New Testament. His life left a great review for Jesus. Paul became an influencer.

Acts chapter sixteen tells us of a woman named Lydia who lived in a male-dominated society, yet she had a successful business selling purple cloth. Affluent people would purchase purple cloth, so Lydia must have been well connected for her to be successful in this trade. At some point, someone influenced Lydia to become a Christ-follower. The Bible records that Lydia and her entire household were baptized. She later hosted Paul and his helpers in her home, which made it easy for them to spread the gospel. She had a house church it seems. Her life left a great review for Jesus. Lydia became an influencer.

Thank God for the many influencers whose stories are recorded in God’s Word. They were ordinary people who allowed an extraordinary God to change them and use them.

The question for God’s people today is: are we influencers or influencees? Am I an influencer or an influncee? Who is influencing whom?

God has saved us and has empowered us to become influencers. We read the stories in scripture and too often we forget that these were ordinary people. God uses ordinary people like you and me to star in extraordinary “God stories.”  We get to be in real-life narratives that tell of the life-changing, sustaining work He has done in our lives. My life has been changed by powerful influencers who modeled and taught me to be sold out to Jesus Christ.

Are you someone who is an influencer or an influencee (one influenced by others)? Today is the day to change the mindset of influencee and become an influencer. 

Our Lord and Savior has called us to be the influencers. The values, the mindset, the love we have received from Him are to be used to shape those around us. An influencer for Christ is one who declares, “I am going to give Jesus Christ a great review, by the words of my mouth and the actions of my life.”

The Apostle Paul informed us that we are Christ’s ambassadors. Let’s be loving in a mean world. Let’s be gentle in a harsh society.  Let’s be bold in our faith when we are often encouraged to keep quiet. Let’s make a meal for the one in need.  There are so many ways to leave a great review for Jesus. Be an influencer.

“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20) “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Many years back, I developed a friendship with a woman. It blossomed into a wonderful friendship.  We stayed in contact regularly, talked in depth about spiritual matters, prayed for and with each other, had lunch when we could.  It was a relationship that I cherished. 

There came a point in time that my friend quit communicating with me.  Truthfully, she totally cut me off.  No more conversations about life.  No more discussions about God.  Occasionally, she would respond with a one-word reply like “yes” or “no” when I would ask about something. Then, there came a time when there was no response.  

I did the Biblical thing of asking her if there was a problem, or if I offended her in some way.  One-word answer, “no.”   Something had changed. Now, we have no relationship, and in all truthfulness, I do not know why.  “What did I do wrong?”  That question plagued me for a long time.

Have you ever felt left out? Excluded? Abandoned? Whether it’s a childhood best friend who cut you off, a romance that went awry, a parent who walked out, or a spouse who broke vows and walked away, most of us have experienced some form of abandonment. In that moment, it can feel like the world shifted on its axis.  It can be a very painful time.

Psalm twenty-two, written by David, certainly gushes with the pain of feeling forsaken. Jesus Christ was certainly not immune to similar feelings.  On the hardest night of his life, Jesus asked his three closest companions to stay close and pray with him, but they fell asleep. After those “prayer warriors” failed Jesus, Judas betrayed him, and all eleven followers abandoned him. One of them, Peter, even denied knowing him at all.

Abandoned. Rejected Denied.

In talking with many women, and I do mean many, over the years, I often hear them say they feel rejected, abandoned. Some have not been able to shake that feeling years after a divorce or after daddy left or after someone else left. There are few of us who have not felt that pain, nonetheless, rejection is a part of life.

I want to tread tenderly here, yet I also want to help people to move forward when feeling abandoned or rejected.  You do not have to downplay how bad pain in life can be. One surely does not have to pretend it was no big deal.  Be tender with yourself and accept the tenderness God has for you.

That is the tread tenderly part.  Now, for the moving forward part. 

There are no guarantees in life where the issues of abandonment or rejection are concerned. That statement is not meant to fill us with fear, but to bring into focus that people are humans.  They fail. God does not want us stuck forever in the pain of abandonment caused by the failure of others. Only God can give us that perfect security that we crave. Even the best of people sin and things happen in this life that are outside of our human control. Only God is perfect, only God is eternal, and only God controls everything by his power. Our hearts were made for God, and until they find their rest in him, they will find little rest at all.  SELAH.

Today is the day.  It is time to dethrone the harassing thoughts that tell us we are not enough, or we are not lovable.  Today is the day to change what thoughts sit on the throne of your life.   Today is the day to speak God’s Word over your body, soul, and spirit. 

Here are few to speak over yourself every day and even multiple times a day:

• “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  – Deuteronomy 31:6
• “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 4:6-7
• “I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”- Psalm 27:13

Here are some wise words from Christian counselor Amanda Rowett, “Healing is a journey. You will suffer bumps and bruises along the way. Recovery is messy, but God is not offended by your mess. He wants to meet you in your darkest place. Take the pressure off yourself “to just get over it” because God delights in healing hearts.”

God cares.  If I was sitting with you and hearing your story of the pain of abandonment, I would give you such a tight hug.  God wants to empower you to walk forward from the pain of rejection. Are you stuck in the pain of abandonment?  Use your pain as an opportunity to encounter the King. Allow Him to radically fill the void in your heart with the Father’s love.