When U Pray

How many times have you looked at your life and felt like you were failing? You don’t have to raise your hand because I’m just asking you to think about those times and then accept the fact that there is no failure in God. What you are getting are experiences that allow you to learn and grow. God is your guide and your protector and he has declared:

”He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.“

Psalms 121:3-4 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.121.3-4.NIV

When I think about all the times I felt like I was failing, I am reminded of the old Christian Hymn “We will understand it better By and By.. “

By and by, when the morning comes,

when the saints of God are gathered home,

we’ll tell the story how we’ve overcome,

for we’ll understand it better by and by.

(The United Methodist Hymnal Number 525

Text: Charles Albert Tindley

Music: Charles Albert Tindley; arr. by F.A. Clark)

I used to sing along with this song and then I started living a life in Christ .. then when I sung the words, they came alive in me. I realized all the times I thought I was failing or I felt like God was against me, it was God making room for my breakthrough. Those times when people stopped calling, he was making room for the people who helped me on my journey. When I didn’t get a job or promotion, I was thinking too small and he had something so much more. I started to understand the BY and BY. When I looked at everything I thought was a failure, it was really just a set up from God.

We have to be careful when we pray that we don’t look too far ahead, because if the prayer does not look like we anticipated, we start to believe it went unanswered. Realistically it was answered to align with God’s plan for your life, not our expectations. Hallelujah goes right there. I thank God he is so much smarter than us and he knows what he needs from us and he moves things in our life to accomplish HIS PLAN!

So the next time you think you’ve failed, remember this!

”God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.“

Psalms 46:5 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.46.5.NIV

”I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.“
‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/rom.15.13.ERV

Sometimes all you need is a scripture to hold you over until your change comes. Occasionally you need to be reminded that trusting in the Lord is a flex. You can trust him because he is trustworthy.

Today I’m just reminding you of that.

Be blessed

”Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/pro.3.6-8.ERV

Whew this year is only seven days old and the enemy is already continuing the ruckus. The things happening in life right now are proof that you have to stay in prayer, trust God and remember the promises he has made.

When you look over things happening in the world the news seem dire. There was an airplane that lost a door inflight. The fighting continues in Israel and Hamas. A child shot up a school in Iowa killing one and injuring many others. Kids are missing from their homes, families are falling apart, marriages are failing and people are losing the battle with depression and anxiety. Just hearing this little snippet of data is scary and if you can imagine it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Living in this world would lead you to believe that there is no hope. The things of the enemy are disastrous and horrendous but the things of God, are like a breath of fresh air. Only God can keep your mind in perfect peace and keep you from failing. I think about these two scriptures

”God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen.“

Jude 1:24-25 ERV

https://bible.com/bible/406/jud.1.24-25.ERV

”God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you. So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord YAH you have a place of safety forever.“

Isaiah 26:3-4 ERV

https://bible.com/bible/406/isa.26.3-4.ERV

The enemy has a job to do and he never gives up, lets up or goes on break. Learn from him to be steadfast and immovable. Learn from him to be persistent in what your purpose is. Learn from him because if you fail to learn from him you are bound to fall into him.

”With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.“

Proverbs 3:6-8 ERV

https://bible.com/bible/406/pro.3.6-8.ERV

Try something new this year, in every situation, learn more about yourself and our God!

Mad, angry, hurt, disappointed? Yeah I get it.

Sitting here in my alone time trying to handle events that have happened to me and I am mad and frustrated. I admit I’m hurt and disappointed. Yup, I am admitting it, I let something hurt me and keep me distracted for two weeks. The thing I love about God is he allows you time to feel all of your feelings then the Holy Spirit starts nudging you, pushing you and driving you to find God in your situation. So as I’m laying here about to take a nap, it’s freezing cold outside and my bath time was long and relaxing, I thought yeah, Nap time. Nope, Bible study .. so this scripture just kept playing in my head and I had to read Roman’s 8

”Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.“

Romans 8:27-29 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.8.27-29.NKJV

Does it fit my story, ABSOLUTELY! I am sitting here mad because things did not go the way I planned. I felt over looked and pushed aside because I lost focus. I forgot who I work for, I forgot whose work I am assigned to do. Looking for validation in worldly circumstances will always keep me frustrated because the way My God is set up, he provides for me, not anything or anyone else, he does. So when I need help, I have to look to the hills, not to man and I forgot that for a few minutes this time.

So, with all that being said, when I go to work tomorrow I will show up and be present. I will be relevant, approachable, active and effective. I will continue to be the best me I can be because looking back over the years, no man has ever stopped what God has for me. The Holy Spirit himself spoke for me today .. all things work together for my good, even when I don’t understand. All things include being overlooked at work, all things include everything that happens to me at home, at work and at play. All things include the people who stopped calling, all the invites I didn’t get, all the lies told on me and about me. All things also include all of the love I receive, all the people who embrace me and accept me, all the people who look out for me.

ALL THINGS! Yeah, I love that!

I’m ok knowing that nothing that happens to me catches God by surprise, he knows the plans he has for me. My number one job is to TRUST GOD, second thing to do is repeat step one.

Love somebody on purpose, but start with you!

”I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from? My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. He will not let you fall. Your Protector will not fall asleep. Israel’s Protector does not get tired. He never sleeps.“

Psalms 121:1-4 ERV

https://bible.com/bible/406/psa.121.1-4.ERV

These Bible plans come from the YouVersion Bible App. If you want to share your progress with me, I am Sheveze .. there will be an announcement of the prayer call ..

Happy New Year from the staff of Whenupray! We want to thank you for your support in 2023 and hope to see you interact with us in 2024.

The Lord has been good, he has been faithful and he has been exactly who we needed him to be. And for this, we praise him.

“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭61‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.61.1-3.NIV

“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/jud.1.25.NIV

How do you handle the things of this world that come to kill, steal and destroy you? Do you spend your time worrying about the things you cannot change or do you take it to the Lord in prayer?

How do you handle heartbreak and disillusion? Do you decide to cut off people. Do you decide to separate yourself from people. Do you just give in and quit?

As I have lived and learned I have discovered how easy it is to make poor decisions when I am frustrated or scared. I have listened to the voices in my head and did some of the stupidest things you can imagine. I look back and realize I always knew the right thing to do but my frustrations clouded my judgement and my own mind conjured up the worst case scenarios and I felt pushed to decide right now. I have lived long enough to reap the sorrow associated with those decisions. I have also lived long enough to have learned some good stuff too.

Here is a scripture prayer to help you when you are faced with a decision. Every single line is a scripture, I have removed the links so it reads like a prayer but if you want the links, please send me a note.

“I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.””

“He helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it.”

“I called to the Lord, and he heard me. He heard my cries.”

“But I really believe that I will see the Lord’s goodness before I die. Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.”

“Lord, help me learn your ways. Show me how you want me to live. Guide me and teach me your truths. You are my God, my Savior. You are the one I have been waiting for. Remember to be kind to me, Lord. Show me the tender love that you have always had.”

“But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.”

“With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.”

“Also, the Spirit helps us. We are very weak, but the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to him with feelings too deep for words.”

“But the Lord said, “My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me.”

“I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.””

“And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.”

“God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen.

“Praise the Lord forever! Amen and Amen!”

Reposted from July 2018

As I sit here looking across my property I have a feeling of love, comfort and peace. It’s something about being at home that provides me with inner comfort.

As I go about my life working, traveling, playing, shopping and just enjoying myself I wander far and away from home. I enjoy long trips, short trips, day trips and just being out amongst the people. I am a true extrovert, I am energized by other people and events, I love it. I love watching people in their many forms. I love seeing how God takes two people, mixes them up and creates another. It’s amazing seeing a child with his moms hands or feet, his dads mouth or nose and grandma’s legs. It’s amazing to me the shades that people come in from stark white to rich dark brown that glistens to black. It’s glorious to see the manifestation of people’s ideas about their hair, from bald to locks down the back and every style in between. Dreadlocks, curls, straight hair, half shaved heads and piercings. I’m always a little surprised when I see how people create and recreate themselves. People move me.
I say all that to say let’s celebrate each other and our differences, we may make different choices on how to wear our hair, how to dress or where to put a comma, but in the end, we are more alike than different. Let’s rejoice in our uniqueness and appreciate ourselves so we can appreciate what we see in each other.
Allow God to heal that place in you that holds those ugly words. You know the ones, “you will never be anything more because of your momma”, you are dumb”, “you are stupid”, “you are too fat”, “you are ugly”, “ you are too thin”, “you are or you are. Or something”.. those are just words so let me give you some more.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made
You are Gods treasure
You are enough
You are beautiful
God created you, you cannot fail
Believe what you want but I encourage you to believe something beautiful.
Then go home, get revived, rejuvenated and restored.

“A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14:1‬ ‭ERV‬‬
http://bible.com/406/pro.14.1.erv

How many of you have been using the Bible app and planning to read it every day, reflect on a scripture or a story to help grow your faith? When you do, the Bible app will help you keep track of how well you are doing. They are kind enough to remind you of how often you open the app, by day and weeks. I will tell you that the app is accurate and dependable. You can have a streak that is 300 days and if you miss day 301 it takes you right back to one. Every time I miss a day and go back, I think dang they could have given me a few extra hours before marking me down. But that’s not how life works. If we are committed to something we do the thing whenever it’s due. If you commit to reading the Bible every day, when you miss, back to one. If you commit to not using foul language and you go a year and then oops.. yeah, back to one. If you are an alcoholic or drug addict who went ten years and slipped up, back to one. But that’s not the end of the story.
Our god who is in heaven knows us, he knows our weakness and our strengths and he is merciful and full of grace. On the earth you go back to day one, but remember God promised us our sins are as far away as east is to west.

“We sinned against him, but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved. His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/psa.103.10-13.ERV

I say all that to say this, trust in the Lord our God in all things. We may not always get it right, we may not always be perfect, but our God does not require that. If you mess up, confess with your heart, repent and look to God, that’s where our help comes from.

“I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven. All of us who have grown to be spiritually mature should think this way too. And if there is any of this that you don’t agree with, God will make it clear to you. But we should continue following the truth we already have.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/php.3.12-16.ERV

I was reading something recently and was reminded of the story where a young man was walking along the shore and tossing stranded starfish back into the ocean. Someone watching him stopped and asked him what he was doing? The little boy said he was throwing the starfish back into the water so they could live. The stranger said, the beach is filled with starfish, what you are doing won’t make a difference. The little boy in all of his youthfulness pick up a starfish, threw it back into the water and told the stranger “It made a difference for that one”!

A hallelujah goes right there because this young boy understood that you may not be able to change the entire world, but you can change the entire world for someone.

Reading this story took me back to my own struggles and disappointments while serving Christ. One example is I often consider giving up writing this blog because in my mind I was not seeing high readership and seeing lives changed and people accepting Christ so I felt like a failure. I continuously say I’m about done with this , But God. As soon as I decide to quit God will send that person to leave a seemingly random comment saying how someone needed to hear what God told me to say. Someone I wasn’t expecting will say, I read your posts about “something” and it really helped me. Then I get encouraged and realize that God is using me for exactly what he wants, not what I want. I didn’t start this blog because of me, I started because the word was bubbling out of me and needed a space to be. I started this blog because I needed to write down my experiences, my feelings and my ponderings to keep growing in Christ.
As I read through what I wrote above I realized how much I made this about ME! Everything we do should be about Christ and delivering the word to his people so they could be saved.

““If a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep is lost, what will he do? He will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill and go look for the lost sheep. Right? And if he finds the lost sheep, he is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I can assure you, in the same way your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/mat.18.12-14.ERV

So last night I was picking greens and all of a sudden my eyes wanted to water. I had to stop and remind myself that memories are a window into the past that allow us to remember and feel those feelings again. My mom always spent the night before thanksgiving and we would pick the greens. But we didn’t really JUST pick greens. We laughed, we talked, we reminisced and we healed. It wasn’t the greens so much as the intentional time we had. I struggled as a young girl with forgiveness, my mothers drug and alcohol dependence often left me in harms way or alone and it made me an angry child. I am so glad Bessie Anderson showed me what love and compassion looked like so I could heal the relationship I had with my mother while she still lived. So I could get to know her as a human and not just an addict. My mom was so amazing but I had to let go of the anger to embrace the love.
Thanksgiving 1984 I was pregnant, miserable and feeling as if I looked a mess in a pair of borrowed maternity pants and Michaels shirt. my mom and I had dinner with Michaels family it was big dinner, my mom got so high she fell asleep in her plate, mashed potatoes and stuffing all over her. I was angry, frustrated and embarrassed, I was trying to get her together so we could leave but that was not Gods plan. God wanted me to see what grace looks like so he sent Bessie Anderson, who cleaned my mom up, spoon fed her and put her to bed. It didn’t register that day but God kept bringing me back to those actions of love and reminded me that all I had to do was love my mom, it was his job to clean her up.
I’m not sure who needed this story today but know this. Our relationship wasn’t healed that day but it was a start and over time granny’s actions ministered to me in ways words can’t. It’s not what you say, it’s what you do and she showed me love in action.
Today I honor both of those women who taught me so much and gave me a thankful heart.
Be blessed my loves .. it wasn’t about the greens

“I said, “What good is it if I die and go down to the grave? The dead just lie in the dirt. They cannot praise you. They cannot tell anyone how faithful you are. Lord, hear my prayer, and be kind to me. Lord, help me!””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/psa.30.9-10.ERV

Lord I come to you today saying thank you. Thank you for covering me in my foolishness. Thank you loving me, even when I act unlovable. Thank you for being my shield of protection against my enemy, even when the enemy is me. Lord I thank you because you have been faithful.

Do you have those days when you wake up Thankful? Just appreciative of all of the things you know that God has done for you, without a doubt you know it was God? Yeah me too. It should be everyday but let me keep it real, some days I feel defeated.

Some days I wake up frustrated, angry, depressed or downright ungrateful. Those are the times when I have allowed the enemy into my head. All it takes is one or two minute of distraction for the enemy to grab you. We have to be diligent in our prayers and our learnings because the word says, my people perish because of lack of knowledge, he is not talking about reading Socrates or the latest Stephen King book, he is talking about knowledge of HIM, his greatness, his love, his forgiveness, his grace. There is knowledge in the 66 books of the Bible for us to live abundant lives. Gods love is abundant in the things we need both physical and spiritual.

One day I was listening to Floyd Mayweather the boxer, and I noticed his record is “and 0”… the #of battles he has fought verses the number of battles he has lost .. UNDEFEATED!

So are WE… undefeated in all the things the enemy has tried to do. We have survived horrible tragedies in our lives, death, destruction, intentional malice. We have been lied on, cheated on, talked about and mistreated. We have also committed sin, we have lied, we have been destructive to our own bodies and minds, we have stolen and bribed and disobeyed, but GOD! His grace and mercy still works.

So when the enemy tries to tell you to be quiet and stop praising, give him a word back and tell him “this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

When the enemy tries to convince you that you are failing, remind him that you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!

When the enemy tries to tell you anything that does not line up with what God has told you, tell him satan , get thee behind me.

We are undefeated in everything that came to destroy us.

“My soul, praise the Lord! Every part of me, praise his holy name! My soul, praise the Lord and never forget how kind he is! He forgives all our sins and heals all our sicknesses. He saves us from the grave, and he gives us love and compassion. He gives us plenty of good things. He makes us young again, like an eagle that grows new feathers. The Lord does what is fair. He brings justice to all who have been hurt by others. He taught his laws to Moses. He let Israel see the powerful things he can do. The Lord is kind and merciful. He is patient and full of love.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/psa.103.1-8.ERV

Have you ever just sat around and thought about your life and what it would be like if you could change that one THING? Have you imagined that if you didn’t go to the store THAT day, you could have avoided 3 years of heartache from the person you met? Just think if you had said NO to hitting that THING, you could have avoided 10 years of hurt , pain, shame, humiliation and despair. Just think if you had said NO to trying something that you knew was wrong but it sounded so exciting and now your life is flipped turned upside down.

Yeah, me too…

However what I also think about is how amazing God is and how he takes the things the enemy meant for bad and made it for our good. God takes our tests and makes testimonies, for that is how he rolls.

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/gen.50.20.NKJV

You can’t help someone get off drugs with patience and understanding if you have not been on drugs. you can’t tell a young mother she can make it and help her through the rough times if you haven’t been a young mother trying to make it. You can’t tell that young boy to pick his pants up and put the gun down because prison is real if you haven’t suffered through the penal process. Sure people can help but the people who make the most impact, are the people who have overcome that obstacle. I don’t understand how to get off of drugs because I haven’t been on them, but I can walk my sister through dealing with a drug addicted mom and how to handle the pain and rejection that comes with it. I can’t help a woman understand how to get out an abusive marriage but I can tell her the affects it has on her children because I’m a survivor of my moms abusive relationship.

I say all that, to say this … TELL YOUR STORY!

You did not go through all of that for nothing.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.8.28.NKJV

Our God wants us to be healed, renewed, restored and refreshed and he uses our tears to wash away the old things. He uses our tests to help each other and allow us to grow and be better.

If you are getting discouraged, be encouraged :

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.34.4.NKJV

“God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/jud.1.24-25.ERV

It believes all things!

I realize it doesn’t take much to honor the Lord, to activate his help or to encourage his hands to work.

Faith

Hope

Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.13.11.NIV

As I got dressed this morning I put my gold bangle on to match my chain and earrings and I just smiled. Memories are precious and the feelings they evoke are relevant.

I love this bracelet because it is cute but also because of what it represents.
Over 25 years ago my hubby bought me this bracelet during a terrible time in our marriage. We were financially challenged and mentally exhausted in our marriage. We were at a crossroads but hanging on by a thread and one day he comes home with this bracelet. It is beautiful, 24 karat Gold and shiny. I’m confused, in my mind we can’t afford it and I’m ready to tell him to take it back. But I don’t, I am led by the spirit to accept the gift, appreciate his intent and put it on.

Years go by and I’m still wearing this gold bracelet. It’s dented in one area but still gold and just little less shiny. This bracelet has journeyed with me and seen its share of heartbreak and joys, setbacks and comeback, glorious days and pain. Much like my love of Christ.

I can’t say if the bracelet began the healing process for our marriage or not but shortly after receiving the bracelet WE began attending church. A good friend invited us to his church’s friends and family day, we went, and we have been going to that church for over 25 years. During this time we have built on our marriage and increased our faith. We have struggled in every area of our lives, raising children, raising each other, learning to love ourselves and each other in a healthy way while learning to trust God even when we could not understand. This has been a journey for us but the road has been made easier because of God. Our love for Christ is why we are able to stand.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/jas.1.2-8.NIV

I would ask that you look at where you are in your relationship in Christ and in the world and evaluate what’s important so you don’t miss an opportunity to heal and grow. I always encourage you to live free, free from guilt, hurt, shame, pain and destruction. Love on yourself so you have the capacity to love others.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.29-32.NIV