Strength.

There is an amazing woman I know. She has been a great blessing to me since I met her the summer of 2007. She has been leading our church's youth group for over a year now. She also teaches the college group. You will never meet a more hard working or sacrificial person. Need any help? She is always volunteering and willing to lend a helping hand. This woman has been a role model for me when I really needed one. Her influence in my life this past year has been astounding: by helping me grow spiritually and teaching me what it means to be a true woman of God. I would like you to meet Ms. Patti Cain.

Recently, Ms. Patti has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The past few months have been really hard for her, and that is an understatement. After undergoing the necessary treatments, she feels drained. There are good days and bad days. Even on the bad days though, she doesn't give up. This woman is unstoppable! Even cancer cannot defeat or hinder her. Since May 31st she has had only one sick day. Yeah, I bet your jaw just dropped a little bit. Maybe even a lot. She still works at least 40 hours a week. There are some days where she doesn't have the energy to get out of bed. Yet, somehow she manages to keep up with her commitments. She is still involved at work, church, and family. Personally, I know she does more than expected and pushes herself further. She takes on extra activities with events at church and work. Even after having breast cancer, Ms. Patti is still living her life. She isn't letting it alter her lifestyle .When asked how she does it, she replies "the Lord." Without Him she wouldn't be functioning right now. She no longer relies on her own strength to get through the day. She relies solely on the Lord. Getting through this experience isn't going to be easy, but she is remaining faithful to the Lord. Instead of being bitter or resentful about the circumstances, she is accepting and learning from it. That way the Lord may be glorified through her hard times. Instead of surviving, she is thriving.

"Look at your circumstances and USE them." - Patti Cain

We should look at her experience and be inspired. I know I am. She is proof that God is there even when things look grim. Even when we can't stand on our own, He will help us stand. We run out of energy, but His strength will never fail you. Where is your strength coming from?

"Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,

because the Lord holds his hand." Psalm 37:24

Riches.

These verses really stuck out to me while I was having my morning quiet time. I tried to keep reading, but I couldn't. I kept pondering theses verses and what they meant.
Isaiah 5:8
8 Woe to you who add house to house
and join field to field
till no space is left
and you live alone in the land.

I really had to meditate on this verse. The person is adding house to house and field to field. It sounds like they are gathering riches for themselves. They want all of this land to belong to them. Eventually, all of the land is theirs and there is no more space to acquire. They have all of the land they wanted, but they are alone. Why have everything you desire if there's no one to share it with?

Isaiah 5:12
12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
pipes and timbrels and wine,
but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD,
no respect for the work of His hands.

Now this really hit home. These people have everything they want on earth. They have companionship, music, wine, and merriment. In the midst of all this, they forget what God has done for them. They were spiritually blind to the things He was doing all around them.

I'm convinced a lot of us do the same thing even now. We get caught up in our everyday lives with family, friends, work, school, relationships, and other distractions. When things are going good and we have everything we need on earth, we tend to push God to the side. He doesn't get the attention He deserves. Our eyes are closed to the work of His hands. Too soon do we forget that everything He's given us is a blessing. We focus our eyes on the things of this world and take them off of God. Forget earthly riches. It makes us spiritually blind to the things He's doing.  Are your eyes open?

Boundless.

This heart is heavy,
as if weighed down by lead.
Your words cut like knives,
straight into my very core.
They will haunt me
until the day I return Home.
Your acidic utterance
has caused restlessness with my soul.
Nothing in this earthly realm
can make this anxiety recede.
With the Lord alone may I find rest.
Your arms, Father, hold me together
and keep me from crumbling.
In this hour of need,
when chaos is all around,
serenity dwells in Your boundless love.

....♥?

Today when I was talking with one of my friends, she asked me what I thought love was.... I immediately responded with "God is love." That seems like a no brainer to me. I kind of feel that people have made it into a simple catch phrase. Do you know what it really means that God is love? Let's dig a little deeper.

1 John 4:8

^"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Have you ever had a really close friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, or family member that always seems find a way to hurt you? They always manage to do something. It might be lying to you or ignoring you. It might be not spending time with you. They might have even done something to lose your trust. Whatever the case is, you gave them love and you feel like they didn't return it. Somehow, some way, they hurt you and things will never be the same. I wonder how you reacted and treated them afterwards. Did you shun them or forgive them? We hurt God some of the same ways that others hurt us. Yet He loves us unconditionally. Even after we hurt Him, He still wants us to be His. In my eyes, THAT is love: Loving someone regardless of their follies.<3

So when you tell someone you love them, I hope you know what you're truly saying. You're really saying you love them despite their mistakes or screw ups. You love them the way God loves you. Once you know the unconditional love of God, NOTHING can ever take that away from you.

 "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 the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Peace in a Medley of Emotions.

I debated just writing a poem about it. Right now I'm feeling a medley of emotions so I don't have the time or patience...

Yesterday my mom went over to my aunt's house to get a few things. Not even being there for five minutes, my mom witnessed my aunt have a seizure. Such a terrifying experience. I don't know what I would've done. I probably would've wanted to freeze up. My mom did the smart thing and called 911. Still, seeing someone that close to you in this kind of condition... That memory will never go away.

I'm really learning to trust God with everything, in every situation, whether it is extreme or trivial. Sometimes I veer away from Him for a little while, but He is always there with me. It's not something one can explain with words. Either you know the all encompassing feeling of His presence, or you don't. If you don't, then I genuinely hope you find it. I cannot imagine getting through some things if God had not been my rock. He is always my inspiration for moving forward. I always have some sense of hope that things will get better. Even when the outcome doesn't look so good, I always have this inner peace that everything will turn out for the best.

"You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength."  Isaiah 26:3-4

Please pray for my aunt, my mom, and the rest of my family.