If any of you are close to me, you probably know that I have had a rough couple of weeks. My dog didn't die or anything like that, but I have felt particularly weighted down spiritually. I found myself searching for some inner peace and joy. My insides were in turmoil, not because of any specific event, but just a combination of all things in my everyday life. I do feel like I was under spiritual attack..and I was exhausted! I know that I have blessing upon blessing, so how could I be so unhappy? God has given me so much!!
I believe with all of my heart that I was experiencing some spiritual warfare. I think the Devil was out to break me down! In my mind, I see it as dark, cloudy, evil spirits swarming about me as I do my everyday things. They are there trying to suck the joy out of my life.
So.. I had to fight back! Or rather, God did!
I reached a point of pure exhaustion mixed with crazed pregnancy hormones..and that is not a good combination, I tell you! God knew, however, that I needed a little
rejuvenation and refreshment and he sent someone to help me. A friend of mine from church, also my cousin's wife, knew I had been under strain and offered to watch Addison for me so that I could rest for the afternoon. What a blessing!! I spent my alone time trying to take a nap, which wasn't great considering I had a stuffy nose from crying. Since I wasn't really getting any rest, I decided to get up and take a long, hot bath.
Ahhh..felt good..but STILL I was not getting the adequate rest and peace I needed. So, what next? I packed up, went by myself to Hastings to get a cup of coffee, and to read my Bible without the distractions from home. (Trust me, if I were home, I can think of 30 things that need to be done around the house and it would have stolen my Bible time)
You will not believe what an affect that some alone time with God can have on you! God started to restore my soul..which was really the kind of restoration I needed...not necessarily a physical one!
I realized that I cannot possibly have peace when my mind is in turmoil over the little things. I was spending today trying to figure out tomorrow! I was asking all kinds of Why?? When?? questions and trying to reason. You cannot have peace when you are doing that.
*Psalms 37:5 says to Commit your ways unto the Lord and to Trust in him,and he will bring it to pass.
What more do we need to know?? God knows and that should be enough! It's okay not to know...because HE DOES! As long as you know him, you are in good shape!
So..how do we find the "Secret to Happiness??" How do we find Peace?? I promise you, it is only through Jesus.
Look back at review your life for a second? Can you see a time when you were truly happy and at peace? If you are a believer, I am sure that it was when you were walking with God. If you are not a believer in Christ, you have never felt the freedom of true Peace and Joy! Don't sell yourself short! I promise, if you just give Jesus a try, you will not come back and say, "I wish I wouldn't have done that."
Are you truly happy?? That is the question I want to ask here.. Think about it.
The one thing that I didn't quite understand even though I grew up in church, was the issue with sin. For so long, I just thought that the Bible was a big list of things you can't do. Here's the kicker though, God doesn't tell you not to sin because it will affect HIM negatively. He tells us not to sin because he knows if will affect US negatively. He wants us to live the best life possible and the only way to do that is to live a life where he is number one. That is where I was so mistaken...God just wanted what was best for me and he knew that if I were living a life of sin, I was selling myself short. And I can look back at those times in my life, and guess what?? I was not happy!! I was trying to do everything I thought to make myself happy..but that was probably the most unhappy time in my life.
So, I
challenge you, review your life. Are you truly happy? Are you truly at peace??
Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
Get a new lifestyle to gain peace! You need to develop a new way of thinking..and a new way of TALKING. Line your thoughts and words up with God's!"
Stop giving someone else the responsibility for your joy! (THINK ABOUT IT)
The Joy of the Lord is my strength!--It's as simple as that! (Nehemiah 8:10)
Addison and Grandma Lola playing in the jump house.
Terry (Dad) and Jerry (Uncle): The Cooks
Bethany and Addison eating Doritos. There was a ton of good food..and they want chips!
Somebody made their baby eat right! haha Crawfish and Cokes
Mamaw and Dad
Now, that's a lot of crawfish to have to cook for all these people!
Me and Lola
Yum!
Me and Mamaw
All the kiddos "helping"
Chris and his Mom
This was Addison's favorite activity! She LOVED jumping in the bounce house.
Addison sees this picture and says "ewwwwwww, dirty" everytime since she is standing barefoot in the dirt.
Here is my baby holding a LIVE crawfish. (Thought it was dead 'till we threw him down and he started moving. OOPS!)
