Tag: life

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The Art Of Empathy

I was trained to be a counselor.  Even though I have not pursued a career in the clinical field, my heart still beats like a counselor’s heart.  Seeing people change for the better, getting freed from past bondage is one of the greatest feelings in the world.

There is a quality all counsellors must have to be successful – empathy.  The “feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions: the ability to share someone else’s feelings” – per Merriam-Webster.  If you don’t have this quality, all the training in the world will not help you be a successful counselor.  I’m a firm believer that this is true for Christians too.  We must have empathy to win the world for Jesus.

There is no one with greater empathy than Jesus.  A sinless man who not only showed us how to live and love, but who went to the Cross for us.  His ministry was filled with empathetic moments (Luke 8:43-48, John 4:1-42, and John 8:1-11) where He showed us we need to understand where someone is coming from and love them on their level.  Jesus also took all our sins to the Cross and died so that we may live.  There is no greater empathetic act than that.

So, as Christians – the Church, the Bride of Christ – we’ve got to act like Jesus.  Love and empathy, the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, is the only way we can successfully win this world over.  We must live and love like Jesus did.  We must show the world who Jesus is through the way we live our lives.  

This is a daily struggle for me, if I’m honest.  Because I know that I am prone to being selfish.  I am thankful for a God that understands and, therefore, I try to be more understanding myself.  Join me in this journey!

Be blessed, dear friends!  Remember who you are – loved and cherished by the Creator of the world!!  We may fail, but God loves us just the way we are.  Never give up!

“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:15-18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:1-8‬ ‭NLT

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Remember…

Remember who you are to God!  Remember what He will do for you when you are His!  Don’t let any person or situation allow you to believe you are not worthy of what God has planned for you…
“The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: “The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’””‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:7-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Wisdom & Understanding

Prayer must be more than just telling God what is wrong.  It should be a time when you and Him join forces in order to gather knowledge, build trust, and understand each other.  Yes, God knows everything about you, but you don’t know everything about Him.  Take time to hear what He has to say.  You will gain much wisdom!

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:8‬ NLT

“A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Trust Vs Mistrust

If you are anything like me, you have a problem of giving up control.  I know, for me, it is a trust issue.  Being trusting and vulnerable is hard for me.  Letting someone hold my fate scares me…a lot!

I even have this problem with trusting God, but as He leads me in this journey, He is teaching me that He has my back.  He wants to fight for me (to fight for us)!  That’s why He is a great Father.  

I keep finding myself in situations that require trust in Him.  I have have two choices: go crazy (ha!) or trust God.  Trusting Him seems the better option because I can honestly tell you I’ve tried the other way and it’s not fun.

He is showing me that He fights my battles.  All that is required of me is that I let Him.  That is easier said than done!!  I’d much rather just do it myself.  Anyone else feel that way most of the time?  But to be successful in this life, we must allow God to be God.

Let’s take this journey together.  Let’s learn to let God lead us.  Let’s give our problems over to the King of Kings and live in peace.  It’s so much better for us!!

“He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18:16-19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be blessed, dear friends.  We are in this journey together!!

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Speak life

We are all fearfully and wonderfully made by the God of the universe. There is no “but” or “rather” – no qualification, no prerequisite.  God made us with purpose for a purpose.  That is who we are.  That is what God says about us.  Any voice that tells you otherwise is wrong.

Declare that truth over yourself today, this week, or this year.  Do it until you start to really believe you are who God says you are – that you are not a mistake, you are not forgotten, and you are truly loved & wanted.

Speak life to yourself!

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:14-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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There Must Be A Breaking

The Israelites have so many amazing lessons to teach us. After those who loved Joseph died off in the government of Egypt, the descendants of Jacob became slaves.  In the mind of the Egyptions, the people of God were nothing but property.  The Israelites became severely oppressed people.  
Many years passed and they still were forced into a harsh life of bondage.  One day, Moses walked in at God’s command to free them.  This freedom will eventually lead them to their promised land.  Once set free by Pharoh, they set off to this land flowing with milk and honey.  

But there was a problem.  The Israelites may have left Egypt, but the mindset of oppression didn’t go away.  God provided miracle after miracle, but these people never were able to grasp the reality of what was going on around them because they still saw themselves as slaves.  God had no choice but to kill off this generation so they wouldn’t compromise the promise of God on the next generation.  So they walk in the wilderness for 40 long years.  Eventually, those born outside of Egypt were able to enjoy the promises of God.

My question to you is: What mindset from your past do you need to break?  Has God delivered you from something and yet you still act like you are in bondage?  What have you not let go even though you’ve been freed from it?  Whatever it may be, not letting it go will hinder your (and possibly your children’s) progress.  You will circle the wilderness time and time again until you rid yourself of the oppressed mindset.  John 8:36 says: “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”  Let it all go and move on!!  God didn’t set you free to watch you walk in circles.  Walk in freedom from this forward!!

Prayer: Lord, please search me and show me where I’ve held onto past mindsets that need to be released. Help me let go and move on. Let me start to walk in the freedom you have given me. Amen!

“Then the LORD said, “I will pardon them as you have requested. But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the LORD’s glory, not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice. They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it.”

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:20-23‬ ‭NLT‬

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Follow

Ever played follow the leader as a kid?  I hated this game.  Yes, I am a strong-willed, pig-headed person.  I also never knew what was truly going to happen, what someone was going to make me do and potentially make me look or feel foolish, so I would avoid playing it at all cost.

As a Christ-follower, I must learn to “follow the leader” no matter the cost. The Holy Spirit will nudge me and guide me to go in the right direction.  I must make the choice to follow or not follow.  My flesh says do it my way, but my spiritual self knows better.  

Sometimes God will ask us to do something, be somewhere, act a certain way that is totally contrary to what we know as the right way.  If we follow, we will look foolish or even become an outcast.  If we don’t, God’s promises may not come true in our lives.

Look at the Gospels and how the deciples dropped their entire lives just to follow Jesus.  People probably thought they were fools for doing that, but if they didn’t, they wouldn’t have been among the first followers of Christ.  Could you imagine losing that opportunity?  I know I couldn’t.

We may not be able to see why He is asking us to do something, but our futures are at steak if we don’t follow His lead.  God will never lead you to a dead end.  Trust Him and know all things work out for good (Romans 8:28).

Be blessed dear readers.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.””

‭‭John‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Make That Move

I love the story of Esther.  How an orphan and a captive can become a beloved Queen to a king of an empire makes me think anything is possible.  Her story is one of purpose – she was placed where she was because she needed to complete a life-saving task.  A task that saved her race from annihilation. 

Esther was comfortable being Queen when Haman, the second in command of the kingdom, decided that all Jews should be killed.  She didn’t want to rock the boat, but the man who raised her, Mordecai, reminded her of her purpose.  He reminded her that God had placed her there intentionally.  

She gathered herself, prayed, fasted and revealed that she too would die if Haman’s plan was successful.  The king, who was head over heels in love with her, sent Haman to the death he planned for Queen Esther’s people instead of them.

Because Esther stepped up and was bold enough to take on her purpose, God and His people won.  Esther isn’t the only person born on purpose and for a purpose.  So are you and I.  We may not be destined to rule a kingdom or save a nation of people, but God has put us here to do something important.

God has placed you where you are intentionally for a specific task tailored to you.  Don’t get so comfortable in your current situation that you don’t want to make a difference, don’t want to change. Be bold!!  Someone needs you to make that intentional move because you were born for such a time as this. 

“Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?””

‭‭Esther‬ ‭4:13-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be blessed dear readers.

  

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Stand firm

The battle is set.  It’s time to take your fighting stance.  When you look around, you see that you are the only one standing.  Know that you are not the only one who experienced this.

A young man stepped up as the army of Israel cowered behind him.  Standing by himself in front of a giant from the enemy’s camp, he won the battle in one swift move. His name was David. (1 Samuel 17:41-54).

A young Jewish girl living in captivity risked her life to save her nation from annihilation.  She knows this weight is carried only on her shoulders.  If she doesn’t step up, her race could be wiped out.  So she reveals herself to her enemy and he ends up being the one taken out.  Her name was Esther (Esther 4:14-17).

A carpenter’s son, a nomad with 12 friends who travels Israel to share His word, is betrayed and abandoned by His friends because they are afraid of the fate He must face.  He faces it anyways.  In one painful death and one marvelous resurrection, He saves the world and gives us the gift of Grace and Eternal Life.  His name is Jesus (Matthew 28:55-56).

Their secret is that they never were alone, but God was with them the entire time.  Don’t ever think that you have to face anything truly by yourself.

With God, all things are possible.  Sometimes God wants to strip us from anything that might distract us from Him.  Have faith that God has it under control.   Stand firm in your stance and follow God to lead.  He will get you through it!  Just trust Him!

Be blessed, dear friends.  Don’t forget God has you!!

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Blessings

Friendship is so important in this life.  There is a reason God created more than just one human – because He knew we needed companionship.  As you walk through life with people, ensure that you are truly adding something positive to their life.  And ensure they are adding something positive to your life.  That is the purpose of friendship – to bless each other.

“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬