Tag: solutions

Living on this earth can be so hard. It is in those hard times we either fall or rise above. The situations of life are usually out of our hands, but how we react to them is fully in our control.

My Aunt Carol drew the short straw. She was born to a mother who didn’t want her so her grandparents adopted her. Yes, she is biologically my cousin however, she is legally my aunt. Her parents loved her deeply and she lived a life knowing she was loved.

In grade school – Carol not only was diagnosed with a severe case of juvenile diabetes but also it was discovered her mind wasn’t going to grow passed a 3rd or 4th grader. She would never be able to be hired for even the simplest jobs because her severe diabetes and spent her life on government aid. When she finally got her own home, it was the greatest thing to ever happen to her.

Carol made some mistakes in trusting the wrong people in her youth. As she grew & matured, she started to understand some people are not for her. Thankfully, there were some folks who took her under their wing. It was through those folks when she really found Jesus.

When she was diagnosed with diabetes, the doctors told my grandparents that she wouldn’t live passed 30 years old. It would have probably been true if she didn’t find God. It was her faith in God that sustained her and kept her even when her body started to fail her.

When I would talk to her, she would tell me that God still had a plan for her and that is why he kept her here. Her faith helped her grow and thrive for years. Even when she could no longer walk or leave home, she had a positive outlook on life because she understood that life was a gift.

Carol stepped into Heaven this past Friday (October 25, 2019) just a few months from her 50th birthday, proving the doctors wrong. It’s sad she no longer is here, but I know that her faith in Jesus led her to Heaven.

Her body and mind are healed and whole…something she didn’t have on Earth. What a joyful thought to know she is finally able to know what it is like to have a body that works and a mind that understands. Even though I’m going to miss her, I am so happy she finally is whole.

Living life for Jesus means we will live again. Living for Jesus means that Heaven is our home. All the pain of this world will fall away as we step into God’s presence.

If my Aunt’s life taught me anything…it is that Jesus is a sustainer and a redeemer. Carol would tell you that Jesus will help you through anything. If you don’t know Jesus, consider changing that. Consider accepting Him as your Lord & savior. Doing that will not guarantee that this life will be easy, but it will guarantee that you can overcome even the hardest obstacle.

Carol won. She was victorious. Her life was not in vain and she got her reward. Now, on the other side of Heaven, she is more alive right now than she ever was here on earth. What a promise God has for us who call him Savior, Redeemer and Friend.

“So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NLT

To live a life of peace is to live a life of forgiveness. Letting go of what others have done to you or those you love and moving on with your life. Can you imagine what this world would be like if folks would live a life of forgiving others and moving on? No war, no hate, no confusion. But we live in a sinful, fallen world filled with pain and unforgiveness.

If forgiving people and moving on was easy, more people would do it. If it were easy to not hold a grudge and love people inspite of what they did to you, more people would be doing it. But it isn’t easy. In fact I’d say it is very difficult to let go of the things that deeply wound us.

Dare I say that it takes the help of the Holy Spirit to fully forgive and let go. I don’t think I can do that by myself in my own understanding. It is almost impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible.

Imagine the forgiveness Paul needed from his fellow believers. When he was Saul, he killed many Christians believing it was the right thing to do. When Jesus appeared and opened his eyes to his offense, Saul became Paul thus becoming a person who he once would have killed.

The gift of forgiveness was something Paul knew all too well. He needed it in order to fulfill his God-given calling. Because believers did offer it to him, his calling was fulfilled and they continued to grow in Christ.

Understanding that, he was able to write about forgiveness in some of his letters.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

Colossians 3:13 NLT

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT

I challenge you, dear reader, to step out of the easy and try forgiving those that hurt you. Give up your ability to hold a grudge and let go of that offense. Lean on the Holy Spirit to help you.

Free yourself and let it go. That burden is not something you were ever meant to bear. Imagine what could be ahead of you if you leave that offense behind you? Only great things!

Fear. How many times have you dealt with that? Probably too many times…

Life is full of things to be afraid of – tragedies, loss, betrayal and pain. It seems we face bad things all too often in this place we are just passing through, don’t we? It’s hard and sometimes unbearable.

If we don’t keep our eyes on Jesus, this life will eat us alive. We will be so overwhelmed, we wouldn’t know what to do. But thankfully, we know the one who spoke this world into existence!

1 Peter 5:7 says “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Think about that for a moment – what would it look like if you casted ALL your cares on God? How much better would your life be without the worry, anxiety or depression? Who would you become if you stopped being afraid?

1 John 4:18 says that if we fear, we have not fully experienced God’s love because we fear God’s wrath more than understanding His love for us (this scripture is paraphrased into my own words and in its pure form at the end of the blog). Not fully understanding God’s love for us can really hinder our lives.

Imagine if you gave someone a gift that you knew would alter their life forever and they didn’t fully believe you had good motives in giving them that gift so they put it aside, waiting to see if it all was phony? How would you feel?

That is how God feels when we (as believers) follow Him, but don’t fully trust that He has our best interest at the root of it all.

So I encourage you – the one who struggles with fear, depression, anxiety and/or mistrust in God – lean into Jesus’ love and let it wash over you like a wave. Give Him your fears, doubts and worries. Let God fight your battles and go to sleep!

Rest, my dear friends- God has already won the victory and there is nothing He can not help us with. Surrender and let Him lead.

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

1 John 4:17-18 NLT