God still cares

Are we really only four months away from a new year!! I can't believe that we are in mid- August! Time is flying by! 

This year has been a struggle, to say the least. I've been pushed and stretched during this season. I've allowed anxiety to overcome my mind and heart at times. I've felt like I was not enough, I've lost friendships that I thought would be forever. I thought that if I did not meet my plan or goals that I was not in right alignment and would somehow miss what God had for me. I struggled with depression and thoughts that were from the enemy. 

I want to be transparent with whoever is reading this. Life will not always look perfect. You will have mountaintop moments and valley days. It's in those valley days that your character is developed. It's in those times that you draw closer to God. For a long time, I did not see the mountaintop moments. I tried my hardest to overcome the feeling of sadness I felt day in and day out. I convinced myself that I would be able to fake a smile and pretend that everything was all good. I was wrong. I would muster up enough strength to feed my kids but would rather lay in the bed all day. I felt like a failure like I had no worth. I knew this was a lie but the enemy had control of my thought life. 

I did not realize how much anxiety I actually had in my heart which was causing my depression. Some of the causes:

I never fully grieved the lost of my Dad in 2016. 

I never fully grieved my miscarriage in 2016. 

I never dealt with my post-partum depression in 2017.

I quit my job of 9 years.

Became a Full-time stay-at-home mom of two babies under two.

I felt like this was the opportune time for the enemy to come in a wreck havoc in my life. I didn't realize that I was in a season of trust with the Lord. I could not find the joy in the little things in life. I was literally holding on by the grace of God. I did not realize that I was in a full-on depression until God brought me out and had me look back. I was in shock. How could I suffer from depression? I'm a Christian. I have a hope that the world does not have. 

I want you to realize that we are all human. We all have "life" happen to us. Sometimes believers in Christ experience worse things at times because of the hope that is within us. The enemy wants those who believe in Jesus to be bogged down with depression. If we are focused on that then we don't have time to tell others about Jesus. 

I don't know what you are facing or what you are going through. I don't know what has happened in your past or present, but I want you to know that we serve a God who cares. 

It may not seem like it. It may seem like you are all alone or don't have hope or don't know how to overcome. I want to encourage you and let you know that it's going to be okay. You are going to be okay. 

God is for you not against you. I've learned that in this life there are going to be things that trouble us, upset us, delay us and try to harm us. God's protection is greater than you can imagine. He knows where you are weak and he comes along and provides strength. 

If you find yourself in a season where you feel downcast or burdened turn to Jesus. Don't push him away. Don't allow the enemy to creep in. Don't allow him to magnify your problems as if you don't have a solution. 

Allow God to use your current season to develop your character. Also, let the Word of God be louder than the voice in your head. Speak his word over your life at every turn. 

If you are dealing with anxiety find scriptures to help combat this. Do the work! Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. 

If you are dealing with any type of grief seek Godly counsel. Find friends, local church and surround yourself with a community who loves you. 

Don't be afraid to speak out and tell someone what you are going through. We are not supposed to do life alone. 

I want you to know that you are important your life has value and you were made to do great things!! 

With Love,

MrsJoyousBeauty

Fear

Its been a few months since my last post due to mommy duties! My hope is that you all are having a great start to your new year! Can you believe that we are now in March?? This year I believe is the year that I will stop being afraid and fearful of the unknown. I was listening to the radio the other day and the song was called "fear is a liar." I couldn't agree more. FEAR is a LIAR. It will rob you of everything that you've ever wanted to do because you are afraid of what you don't see. False, Evidence, Appearing, Real! It's not real. Fear is a tool of the enemy! It does not exist with God. Fear is not in God's plan for your life. I want to encourage you to fight through fear. Whatever is gripping you from fulfilling all that God is calling you to do. DO IT! Do it with all your might. Do not let fear have a stronghold in your life. God's spirit is FAITH. The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. See the difference there? Faith is what we've been hoping for and although our natural eyes cannot see if we have faith to believe it then we will receive it. 

Whatever has had you gripped. My prayer is that you release it to God. Give him your burdens cast your cares. Understand that those dreams, plans, passions God will use it for his glory. Every day that you have breath in your body is a day to have faith. Is a day to give God praise and live how he wants you to live. Free and with faith! Lets put our full trust in Jesus today. Let's not let the enemy mess with our mind and give us all the reasons why we should be afraid. But let's trust all the things why we should believe. God is the head of my life so I know that he is fighting for me and no one can come against me. There is something that happens when you refuse to believe the lie. When you no longer believe that you are defeated. Your posture changes and the scripture I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me becomes real in your life. 

Don't let fear of the unknown stop you from living, stop you from dreaming and most importantly stop you from going.

You must trade in that fear for love. Once you realize how much God loves you and wants you to succeed you will start to walk like you know that you are his. Refuse to walk in fear in 2018. Don't allow fear to have room in your heart at all! 365 times fear is mentioned in the bible. So if you feel fearful find a scripture and refute it. Below are some of my favorite scriptures for walking in love and faith.

Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 56:3
John 14:27
2 Timothy 1:7
1 John 4:18
Psalm 94:19
Joshua 1:9
1 Peter 5:6-7
Psalm 27:1
Mark 5:36
1 Peter 3:14

God's Grace

This morning when I woke up all I could think about was the fact that God still lets the sunshine and the sun go down each day. For some, that may seem small but for me, it is so significant. The fact that God still lets the sun rise and set is so gracious. 

Grace: The free and unmerited favor of God! 

While people blaspheme the Holy Spirit by mocking speaking in tongues(Tyler Perry), while people deny his son and him being the only way to God(Oprah Winfrey), while people say they would use the holy scriptures as tampons(Beyonce). He is still gracious! He still lets the sunrise! Even though he is mocked and ridiculed in the world he created. 

Creation denies him but God still allows the sun to shine. It could just be me, but that sounds like a loving and gracious God to me. I know one thing for sure, if my children talked bad about me, ridiculed my name, denied my existence, treated me like an ordinary thing. I would be very grieved. 

This world needs to recognize that God is not always going to strive with us. Everyone wants to point out that Jesus said he was coming back soon so where is he? My answer is, you still have TIME to repent. Even in waiting to come back he is gracious. Don't become blinded by celebrity and fame. It's a mirage. The enemy wants you to be ensnared and enamored by it. Most celebrities are sellouts. Remember what Jesus said, if the world hates me, it will hate you. You should be worried when the world starts loving you. The time is now! Jesus is real! Jesus is coming back soon! 

Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved."

 It's your confession and heart belief. You must believe that Jesus is Lord and that he was raised from the dead in your heart in order to truly be saved. It's not about praying the sinner's prayer. If you don't believe a word of what you are praying you are fooling yourself. 

Remember in Psalm14:1 "The fool says in their heart there is no God." Don't be a fool! It also says in Romans 1:19-20 "Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Just remember that we are without excuse and that God is just and oh so gracious!

Til next time-

@MrsJoyousBeauty