On the first Friday of each month, I link up with Dawn for Random Journal Day. For this post, we share an entry from one of our journals - you know those "hand-written personal journals" we hope nobody ever discovers?! Whether it's yesterday's entry, or last month's, or even one from several years ago...we just share what's on our hearts or in our journals!
For several months, I chose to "rebel" and wrote different things - like the one where I shared from a letter my mother's mother wrote the day before she gave birth {to my mother and her twin brother}. Read that here.
Or the one I wrote about the Murder Mystery event I participated in during a scrapbook retreat weekend; that one can be found here.
But, this month I plan to share a couple of entries from my journal - how original!? Because certain verses keep coming up in my Bible reading, I found this entry from February 2, 2012 that I wanted to share:
One of my favorite hymns is "Because He Lives":
Because He lives,
I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives,
All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the {my} future.
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives -
Amen Amen and Amen!
Nothing - I mean literally nothing should cause me to feel as if all is lost...
Because He holds my future - our future - and He will not put a load on us that we can't handle with His help and strength.
So...why do I worry, and cry, and get depressed over things?
My life is in His hands; He has carried me {us} so far and will continue to do so -
So...if I know all this...
WHY...
is it so hard?!
WHY...
do I continue to worry?
Not too long ago, within about a 10-day span, the following verse was read during my morning devotions:
June 29, 2015: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 - NIV)
July 8, 2015: "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6 - NRSV)
Found on Pinterest
Shared by etsy.com
The words are a little different between the two versions; but the thought is very clear, as the meditation states:
"The Bible gives me comfort and assurance that God is with me and knows my struggles. I am encouraged to keep trusting and hoping in God. How often must I do this? Every single day! It is a continual process."
So, as I write this entry for Random Journal Day, knowing that God is with me; the scriptures tell me that I need not worry; I know that every single day isn't enough to remind me that He is there, waiting for my requests!
I must keep trusting and hoping in God every single hour; yet, every single minute of my life!
And, I guess that is why He keeps putting this verse in front of me...to remind me that He is waiting for me!
And, I guess that is why He keeps putting this verse in front of me...to remind me that He is waiting for me!
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ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Barb! These are recurring verses in my life of late, too. Not a day goes by that I don't feel a pang of fear and anxiety with just a mere glance at the headlines. I feel like I'm in a foreign land. My husband has some health issues we're trying to resolve and we have a lot of financial uncertainty going forward. I'm clinging to His promises here--and His Peace. All is well.
ReplyDeleteJoy!
Kathy
{Kathy, for some reason your comment posted twice so I deleted one of them; don't think I am deleting YOU!!}
DeleteI know it seems I am - should be - at peace and KNOW that there is no reason to worry; but we do, don't we!? I know exactly how you must be feeling about your husband's health issues (mine has dementia and is very hard of hearing; each seemingly getting worse) and we've been through the financial uncertainty also...but not in a foreign land...Praying you can continue to cling to God's promises and His peace and know that He will sustain you and your husband!
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Barb:This is a beautiful post. Because God loves us and accepted our invitation for Him to enter our hearts and guide our lives, we DO have a better life.Blessigns to you and yours,
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting...I struggle almost every day to remember this; yet, in my heart, I KNOW it to be true!!
DeleteNicely done. I actually need to find my original handwritten journal. I only kept the one from around the time I got married I think. I know I don't have any from way back.
ReplyDeleteTessa, it is never too late to start a journal!! I did for a while; quite; did it sporadically...and am back to it, although with blogging and my "One Thousand Gifts" journal, I sometimes tend to overlook the handwritten journal!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting!
Lovely post. Makes me wish I had journaled, but alas...I thought I'd remember everything. Ah, well.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Andrew...I know what you mean about remembering everything!! Some days, I wish I had journaled even more...for I long to remember the things of growing up - childhood; teenage years...I actually did not journal during those teen years; but I did write poetry! Same thing, I guess?!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting...
Barb, I love your honest, real YOU-ness in this post. It's so hard to put into practice the things we know we ought...and yet by grace through faith, in His time...according to His great mercy and purpose for our lives, He empowers us to make it so. We know and RELY on Him because He IS faithful...love and thanks for sharing your heart with us!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reading and commenting, Dawn...your words humble me; and I appreciate them so much! I love connecting with you on you blog and the great opportunities you give us to write. I must confess to have let the "Journaling with Jesus" go by the wayside...with the journal for "One Thousand Gifts" which I am also adding to my blog, and my regular journaling, and the devotion journal...it seems I am writing all the time. The connection comes during my devotion journal; and one of these days, perhaps I'll pick up the other again - and continue the Bible studies...one of these days!!
DeleteHi Barb, I love this vital reminder to not worry. Agh, it can be so hard to resist that downward spiral when I begin to fixate on an issue and it moves from trust to worry. Thanks for this beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susie, for reading and commenting...it makes me feel good - yet humble - when I read your comments and those of others. I am NOT an expert - at writing or blogging or even sharing God's word...but I share what is in my heart and feel that HE is guiding the words!!
DeleteI love how the Father above keeps sending us the same messages in our readings...this was a good reminder for me, too...and I LOVE the hymn...because He lives...singing it always lifts me up!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kel! Yes, the hymns always lift me up...I also get teary when I sing "What a Friend we have in Jesus" - or the more contemporary "I am a Friend of God's", whatever the name is!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting!