To All Who Are Struggling

[Lizzie01]

Hello Everyone,

I was listening to Third Day the other day and when I heard this song it encouraged me so much and I believe through Jesus that it can help and even heal you too.

How many times have I turned away?
The number is the same as the sand on the shore
But every time you've taken me back
And now I pray you do it once more

Chorus:
Please take me from my life
When I don't have the strength to give it away to you
Please take me from my life
When I don't have the strength to give it away to you Jesus

How many times have I turned away?
The number is the same as the stars in the sky
Anf everytime you've taken me back
And now I pray you'll do it tonight.

I really hope this has encouraged and blessed you because I know it has for me. If anyone ever needs prayer or anything you can always PM me if you want. God loves you all so much and He always will no matter what!!!

Godbless,

~ Elizabeth

 

[Lizzie01]

1. How have difficult and trying circumstances made me lose joy in my life?
2. When was the last time I thanked God for His grace and Providence?
3. How can I develop a thankful and entrusting heart toward God despite my circumstance?

When I read these questions I look at my life and realize how much these questions apply to my life and how much I need to learn about Jesus and totally thank Him for EVERYTHING!

I also today was reading my devotional and it was about Forgiveness and it was just totally amazing and it had a prayer at the end and I never know what to say when I talk to Him about anything and when I read this prayer it was exactly what I wanted to say and how I felt!!

How we thank You, O Lord Jesus, that we live without obligation other than love. We live without debt, because you paid it by your precious blood. You, the lamb who was slain, are living today, the highest King. We bless you Lord, Where there is any feeling of hurt that we will not release, any relationship trouble we could solve, help us to do that. Forgive us our trespasses. You have forgiven us; help us to have a forgiving spirit and not hold grudges or become bitter because others have offended us. Help us to forgive them in the reconciliation of the Cross. In Jesus name, Amen.

That prayer helped me so much, I mean Jesus and there are no words that can really explain it and everything changed when I started to talk to Him again and for a very very long time I haven't and really I decided to go for it and really force myself to and it was very hard because of how I felt about life in general and satan contantly attacking me and the way I saw life too. PRAISE GOD!! I love you so much Father and there are no words that can explain it!!!

I look not back - God knows the fruitless efferts, the wasted hours, the sinning and regrets; I leave them all with Jesus that blots the records, and graciously forgives, and then forgets.

" Be strong and courageous and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, My God, is with you. He will not fail or forsake you.'' (1 Chronicles 28:20)

" God's Mercy extend to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. " (Luke 1:50)

" This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of God's Great Love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
( Lamentations 3:21-23)

I am starting to understand things a little clearly now and I hope you are encouraged by this and I pray that who ever is reading this Father that you bless them and give them the courage and strength to make it through the day Lord in the name of the Great I am JESUS CHRIST!!

GODBLESS

Your sister in Christ Elizabeth

 

[TheMainException]

That is so good...

 

[Lizzie01]

I think it is good and so true and I want anyone who is reading this to let me know what they think and feel about it. God is so awesome I like want to scream it from the mountain Tops!!!

Love ya'll

~ Elizabeth

 

[Ewick]

Hi liz... good post, wondering what's the name of that third day song? thanks

 

[Lizzie01]

Hello there

The name of the Third Day song is Take My Life, and I think it's such a good song, so amazing and it's so true. well may the Lord be with you all and I pray that everyone will have peace in their week this week! Godbless

Elizabeth

 

[Lizzie01]

I long for your embrace
Every single day
To meet you in this place
And see you face to face

Will you show me?
Reveal yourself to me
Because of your mercy
I fall down on my knees

And I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

You're everywhere I go
I am not alone
You call me as your own
To know you and be known

You are holy
And I fall down on my knees

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

I surrender to your grace
I surrender to the one who took my place

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender...

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

Love Elizabeth

 

[I'ddie4him]

Thank you for these wonderful posts. I hope to see more like this in the future.

 

[Lizzie01]

A Tale of Three Trees is a traditional American folktale retold by Angela Hunt. It's a wonderful story about what happens to three trees that have their own special dreams. The first tree wanted to become the most beautiful treasure chest in the world, inlaid with jewels, carrying precious gold. It became the manger that rocked Christ child. The second tree wanted to be the strongest sailing ship in the world. It became the boat that carried Jesus and his friends through a storm. The third tree never wanted to be cut down. It dreamed of growing to be the tallest tree in the world, a tree so magnificent that those who looked at it would give thanks to God. It became the cross on which Jesus gave His life.

Not one of the trees ended up living the life they had imagined.
Their dreams were so grand, yet God's plans were greater - even
though it meant a surrendering of personal dreams and an
experience of such raw pain.

I cannot begin to grasp the ways of God. My only hope is to
know the heart of God, and to keep on walking.

*** I read this story today and felt totally inspired by it and I think about my life and how I may have dreams for my life but yet I know God's plans are way greater then mine no matter what is going on in my life or anyone's life!***

GodBless You All

~ Elizabeth

 

[Lizzie01]

What happens to us when we find ourselves in the middle of a
dark situation? Do we believe the things that happen to us
are accidental? Do we seek to change our circumstances, or do
we accept them with a fatalistic attitude?

Sometimes we can change things, and we must try. That is why
we are there! At other times, having tried, we find we cannot
alter anything, nor can we escape, and so we must allow those
situations to change us and we must accept the privilege of
shining there.

~ Jill Briscoe

We need to be ' shaken ' off from every other foundation in
order that we may be forced to rest on the foundation of God
alone. This explains the necessity for those ' shakings' through
which so many Christians seem call to pass. The Lord sees that
they are building their spiritual houses on filmsy foundations,
which will not be ableto withstand the storms of life; and not in
anger but in tenderest love, He shakes our earth and our heaven
until all that can be shaken is removed,... in order that only that
which ' cannot be shaken ' may remain.

~ Hannah Whitall Smith

Also when I read this i totally felt called to put it on here because I can relate to it and I felt some of you might and each and every one of you are precious in God's sight and in mine and I thank Him for everyone of you!! GODBLESS YOU ALL

Love Your Sister
In Christ,

~ Elizabeth

 

[Lizzie01]

Joy comes in the morning. Joanna discovered this in a miraculous way on Jesus' resurrection day. She went to his tomb expecting to minister to his dead body and to grieve. Instead, her sorrow to tremendous joy. Our joy may not come this morning or tomorrow morning or even the morning after that. We face too many hardships, too many difficult situations too much sorrow here on earth to think joy will arrive with each morning. But it will come. God has promised: there will be a joyful morning for all who trust in him.
~ Jean Syswerda and Ann Spangler

For every single thing that has happened in our lives, we can
learn to say in confidence, even with joy, " Not my will, but
yours be done" This means saying yes to the happy and beautiful
gifts, but also to the child you lost,the husband who never
showed up, the breast cancer, the lost opportunities, the broken
dreams, the endless list of human suffering. I do embrance the
mystery that, in the darkest valleys the Light of the world is with
us, and we will come to know him, to love and trust him, in
ways we never have before.

~ Sheila Walsh

How much lighter trials become when we realize God's grace
is twofold. It is not only the happy ending. It is also the peace
we can feel during a painful journey, when we trust in God
all the way.

~ Doris Haase

I always used to think negitively like I wanted to kill myself and felt no one cared for me and I really am not sure what turned me around, I feel it's my past and the bad things that happened to me and I am thankful for it because it got me back to God, and God turn bad things into good things He makes good things come out of bad situations. I am so happy with the Lord even if I am having a bad day, I am still happy with Him. Thank you Lord for who I am, and thanks for creating me a clean heart and softening my heart to be like yours. Godbless

Elizabeth

 

[macspetra]

On February 13, 2004, my father walked out on my mom and moved in with another woman. It just rocked my wordl. He never had the guts to tell my mother that he wasn't coming back - instead he told me. When he left I started crying uncontrollably, then I realized that I had something that he never had and still doesn't. I have Christ in my life - with that came a peace - my dad is so lost with out that. To help myself get through this I wrote a drama to be used in chapel at my bible college. I wrote most of it by myself, but the ending had to be written by someone else.
The last scene had the main character yelling at the Jesus character - asking him why (the question that we all want to ask but are too afraid to ask it) - Jesus held his hands out to her - his nail scarred hands - and asked her if she believed that he would really hurt her with his hands. That profound truth I tried to hold onto and when I was finally ready in my heart - that truth became real in my heart.
I still struggle with angry feelings and other strong emotions, but slowly - day by day - sometimes it is moment by moment - God is changing me. I am no longer the same that I used to be. What I held so dear to my heart - was ripped out of my hands. No more excuses. I am God's beloved child. I don't always feel like one and lately I really havn't felt like anyone's beloved - but the truth is I am and so are you.
It helps to write/type it out - and you never know who may be encouraged by something you said. God can take our smallest offering and use it to dramatically change someone's life. Isn't that amazing?
Isn't it amazing how you can start off thinking anout one thing and then have peace with something else by the end of the message? God is so good!!

 

[Lizzie01]

Wow! Amazing, God is amazing and as I said God made good things come out of bad situations and it is true and yes you may have angry feelings still and i do to with what I've been through and it doesn't go away right away but you learn from it and I even pray for my enemies or people who i am mad at and let me tell you it is not easy but God forgave you and we should forgive others. I heard this song called Alive in this moment by Starfield:

It's been so long since I have met You here
Since I have said these words and cried these tears
And like a child would come I run into our secret place
And as the music fades the tears are rolling down my face

I am alive in this moment
In this moment I am found
I am alive in this moment
In this moment I belong

It's been so long since I have met You here
Since I have heard You speak and let You hear
And like a wayward son I've come with nothing left to hide
Here in this moment I have come to offer up my life

Here only one fire burns
Here only one melody is heard
Once again for the very first time
My eyes are opening

This song goes straight to my heart and when I sing a song I don't just sing it I sing it from my heart and I listen to the words and feel I am saying these words to Him and this is how I feel. It is true! May the Lord Bless you all.

Godbless,

Elizabeth

 

[macspetra]

It is so encouraging to hear that somone else struggles with the same thing that I struggle with. I really noticed today that writing it out and replying to other posts has brought me a peace in my heart that has settled my soul - which is something that I needed after this weekend.
We need to come to that place where we can hear God's voice. You are so right Elizabeth that we need to take the words of a song and sing it from our heart - make it our own.
Peace with you

 

[Lizzie01]

Thank you very much and it does help me to write things down and my friend Lisa told me that even though she was having a bad day she was still happy with the Lord and I thought about that and it is true and I feel the same way even today...


I mean no matter what happens in the world like with sufferings well.. some people think why doesn't God stop it from happening? and I used to think that too but He isn't just letting that happen and I mean He died for each and every one of us and He gave us free will, like for example about 3 years ago my pipeband teacher molested me and I mean I was so angry with God and thought He made it happen and I figure Hate The Sin Forgive The Sinner and again He gave people free will and He made good things come out of the situation and it brought me closer to Him! and I know for a fact that He hated what happened to me but that doesn't make it okay about what happened but I am not going to hate the guy, but I did go to court for it and everything got sorted out but still, if I saw him today I would feed him and give him a drink and I would care for him but also I am praying for him and he is a human like everyone else and people make mistakes and no one is perfect! It is not easy to forgive and there needs to be a time for healing but I just continue to pray for him and I am not fully healed but Christ is helping me and I thank Him for that.

Also even if you are having a good day praise the Lord and another thing if you are having a bad day praise the Lord and have faith and I know that sometimes when I am concerned about someone I pray for that person but I am happy at the same time because I know that God is in control and that there is hope and God has already overcome the earth, Everything is going to be okay.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD

 

[macspetra]

and I know for a fact that He hated what happened to me but that doesn't make it okay about what happened but I am not going to hate the guy, but I did go to court for it and everything got sorted out but still, if I saw him today I would feed him and give him a drink and I would care for him but also I am praying for him and he is a human like everyone else and people make mistakes and no one is perfect! It is not easy to forgive and there needs to be a time for healing but I just continue to pray for him and I am not fully healed but Christ is helping me and I thank Him for that.

Praying for those who hurt you. I never realized how tough that would be until my dad left my mom for another woman. I know that as a Christian I would need to forgive them, but I also held onto the fact that I was allowed to be in pain. Any time I thought of praying for the other woman though it just made me sick inside. I know that she needs just as much prayer as my dad, but I found it easier to pray for my dad. Even now 6 months later, I can pray for my dad even though he is being a real jerk and taking really cheap shots at my mother, but I can't come to the place where I can pray for the other woman yet. Thinking about her makes me feel sick to the stomach - yet I know that I sin just as badly as she does - just not by doing the same things. I avoid thinking about the fact that all sin is the same in God's eyes and that makes my sin just as evil.

That you are able to pray for someone that hurt you so severly, reminds me that I need to do the same. I guess that helps you stay focused on God's plan and purpose and not your own. God has an amazing and world-shattering way of bringing you right back to where you are supposed to be. What a way to rock your world - anything to save our lives. Now we just need to keep that lesson in our hearts instead of having to be retaught it all the time.
Thank you.

 

[Lizzie01]

Thank you for sharing that and just reading that makes me feel good because just knowing that I am not the only one going through sufferings. Even just recently God has totally been softening my heart as I told you like so many times, but everything I have been through mainly all my life I feel made my heart really really hard and I never really felt anything, like for example I don't cry easily or when I should let go of issues that are in my life. As I said just recently that God has been softening my heart and now when I talk to him I talk to him from my heart, I am not just saying it and even with worship I am not just singing it!! I cry when I talk to Him and I love it and I am just starting to heal and everything and it will take a while. . . but through God ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE

If I can do it you can do it!! I pray that whatever is going on in your heart wheather if your heart is hard or soft I pray that God will give you a soft heart this week and a peaceful week and remember no matter how hard it is to forgive people just start by saying there name out loud, that can be a huge effert, then go from there. Hope this helps you and everyone! thanks again!

~ Elizabeth

 

[Lizzie01]

Ninth-grade algebra class was my all-time favorite. Because
I loved puzzles, algebra was actually fun. In math class, I faced
each test with confidence! Tuesday's would be no different.

But while taking the test, I suddenly found that I couldn't
remember the formula for number one... number two, or
three,four,five... I had gone blank! I can solve only the last
two problems. Stunned, I handed my paper to the teacher
After a long pensive pause, she asked. "When do you have
study hall tomorrow?" "at ten," I nervously replied. The next
dat at ten sharp, I was sitting in my algebra classroom with
a second chance. I was given a gift called "grace."

God is a God of grace who not only saves you from eternal
death but also saves you from a defeated life. If you focus only
on what it's like to fail in certain areas, you could be
drawn into the downward spiral of dejection. However, how
blessed you are to know that God of grace who saves you from
your failures. He is the God of the second chance... and the
third... and the fourth...

~ June Hunt

 

[Lizzie01]

1. BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW?

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]“The LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: ‘Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you’” (Joshua 1:1-3, NKJV).

It wasn’t too long after God delivered the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt that they wanted to go back there—in spite of the miracles they had witnessed, such as the parting of the waters of the Red Sea so they could cross over to the Promised Land. However, when the going got rough en route through the wilderness, they complained and wanted to return to Egypt. Was it because they were afraid that things weren’t going to get any better, or that God had deserted them? Or were they afraid of change? Like the old saying goes, “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t know.”

People haven’t changed too much have we? As one writer said, “The trouble these days is that people want to get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness.”

For the Christian God has a “promised Land” of freedom, growth, wholeness and fulfillment. It’s there for the taking—but not without the struggles of working through our private wildernesses.

Like Joshua who led the Israelites into the Promised Land, we too need to “arise, go and possess” the promises that God has for us. And we, too, will have plenty of obstacles and setbacks to overcome. At the same time, we have the same assurance that God gave to Joshua when he said to him, “Have not I commanded You? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”1

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the courage to actively claim all the promises you have for me so that I will become and do all that you have envisioned for me to be and do. And give me the determination to never give up, no matter how challenging the way, knowing that you will be with me every step of the way. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.” [/font]
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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*** Remember Never Give Up!! God loves you so much and He has a purpose for each and every one of you!! ***[/font]
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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Love Lizzie


[/font]

 

[seangoh]

hey liz, thanks for your posts..it's encouraging to know myself that someone out there is STILL relying on God.

Thanks for macspetra too for her testimony.