Tag: Christianity

A Heartfelt Thank You

My Loving Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for encouraging me today. Yesterday pretty much sucked; but today gave me hope!

I got an answer that I had been waiting for. It was a yes. 🙂

I got some help that I was looking for. I pray that it will propel me forward.

And all I can say is, with all of my heart:

THANK YOU.

Thank you that I now have hope that things are going to be okay.

Please renew this sense of hope each morning, along with Your endless mercy and grace.

I love you!

Your Adoring Daughter,

~Crystal

Weighed Down

walking-shadows

I’m feeling fairly anxious today. Different things have happened, and just the cares of everyday life are pulling me down. It’s like I’m trapped under a pile of fall leaves, unable to uncover myself. The leaves are light in weight–in that, the situations that cause me to worry are not large in magnitude. But when they all collide on top of one another, and on top of me, they make it very difficult to breathe.

I have had so many ideas for posts to write for my blog recently, but I have had to settle for writing the ideas down, and hoping to flesh them out when I have more time. This makes me sad, because I like to write about things when they’re fresh in my mind, so that I can hopefully capture all of the details and meaning involved. But the ideas, as well, have been piling up, and I haven’t been able to return to them.

I was blessed with being nominated for two awards for my blog yesterday (my first ever awards), and I was SO incredibly excited. I started to complete the necessary tasks for accepting the awards, but ran out of time and was not able to finish them and get them posted. This makes me sad, as well. It was something that gave me such great joy, and yet I couldn’t find the time to express that in my blog. I will finish these posts, but as of right now it just hasn’t happened.

It’s so easy for the cares of life to weigh you down. It’s so easy for everything to pile up and suffocate you. But somehow, I know there must be a way to manage it all.

I’m thankful for the walk that I was able to take today with Daisy–the air was fresh and crisp, and it rejuvenated me. I love being out in nature; and I love seeing Daisy happy. It was so cute to watch her jump in some of the piles of leaves that were amassed on the side of the road. It made me smile. 🙂 I need to grab onto that smile, and hopefully it will carry me through the rest of the day.

But I know that ultimately God is the One who will–who already IS–carrying me through. I want to control everything and make sure that it works out all right, but this is my Father’s job–and He is an expert. He can and will orchestrate the details of my life in such a way that will bring about His best for me and my family. My job is to trust…and to let go.

Refreshed through Worship

When was the last time you worshiped God? Truly, completely, worshiped Him, and focused on Him alone, instead of on yourself?

I have to say, for me, it had been a long time.

Last night at my church, however, I had the opportunity to do just that.

Our church group, called “The Well,” focused the time of worship on the theme of Come and See. It was based on the story of the Samaritan woman who came to a well to draw water, and after meeting Jesus, was offered the living water that flows from Christ Himself (John Chapter 4).

We sang worship songs to God, focusing on who He is and what He has done for us. We also participated in two activities. During the first we were able to dip our hands into a bowl of cool water to symbolize the refreshment found in Jesus. In the second activity, we were encouraged to write down the name of a person we know who needs refreshing from the Lord–either refreshment through salvation, or continued refreshment from Him for their daily walk.

This truly was a refreshing time for ME, as well. As I focused on worshiping Jesus, He poured out His living water of refreshment on my parched soul. He knew what I needed, and He met me where I was!

I would encourage you to take some time–either alone, or in a group–to worship your Savior. You may be surprised by how much refreshment He brings to your heart! He is “Mighty to Save,” and in Him can be found everything that we need to live an abundant life that is pleasing to Him.

Photo credit: kristen_w