Tag: spirituality

When Things Come Unravelled

What causes me to unravel?

That’s a great question! And a question that I have never really asked myself before. So now is as good a time as ever! šŸ™‚ Here are some things that induceĀ a melt-down…or a mini-meltdown.

  1. Situations where I’m among a large crowd of peopleĀ (okay, so even a semi-large crowd is difficult for me). This causes me a lot of anxiety.
  2. When I’ve lost something and have looked everywhere I can think of for it, but still can’t find it.
  3. Incorrect grammar. Okay, so maybe it doesn’t cause me to unravel, as IĀ know I use incorrect grammar myself sometimes. But it bugs me. šŸ˜‰
  4. Not getting enough sleep. It’s so hard to face the day when you tossed and turned the night before.
  5. Not “matching.” If I’m wearing black pants, I need to wear black shoes and carry a black purse to match.
  6. Something not being finished. Whether it be a thought, a blog postĀ I’m writing, a conversation, a task I was working on…it bothers me to not have things completed.
  7. Hot and humid weather. Ugh! I’m a mild weather kind of girl – I like the Spring and the Fall. But when it’s hot and muggy and sweat is rolling down my back? Yeah, I’m done.
  8. When someone I love is hurting. This is a big one. I can’t stand it when a family member or friend is experiencing a really difficult time. Especially when I can’t do much to help!
  9. Decisions. Big or small, I struggle with them all.
  10. When I do something that I shouldn’t have done…like sleep all morning. I tend to beat myself up and it spirals downward.

So those are some of the things that cause me to unravel. What causes YOU to unravel? And what (or who) helps to bring you back to sanity?

I’m grateful for a God and for family and friends who point me back in the right direction. ā¤

Live Like You’re Loved

“Live like you know you’re valuable
Like you know the one that holds your soul
Cause mercy has called you by your name
Don’t be afraid to live in that grace

I’m tellin’ you somethin’
This God we believe in
Yeah, He changed everything
No more guilt! No more shame!
He took all that away
Gave us a reason to sing

So go ahead and live like you’re loved
It’s okay to act like you’ve been set free
His love has made you more than enough
So go ahead and be who He made you to be

And live like you’re loved.”

~ Hawk Nelson, “Live Like You’re Loved”

I have a difficult time with living like I’m loved.Ā I know in my heart that God loves me and that I am valuable to Him, but sometimes my mind likes to cause me to doubt this fact. It’s those thoughts that creep in unawares, telling me that I haven’t lived perfectly so God must be mad at me…or that I’m being “proud” by thinking I did a good job at something…or that I didn’t do as well as [insert name here], so I must be lacking in some way.

Do you ever have a problem with this?

I think it started when I was very young, and I didn’t feel like I was loved by a member of my family. I would seek that love, that tenderness, and that affection through my performance – whether it be in school or somewhereĀ else. I would try my best to get straight A’s on my report card, to win first place at the Science Fair, or to excel at any number of tasks, with the hope of gaining theĀ love that I so longed for.

But God tells me – and YOUĀ – that He doesn’t love us based on our performance. He loves us because He created us, and created us in His image. We are His children. Jesus showed us how much we are worth to Him by giving his life to cleanse us from our sins.

We have value!

So even though it won’t happen overnight, I would like to re-vamp the way that I perceive myself. I want to see myself the way God sees me: as worthy, as loved, as valuable, as priceless, as unique, as….enough.

I want to “live like I’m loved!” Will you join me? ā¤

Photo Credit: Julia Caesar

 

Coins in a Jar

Forty-four dollars and nineteen cents.

That’s how much money I receivedĀ from the machineĀ after putting in all of the coinsĀ that my Dad had saved up for me. He loves throwing his changeĀ in a jar when he comes home from work, and then giving it to me to cash out and use towards things that I need.

I went food shopping after I traded in my coins. I attemptedĀ to add up in my head the cost of the things that I was putting in my cart, but I soon lost count. Going down my grocery list, I picked up the items that I needed, and was finally ready to check out. As the cashier rang up my items, I was praying that I had enough cash to pay for it. And you’ll never guess how much the total came to:

Forty-four dollars and nineteen cents!

Isn’t our God amazing?! He knew how much money I needed, and He provided it for me – nothing more, and nothing less.

And I know that His provision wasn’t just about money. It was about my Father showing me, in a manner that I could not deny, that He sees me. He sees the things that I’m going through. He sees my heart and my desire to please Him. He sees my struggles and my shortcomings and my sins…and He loves me just the same.

I am His daughter, and He lovingly cares for my needs.

So whatever situation you are in today, just know thatĀ God sees you. He sees every detail of Your situation, and He cares deeply. If you will trust Him with your life, He will gladly take your burdens and will faithfullyĀ provide for you in His own time and way – just as He graciously did for me.

That’s the simple lesson thatĀ God taught me through coins in a jar.