Scary Future

We leave in unsettling times. No one is sure of what the future will bring. People are worried about their safety and that of their family all due to the recent referendum.

Political parties and Leaders are fighting for positions, the pound is at an all-time low, prices of goods are beginning to go up

Terrorist attack are on the increase nobody feels safe. In times like these what should we as Christians do?

I am reminded of the when the disciples too, faced an unsettling future. They had first hand knowledge of being with Jesus and knew what he can do, but now they are not so sure.

Jesus the promise one was taken violently in front of them and he did nothing, they were staggered at his response. Their future s didn't look so bright now.

What about Hannah, what future did she have of bearing her husband a child? Night and day she had cried to God to answer her plea for a child, yet nothing seem to be happening, what future did she have without kids? She wondered.

Joseph did not see his bright future when his wife to be became pregnant with a child who wasn't his. What future does he have, and who would believe this tale of an angel visiting them? Surely he should have done the honourable thing and left her privately, saving his family this disgrace.

David faced an uncertain future, time and time again. Everyone was after his life, Saul, his son and other kings. How can a King be living in caves and in hiding?

Of a truth man born of man, his days are filled with troubles. Though at present, it appears nothing good will come out of the future we can be assured that as we walk with our Lord he will turn around every bleak future for our good.

Presently the future certainly doesn’t seem good, what good is there to look forward to?

It’s either there is too many bad news or too much reporting of it.

I have resolved not to look at the future with trepidation, but to God, because:

He who looks at the future and fret is not one who looks to God.

Jesus did not stay dead, his life brought back hope to the disciples and the world.

Hanna later sang a song of victory because the God who works all things for the good of those who feared him, showed up with her request.

Joseph saw the demonstration of God’s power when the baby born by Mary became the resurrected king.

And David became the greatest king in Israel when God conquered all his enemies before him.

Uncertain times are times to be certain about the power of God to turn things around for our good. Trust in him at all times, for he owns your future.

Related post:

Beat The Worry Habit

A few years ago, I use to worry about every little thing, my worries were so irrational, I knew something had to change. I had to change.

We all have things to think about, we have health, financial, career and family issues. We also need to makes plans about the future but there is a difference between planning and worrying.

Worry eats us up bit by bit and if left unchecked it leads to various diseases, headaches, palpitations, anxiety, depression.

Here are a few indicators that you are a worrier.

• You analyse every possible outcome of any issue.
• You stay awake thinking and when you do fall asleep you have an unsettled rest
• You are not at peace
• Constantly seeking out information from various sources.  For example, googling an illness to see if the symptoms you are having matches.

How do we get out of this habit and dwell in a peaceful and restful place? Below are 5 helpful tips to deal with anxious thoughts.

1. Stop Being Anxious: Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to be anxious about ANYTHING. Anything means anything. I used to be scare if I was at peace and have nothing to worry about. All I have to do is look around and find something.  This passage was a revelation to me. “Be anxious for nothing” absolutely nothing, But, in everything with prayer make your request known.
2. Pray: In prayer we tell God our problems. Tell him your needs and leave it in his hands trusting that he knows what's best for you and will bring it to pass.
3. Let go. The secret to enjoying life is to let go of every worry and release them to the all-seeing and knowing care of God. He cares for you and knows your future better than you. It is not enough to pray; you have to cede control to him. Do not retain ownership of the problem after praying.  Rather let go of your precious cargo… “The issues of life”. After praying make a conscious and deliberate choice not to think of the very thing you just prayed about. Dwell on the nature and goodness of God.
4. Place your trust in God: Being anxious indicates lack of trust. If you are anxious about your husband cheating it means you don’t trust him. If you trust him, you will not be anxious, no matter the time he gets home. Same with God. Trust in God frees us from worry because we trust him to fulfil his promises concerning us. We take no anxious thoughts for tomorrow, our next pay cheque, kids, economy or health because we trust him and know he cares for us.
5. Protect Your Heart: Close the door on negativity, people may be talking about you, trouble at work, set back in health and finances, stay in the secret place. Where you're protected from the cares of life's and the worries that comes with it.
6. Dwell On Good Things: Worry springs primarily from what we think about. To control your thoughts feed your mind on things which encourages and build you up. (take no thought of yourself)? Why are we told to take no thought? Because persistent thinking leads to worry. Our daily thoughts affect our peace, it's easy to guard your heart if you do not read negative stuff.  

You can take control of your anxiety, you can begin today to modify your heart and be in peace. Decide to let go and trust God to take care of you.

Total Abandoment.

Every thing changes, really?

I am a mom? Woohoo!!! And I am loving it. Sleepless nights, poo? Cries? All piece of cake. Yuke, some may say, but it borders me not.

Being a mun reminds me of another father, our Heavenly Father.
Here are a few things I do which reminds me of God's love.

I meet every need of my daughter as much as I can
I turn/respond whenever she cries
I try to guess what her needs are, I anticipate them in order to meet them
I stay awake when she's awake
I sleep light now she's here

I some times turn up the volume of my music when I am taking my well deserved rest so that her cries won't disturbe me, while my mum looks after her.

As hard as it is, I sometimes do stuff which I believe is for her good. I.e, let her sleep in her cot, so that she gets use to sleeping there, even though she sometimes doesn't want to, get her to go at least 2.3 to 3 hours before her feed, sometimes I feed her when she needs.

Play with her, talk to her and smile at her.
Without giving too much away these are some of the delights I enjoy with her.

This is frail me, finite human with failings. My daughter is totally dependent on me. This is what God wants of us, that we are totally abandoned to him, totally, no ifs or buts, no figuring things out on our own.

There are some processes he may decide to take us through, for our own good. Just like me trying to get my four weeks old daughter to sleep in her crib is for her own good. It's hard on me to see her cry. So too it's hard for our father to see us go through pain, but as long as the end result is achieved, the process is necessary.
God does not fall asleep like I do and wakes up when I cry or call, non does he takes his eyes off us to attend to some bigger world problems like the famine in Somalia or the tusuami or the massacre in Norway sad as these events are, he values you as much as them.
All he ask of you is that you trust him.

He doesn't take a break and hand us over to someone else, like I do, to look after because he needs a break. He doesn't need a break, he doesn't take one because he is the almighty, he is ever present to meet our every need. Now, that's reassuring.


My little girl trust me without knowing it, her cries and demands are with expectations. Imagine what will happen if we have such trust in our Heavenly Father. I am learning to do that, now that I have a child. Abandoned trust have a new meaning.

So straight from my heart is this post to encourage you to be abandoned to him, in the good and bad times, when you can't figure out how your future will turn out and when you can, when difficult situation seems to be a constant in you your life, when winter lingers even though it's suppose to be summer months, trust, trust, trust, he's got your case sorted and it won't be long before he shows up.

Lord, i want to be like a little child before you. Totally trusting, abandoned to your purpose and perfect will. And when at times I have to go through pain, help me know you are working it out for my good.

With Love
Debbie

Have faith and Trust God.

One of the things that affects our faith is our constant questioning of God. Why God, why, when God, when.
We need to get to the point where we stop questioning and start to trust unreservedly. Because we don’t live by explanations but by holding on to the promises of God, through faith, believing it will come to pass in our life.
I have come to learn that there is no such thing as trusting without waiting, we have to trust God with the when and the how and forget about the why.

According to Joyce Meyers, it is important to remain hopeful as long as you are alive, through the toughest days of your existence, if you don’t give up hope, you will enjoy everyday life.

She also says that any time, we want something so bad that we absolutely cannot be happy without it, we probably want it more that we should.
That’s actually what lust is about. Not just a sexual desire, it is wanting anything too much. If God is first in my life, I don’t have to let what I want destroy my joy.
I will just go on believing that God knows the desires of my heart and will bring it to pass in HIS time.

We have to get outside of our little box of issues, problems, disappointments, delays, obstacles, sadness and say to God what I really want is you.
Give me the grace to be happy without the things I am looking for, after all he said his grace is sufficient for us and that with him comes all that we are looking for, (blessed be God who has given us all things to enjoy in Christ Jesus), so the secret is to be in Christ first. So seeking him first guarantees us all things. Yes it may not come when you want it, but he’s on time.

Our joy comes from being in the perfect will of God, not from having a job, because we want one,
Having a spouse, because we want one
Having a home, because we want one, the list is endless.
It is living in his purpose and will as stated in His word.
Only then can we know that we are justified, if we live by faith.

So Straight from my heart is this piece to encourage you that as you embark on this journey towards trusting God implicitly, may you live each day in joy, taking your place in the city of praise.
Setbacks may occur, brought on to pull you down, but though the clouds gather, it may not always pour down with rain, the clouds may roll back to make way for the glorious sunshine of his grace and even when the rain does pour, perhaps with its droplets are showers of blessings.
Let the drops refresh you and renew you for the next season.