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Category Archives: Doubt
Submit to God
Ask for His Wisdom
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:5-6 NIV
All Things Work Together
“We know that all things work together[a] for the good[b] of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 CSB
Our Steps are established by the Lord
“The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;”
Psalms 37:23 NIV
https://youtu.be/Bgl8sYOIRA4
Examine the Heart!
Let us Examine our Hearts.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”
Ephesians 4:31 NLT
“But now you also put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.”
Colossians 3:8, 19 NASB
“that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,”
Ephesians 4:22 NASB
“Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,” 1 Peter 2:1 NASB
Memorial Stones
Memorial Stones
“Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever.” Joshua 4:6-7, 23-24 NASB
Journaling is a way to reflect on God’s Faithfulness.
All of my journals are priceless keepsakes and much more like memorial stones that last forever.
I get to look back to where I was and see how God has transformed my life over the course of time.
He is good all the time.
His Word renews my mind every day, strengthens my heart in moments of distress and has transformed my life over the past decade alone!
God illuminates our Darkness!
And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the
waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling
up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke
Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And
He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be
still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And
He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no
faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one
another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Now when
evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,and
after getting into a boat, they started to cross the
sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come
to them. The sea began to be stirred up because a strong
wind was blowing.Then, when they had rowed about three or
four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and
they were frightened. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Mark 4: 37-41 (NASB)
In the midst of a storm or should I say a tsunami, do not forget to look up to Jesus first.
God challenged and refined
me for almost four years although he did not give me more than I could handle
at the time.
Have you ever been choked or paralyzed by a life
storm? Have you ever experienced unbelief? I sure did yet cried out boldly and
loudly, ‘help me with my unbelief, Lord’ periodically. Some of you may be going
thru some challenges today… If you are going thru a storm, how would you
label your storm?
I labeled mine, “The Pit of Darkness.” The Lord was ahead of me working out every detail of my dire circumstances.
“Lord, You light my
lamp; my God illuminates my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28 HCSB) Let us never forget He
is our Light in our journey.
A few months after my dad had passed away, I was
promoted to a regional leadership platform. Today, I oversee the quality of
clinical services for close to 1,300 children and adolescents. During this time
of grief and sorrow, I was asked to make daily Clinical decisions on behalf of
these needy children. While I successfully provided adequate coverage, I was
also intertwined with family affairs and daily decision-making processes on
behalf of my dad’s Estate.
My “pit of darkness” was steep and
intense. I will explain next.
I was out of breath at times and my health was compromised on several occasions. My life circumstances definitely got grotesque before the circumstances got any better. I know our Lord will train us for today’s battlefield. His Truth reminds me, “He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” (Psalm 18:32 HCSB) The Lord will fight on our behalf, we just need to be still, be quiet, listen and follow His lead (Exodus 14:14).
“Every time my eyes were not on Jesus, I was horrified even paralyzed when facing these stressors,” I thank the Lord for having a supportive husband who challenged me to take the next step in the midst of confusion, chaos, loss, and persecution from those who resisted change. Most importantly, I have a great God who clothed me with inner strength and filled my heart with hope (Psalm 18:39). He makes my way perfect (Psalm 18:32).
“The Lord is My Banner” (Exodus 17:15).
I was overwhelmed and frazzled at the beginning of my leadership role, I experienced a panic attack on one of my business trips. At the end of the first year, I literally experienced heart-attack symptoms such as discomfort in my arm, pain in my chest and shortness of breath. In my second year, I experienced severe vertigo signs. In one occasion, the medical doctor ruled out a brain tumor with an MRI!
I thank God for ‘good health’ today!
The season of grief and sorrow, a fast-paced demanding work environment and family distress contributed to the pit of darkness. Slowly but surely, I began to read His Word daily and started to journal as I dealt with these life stressors.
I knew I had to handle these life stressors God’s way! It is the only way, my friend.
Once I was convicted, I prayed for His strength, mercies, and inner peace. I begged the Lord to show me ‘how’ and to give me the strength to persevere thru it all.
Three years later, I changed the cultural climate at work, implemented new systems and mobilized community resources for the least restrictive placements, and held strategic, monthly conference calls with the former Commissioner.
At this time, my eyes are on Jesus and no longer on my circumstances. In Christ, there is victory without a doubt!
Out of the pit of darkness, the Bible Reading Journal Series was birthed.
There will be seven volumes addressing the core spiritual disciplines that involve life application, confession, repentance, forgiveness, thanksgiving, and prayer. In the midst of the storm, let us not forget to look up to Jesus, not our circumstances my friend.
In my darkest moments, I felt hatred, unforgiveness, resentment, loneliness, isolation, and depression. These negative emotions took root in my heart temporarily. When I was convicted of the darkness in my life, I knew I had to look up to Jesus immediately for His help, guidance, inner peace and most importantly a new heart!
He was forgiving, compassionate and faithful.
As soon as I would
inscribe His Word, apply the lesson learned that morning, and submit my prayer
requests, I was able to focus on the next task, experience less distress and
endure the hardships at work.
His grace and faithfulness carried me one day at
a time.
And, when I submit all of my prayer requests at sunrise, my heart and mind are in peace and I am much better prepared for today’s battlefield and the unexpected events.
Today, I not only inscribe those Scriptures that speak to me when I’m reading the Bible, but I read these verses in different translations, apply them to my life, and step out in obedience.
As I go thru any of my journals, I have an opportunity to confess to God any sin(s) whether it is unbelief, anger or unforgiveness. I also ask the Lord to help me forgive those who have hurt me throughout the day.
Counting my blessings fills my heart with gratitude.
When I surrender and write out my prayers and praying for others, our Lord comforts me every morning.
I am boldly praising Jesus today! “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea.” (Exodus 15: 21)
In Christ, there is victory so look up in the midst of a life storm. Do not fix your eyes on the circumstances, my friend.
Join the FB Bible Reading Journal Community today!
Bible Reading Journal: Growing Closer to God One Day at a Time.
Bible Reading Journal Series 2019
Volume 1 & 2 & 3 (Available Now on Amazon)
The Bible Reading Journal: Growing Closer to God One Day at a Time.
Bible Reading Journal: Growing Closer to God One Day at a Time.: “Your Word i… https://www.amazon.com/dp/1793923728/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_BmWwCbJH8J0HQ via @amazon
The Bible Reading Journal: Rest and Be Refreshed.
Bible Reading Journal: Rest and Be Refreshed.: “Your Word is a lamp to my fee… https://www.amazon.com/dp/1794685421/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_gnWwCbA0V0NCK via @amazon
The Bible Reading Journal: Praise and Be Content.
Bible Reading Journal: Praise and Be Content: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet… https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795055677/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_OnWwCbVRW0168 via @amazon
Volume 1 (Spanish Version, Spring 2019)
El Diario de Lectura de la Biblia: Cada vez más cerca de Dios, un día a la vez
Volume 4 & 5 (Summer 2019)
The Bible Reading Journal: Trust and Be Courageous.
The Bible Reading Journal: Mourn and Be Comforted.
Volume 6 & 7 (Fall 2019)
The Bible Reading Journal: Forgive and Be Restored.
The Bible Reading Journal: Love and Be His Light.
Drop The Magnifying Glass
“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
Lord,
At sunrise, I bring all of my petitions to You and reflect on my blessings with a grateful heart. When I am reclined in my favorite living room chair, the thinking process is smooth, friendly and convenient. I even have the time to ask you to search my heart and allow extra time for you to speak, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23 NIV.
My time with you at sunrise is a delight!
Philippians 4:6 reminds me of how important is to breathe, take a break, arrest all of my disturbing thought(s), surrender these troubling thoughts to Christ and pray with You in thanksgiving. Most importantly, you do not want me to be anxious about anything. You are already taking care of all the details and fighting the best battle on my behalf.
At times, it is an ongoing struggle to react well in the midst of adversity or when faced with the unexpected or a life-altering moment.
Do you ever struggle my friend? I hope your struggles are not as debilitating as mine. The ”what if’s” in life will bring high levels of anxiety and distress without a doubt.
I immediately anticipate the worst scenario when I intentionally answer all potential ‘what if’ questions. It is like holding a magnifying glass closely, searching for both irrelevant and relevant clues and creating my own, ‘Pelicula de Accion’, action movie with a dramatic plot and ending. Every time I am creative with an imaginary action movie, I imprisoned myself at a maximum-security prison.
Confined. Shackled. Helpless. No Freedom.
Lord, help me put my trust in you alone (Psalm 56:3 NIV). Help me establish a steadfast, prayerful life. I want for prayer to be my immediate response to shocking news, unexpected circumstances, troublesome, threatening or disheartening information. I need your help. I cannot do this on my own.
Please forgive me, Lord, for all of the times I have overreacted.
I lose perspective when I think about the worst scenario and even catastrophize at times. When I catastrophize or visualize a tragedy, I experience a full-blown anxiety attack. Shortness of breath, restlessness, heart palpitations and debilitating fear are some of the symptoms I typically experience. If I cannot breathe well, I may not think clearly much less pray right there and then. At that point, I am no longer able to reflect on or apply truth to my personal circumstances.
I have to stop the “what if” line of questioning, my sweet friend! It is where it all starts before the decision-making process goes downhill.
Your truth reminds me that our emotions are fickle and the heart is deceitful (Jerimiah 17:9).
The Lord wants for us to think of whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable—“if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Recently, I freaked out over an email that I was expecting for quite some time. My emotions were hijacked when I held a ‘magnifying glass’ closer to the printed information on a web-article. The more information I read, the more “what if” questions I answered without any evidence.
Once my overwhelming emotions blurred my vision, I then anticipated the worst scenario when I read over the leader’s profile at work. Her track record in past performance was outstanding. She was a Judge in our local criminal court. She is highly respected and her flawless reputation was palpable. I was quite excited for this young woman to be selected for a three-year term. I kept reading the web-article for relevant details. When I read the word PROSECUTOR, it jumped out of the page and I completely lost it as soon as I visualized being cross-examined in our future, casual conversations at work.
“How irrational was that? Lord. I already had a movie plot with a dramatic ending ready to be published!
An irrational thought led to irrational emotion and before I knew it I was gasping for my next breath. By the time I finished reading the article, I was paralyzed by the high level of anxiety. Once my emotions were hijacked by the visualization of day-to-day cross-examinations, I felt threatened and fearful of the upcoming change at work. I literally thought the new leader in command would cross-examine employees outside of a courtroom. How irrational was that? Friend, there is no need to answer. I bet Satan enjoyed every minute of my agony and emotional distress as I failed to pray and created my own short-lived, dramatic action movie after I had answered all of the potential “what if’s.”
I am not honoring Satan’s deceitful plans by answering any “what if,” the question. The enemy’s scheme is to plant the seed of doubt, confusion, and/or anticipation. I will probably stop, take a deep breath and change my focus next time I ever think of another “what if”. I plan on quitting this vicious cycle right there and then.
If you are an attorney, my friend, I have great respect for what you do. As a matter of fact, I have great working relationships with local attorneys and even served as an expert witness twice in the past. It was quite uncomfortable to be on the stand at first and I even disliked the motives behind cross-examinations. It is definitely outside of my comfort zone.
But God…
Your eternal perspective is my refuge. I stand on Your solid ground when I stand on your Truth.
Lord, may all of my meditations be pleasing in your sight! (Psalm 19:14).
You always hear my cries, petitions and it comforts me in the most debilitating circumstances (Psalm 6:9 NIV).
I am ready to ditch the magnifying glass so I may experience victory in Christ! You are the author of my Faith and the Prince of Peace.
In Jesus’ name, I boldly pray, Amen.
Photo: Marten Newhall @ Splasher
Let us sit next to Jesus:
Inscribe and Meditate
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the highest will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Highest your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With a long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:1-16 NIV
Memory Verse
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 NIV
Weekly Challenge
Every hour take a few minutes for breathing and stretching exercises.
When in distress, stop, take a break and breathe immediately. Then, pray to our Lord. He is our Refuge and Prince of Peace.
His plans will always prevail!
It’s Saturday morning already!
My husband is preparing a tasty omelet in the kitchen,
My sister is on her way back to Venezuela,
My second oldest boy is trying to settle down in his morning routine,
and,
I’ve got urgency to get ready for a brunch in less than an hour!
Living in the moment is strenuous when faced with life extinguishers, doubt and fear.
It starts with a benign question, ‘what if…?’
By the end of the thought, I have colorful, vivid images of a catastrophe.
It’s truly exhausting!
Strongholds can be debilitating without a doubt.
As I wrestled with life altering decisions, I finally grasped a reality.
There are no warranties in life.
In my most recent decision, I just wanted someone to reassure me about the future.
I wanted everyone to say, ‘it’s going to be alright…You won’t fail’
I even wished for a descriptive manual with clear instructions in ‘how to’ succeed at the task.
Guess what?!
No one can foretell the future much less can tell you if the decision you are about to make is the most favorable one.
When I kneel before Him in humility and most importantly with a surrendered heart, He always leads the way.
As soon as I surrendered this morning, He reminded me of one of his truths.
Just know, the Lord’s plans will always prevail.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
How peaceful does that sound?
It was comforting and reassuring!
Now, I’m ready for brunch.
Journaling a Bible verse or two! 