trust in the lord

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unless :: a lesson from the lorax

Have you seen The Lorax? We really enjoyed the movie, but what stirred me the most is one simple word:

UNLESS

One small word. A whole lot of potential. Can I share a few examples with you?

• Unless we start exercising and taking care of ourselves, we’ll always feel unhealthy.
• Unless we stand up and tell that person they hurt us, we’ll always feel hurt.
• Unless we start budgeting better, we’ll always feel financial pressure.
• Unless we forgive that person, we’ll always feel bitter.
• Unless we decide to give it to God, we’ll always feel the weight of that burden.
• Unless we’re more intentional with our time, we’ll always feel like we’re running around frantic.
• Unless we share God’s word, people around us won’t see our light.
• Unless we are the change we want to see, things won’t change.
• Unless we believe God’s promises, we’ll never know the Father of Hope.

What’s your “unless?”

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Posted in encouragement, free download, inspiration, quote

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a life ruined …

“She ruined my life.”

“He ruined my life.”

“You’ve ruined my life.”

Have you heard it before? Or maybe the words came from your own mouth?

Can I whisper a hard truth your way? You are the only one who can ruin your life.

Sure, I’ll admit with you . . . other people definitely have influence on things that happen in our lives. Things that are unfair, that hurt and cause us pain.

But it’s your life.

You’re the only one who can control the way you react to a situation.

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”
~ Carl Gustav Jung

If you’ve been dealt a bad hand in life, I want to encourage you to move past it and grow from it. I know it’s not easy. Believe you me, I know! But what’s the alternative? Living an anxiety-driven life? Drowning in ugly thoughts, sleepless nights, bitterness . . . hatred maybe?

When something bad happens, you have three choices:
You can let it define you,
let it destroy you,
or let it strengthen you.

When you allow yourself to move past the deception of thinking someone else could be responsible for ruining your life … it’s then you’ll be allowing God to step in and begin healing. I know that to be true.

God’s desire is for you to live free. He sacrificed for your freedom. It’s a gift. Take it!

Think about this truth friends … one becomes a slave to their choices. If you choose to think someone else has ruined your life, you become a slave to that thought. And you’ll never allow yourself to move past it.

Can I encourage you to believe that you, and you alone* are responsible for the ending to your story?

*disclaimer :: you and God :)

Posted in inspiration, quote

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good morning!

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does anybody hear her?

These are the current words of my heart.  And I know for sure I’ve got two daughters living these words right now.

Moving to a new place is something I’ll never take for granted again.  Both when someone I know moves, or when I meet {or hear of} someone new to my own town.

I know three of the five of us are feeling quite lonely these days.  For me, it’s okay … for the most part.  I’ll feel much more satisfaction knowing and seeing my girls form friendships, than I would for myself to make friends.  But I have to admit, when I see girlfriends having coffee, or sitting at lunch with freshly painted toes {pedicure slippers still on}, I can’t help but feel twinges of loneliness.

My heart though, hurts mostly for my girls.  I’m so desperate for them, I actually asked a babysitter if she would mind if Taylor facebook friended her and maybe they could hang out.  Embarrass much?

And then just when I think there’s light at the end of the dark tunnel … playdates for my girls … a sad, sad situation occurs that I’m still praying over.  It broke my heart and left me reeling.  And honestly … I’m pretty sure that I’m feeling the rejection more than my girl is … but man-oh-man, it just seems unfair.  Not right.  But let’s just say it’s given me the title for a new chapter “Google, God, and Me.”  I naively thought we could start fresh with our move … but that wasn’t the case.  Apparently the baggage follows.

And it’s left me thinking … how can we judge others?  How can we?  Before we even get to know someone, or their situation?  It’s just not right.

If we are to be His hands and feet … we need to reach out.  To embrace.  To care.

All it takes is one act of kindness.  Just one act.  To take someone in one direction or the other.  I believe we’ll have to answer someday as to which direction we pointed people in.  I know when I see the “big picture playback” of my life … I want to see happy, loved, embraced and included people.  I don’t want to see people that I passed by, or turned away.

Lord, help me to see the broken-hearted.  Give me your eyes to see.  Your ears to hear.  Your heart to love.

Does Anybody Hear Her
:: Casting Crowns ::

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying
But the canyon’s ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She’s another two years older
And she’s three more steps behind

:: chorus ::
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even knows she’s going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

She is yearning
For shelter and affection
That she never found at home
She is searching
For a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away

:: chorus ::

If judgement looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can’t see past her scarlet letter
And we never even met her …

:: chorus ::

He is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction

Posted in family thoughts, music, quote

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