CHANGE.

Change. 

Change is necessary – it’s just a part of this life.

Most people would say they want change in their lives. They want circumstances to change, people to change, the world to change… And it seems it rarely occurs to us that instead we sometimes need to change.

The truth is, we probably have a lot more to do with change happening than we actually accept to realize. We can’t keep doing things the way we have always done them and hope or expect to get a different result.

Many times, I have tried and tried to make things in my life change and didn't get much of anywhere. I would read my scriptures and try. I would go to church and hear a great message and try. After trying so hard and feeling exhausted all the time, I felt as if I was getting no where. I just felt like giving up altogether. I soon came to realize what the problem actually was. I was “trying” in my own strength, and not relying on the help and strength that I needed from God. Not only the help and strength I needed from Him, but His will and calling for my life and not my own. I was the one trying to make things work out when He already had it all planned and set right in place for me all along. 

Change Your Life

I’ve discovered that things in your life will change when you first change your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world…but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and the perfect will of God…” 

When we change our minds and put God first with all the things in our life, everything seems to fall right into place.

How do we renew our mind? With God's word. It is full of life and has power to change us. When I read my scriptures, I feel comforted, at peace, happy, joyful, and have found many answers to my prayers from is pages. We shouldn't just read it just to read it though. We should be studying and meditating on His words daily and trying our best to apply it in our lives.

I am so thankful to God for the knowledge that I have. I can tell you that it didn't happen overnight though. Today I am continuing to learn and years from now I will still be learning. I love that! Gods word is always alive and so powerful (Hebrews 4:12)

Meditating

Part of studying is meditating – rolling something over and over in your mind or pondering it. If you know how to worry (which I know how to do alot), then you know how to meditate. It’s usually not hard to meditate on a problem all day long, if you let yourself. 

We don’t really know how messed up our thinking is until we study God’s Word and realize what we should be thinking. His words are like a mirror – it shows us the way we should be and the way we are. 

What have you been thinking about lately? Take a moment to stop and think about what you have been thinking about and then try and refocus your mind to start thinking about what you should be thinking about.

You can change. Everything is subject to change except God Himself.

We have to stop wasting our time and energy by saying and thinking, “My life is never going to change. My finances are never going to change. My marriage and children will never change…etc.”

Start speaking and thinking about what Gods words says: “All things are possible with God. And I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” 

Try to think about good things so there’s no room for any of the bad things. 

Be hopeful, be trusting, be prayerful, be diligent, and most importantly... be thankful.

I want God to change me. I want Him to use me to change anything in the world that He wants to use me for. I believe that He can change anything – me, my circumstances, my family, my marriage, my finances – there’s nothing He cannot change. I know change won’t be easy at times, but I’m committed to be where He want me to be at all times. 

I know that He can also and wants to do the same thing for you too. Look to Him.

Day 8: A Piece of Advice You Have For Others

Here we are..Day 8 of the Blog Everyday in May Challenge

Day 8: A Piece of Advice You Have For Others

This one came really easy to me because there are 

so many things I could and wanted to write about.

 This is what was on my heart....

Be YOU

You are a rare, you are one-of-a-kind, and you are a valuable and precious woman in the sight of God.

To help you learn how to be successful at being YOU, here are some tips that have helped me....

1. Speak good things about yourself. Declare what God’s Word says about you. For example, say to yourself, “I am the beautiful and righteous in the sigh of God. I am a wonderful daughter of God. God formed me with His own hand, He loves me, and God doesn’t make mistakes because he is perfect.”

2. Avoid comparing yourself with other women. God must love variety, or all of us wouldn’t look so different. He has created each of us differently right down to our fingertips. We can look to certain people as good examples to follow, but even then, good traits if duplicated will manifest differently through our individual personalities.

3. Focus on your potential instead of your limitations. Refuse to concentrate on your weaknesses except in an effort to turn them into strengths. Keep your flaws in perspective. People with a high level of confidence have just as many weaknesses as those without confidence, but they focus on their strengths instead of their weaknesses.

4. Learn to cope with criticism. If you dare to be different, you’ll have to expect some criticism. Going along with the crowd when you know in your heart that God is leading you in a different direction is one of the reasons women don’t succeed at being themselves. You won’t be comfortable in your own skin if you go against your own convictions.

You are a woman who is perfected and complete in Him. When you start to believe that, you will no longer feel that you are lacking anything or that there is anything wrong with you.

Remember this: God will never have you to be anyone other than yourself. Let NOW be your time to go forward and be set free from the torments of comparing yourself with others and trying to be someone you’re not. God is proud of who He made you to be!

Scriptures to Encourage You

Psalm 119:73
Your hands have made me, cunningly fashioned and established me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

Psalm 139:13-18
For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, [could I count to the end] I would still be with You.

Romans 5:5
Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

1 Corinthians 8:3
But if one loves God truly [with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God [recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him].

2 Corinthians 5:21 
For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

Ephesians 1:6
[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace (unmerited favor), comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word.