We all experience times in our lives, when the sun seems to be hidden behind the hurt and pain we experience. Seems like lately, I have been going through one thing…only to come out of it and enter something new…and I’ll tell you…lately it has taken a toll on me; because it seems as though these moments that keep leading me from one bad moment to another; only attempts to play a game with the heart, until the heart can no longer keep up with all it’s had to experience…in such a short time.
You know…this week there has been a lot of pain and other chronic problems in this body of mine, which has made me even more tired than usual…and by today, I was tempted to not come on here; but then that still small voice of God came to me and spoke softly to my heart and said… “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” (Psalm 42:5)
You know…I think that the overwhelming moments of life can take us so low; that we no longer see the rays of hope that once kept us moving forward in life. In fact…from my own experience, I have come to see that we can go so low; that it’s almost impossible to get back to where we once were with God and even life itself; but today, my God is encouraging us all, by saying that we don’t have to remain in the lowest part of life; but rather, we can take our thoughts away from these despairing moments and find hope in a God, who will always remain greater than what we’re facing.
The thing I’m thinking of right now; is that some of you may be asking…how do I find the strength to rise again and be made whole, when the weight of my situation wants to keep me down? You know…thoughts like these take me back to a time in my life, when a circumstance had placed me on…what seemed to be the steepest step ever in life. The feelings that overwhelmed me at the time, made it seem as if I would never get above those moments and make it to the next step…but I eventually did…and that was because I quit trying to make it work for myself. Instead of trying to make it on my own, I cried out to God…and from there, He came and personally lifted me up to the next step and aimed me in a direction that could walk me away from those past moments of despair.
I guess that sometimes…when one thing after another keeps attempting to bring us low, we need to ask ourselves this question….”Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God…” In other words…why are we allowing these moments to steal our joy and take us to a place where we don’t belong, when there is a God that is greater than these moments that we’re facing?
As we close our time together, may I encourage you to also take life one step at a time? I know personally; that when we get out of sync with God; then Satan does have a way of stepping in and twisting everything, into what seems to be the most impossible moments to escape.
As we begin another new day together, my prayer is that we will have the strength to remove our eyes, from what Satan is attempting to deceive us with…that we may always remember…that a hope stands before us…one that will always be greater than the circumstance.
Have a very special day…and may the God of peace…strength and goodness be with you always! Take care and I will hope to be with you again real soon!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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Hello everyone…and a very happy Friday to you all! Just think…we made it through another week…and I don’t know about you; but that is truly a blessing to my heart!
You know…I just wonder how often we focus on the blessings that have been given to us by God. I remember one night…after spending some time with God; that I laid my exhausted body down to sleep. As my head hit the pillow, I began to see the blessings that surrounded me, through all the pain and tiredness that I was experiencing…and from there, I began to count each blessing out loud before God. Maybe the pain was there…and maybe the tiredness had overtaken my body that night…but the blessings that surrounded me at that moment, was what actually drew me closer to God, rather than what I was facing at the time.
Earlier, I was looking through some scriptures, for just the right verse that would portray what was on my heart today…and as I sought God’s word, He led me to a beautiful scripture in Proverbs 10:22 and we read… “The Lord’s blessing is our greatest wealth. All our work adds nothing to it!” In other words…God’s blessings make life rich and complete. Do we even realize how miserable we make ourselves, while living needless moments of suffering…all because we bypass the blessings in life, to focus on the worst that may never even happen?
You know…we need to realize that when we count our problems and even the symptoms of our problems…more than the blessings that surround us; that we are unknowingly opening the back door of our hearts…where Satan has free reign, to store up even more despair within the heart.
As I was sitting in my living room earlier…thinking on this writing; God actually helped me to see that counting our blessings is actually a form of faith that helps us to head towards a greater heart of expectation…one that is focused more on what God can do, rather than where our problems could be leading us. Just think on what life would be like, if only we would follow after our blessings, rather than our distresses.
One thing I am learning through some very difficult times right now; is that counting every little thing that goes wrong, only allows more things to go wrong. In fact…it was just yesterday morning; that I was reminded of this…and I’m learning more and more, to not let one bad moment create even more bad moments in my day.
You know…life is actually easy, when we stop and think about it…because of what Christ has done for us; but it is us who choose to take a detour off the beaten path…one that only festers with time, while leading us deeper and deeper into more despair. Just think on what could happen, if we would only look for one good thing in our day. Maybe that one thing…no matter how big or small, could possibly lead us to another blessing…and then another blessing. I don’t know about you; but I have come to truly see within my own life; that a blessing doesn’t have to be something big and rare, to feel like a blessing; but rather, the blessings that mean the most to me, are the things that God gives me, to make life easier and more complete.
No matter what you’re facing…and no matter how difficult life may be, may I encourage you to look around you for a blessing…and one thing I know…when you find something; then you will want to look for even more blessings…and before you know it, you will no longer be viewing your problem, in the way you once did; but rather, glimpses of hope will begin to brighten the path before you, as you continue to count your blessings, rather than your problems.
Have a very special day...and I will hope to be with you again real soon!
Many…many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
 
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Hello everyone…and welcome back today, to “Writing thru Affliction”…thru the Risen Hope Ministries! It’s so good to be back with you…and yes, I did survive the grocery shopping yesterday...and praise God for that!
Lately I’ve been thinking on how God has brought me through so much in my life…and how did I survive a lifetime of pain and heartache? I came to see that I had actually allowed the problems I faced, to nudge me in God’s direction. I truly believe that when we let the problem push us in God’s direction, as a means of needing Him more and depending on Him more; then we are less likely to take the problem by the hand and allow it to pull us further along into deeper despair.
Yesterday, as I was out shopping…life just seemed so different, as people were keeping themselves distant from each other, while wearing masks and gloves, as a means of protecting themselves from the Coronavirus. Not only did I see changes on the outward appearance; but also on the faces of people, who have endured this different way of life, for so many weeks now.
You know…sometimes, moments like these can actually take such a toll on a person; that before they realize it…they have given up on the thought that life could ever come back to normal again. In fact…this is what I was talking about with the taxi driver yesterday…as I was saying that we just may get so used to this way of life; that when it is all over…we may find it difficult to remember what life once was.
Anyways…what I really want to say today; is that we can find it so easy to just let moments such as these push us around emotionally, rather than pushing our way through them. A very favorite Bible verse of mine is found in Psalm 18:29, which reads… “For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.”
I will never forget the first time I read this verse. It was a time in my life, when I was recovering from one of many knee surgeries. As I sat in our living room, I had truly come to the end of my rope…and through those broken moments, God brought this verse to me…and as I read it several times, I began to feel hope once more…and I also began to see that I was actually allowing these broken moments in my life to push me around and dictate my way of thinking.
One thing I truly love about King David in the Bible; is that he never went into battle alone; but rather, he took the Lord of Hosts with Him…and he truly came to see that it wasn’t his sword or shield…or anything of himself that saved him; but rather, it was the power of a mighty God that had went into battle with him….a God that gave him the strength to push his way through the enemies that once surrounded him.
Maybe life isn’t always the way we like it to be; but that doesn’t mean that we should allow these moments to push us around, while allowing them to dictate our lives; but rather, we should be calling on the Lord of Hosts…a mighty God; that can help us push our way through these tough moments of life. One thing I know for sure; is that when we invite God into these despairing moments; then we will quickly come to see that we can get through anything that life may bring our way.
As you walk through this brand new day…remember one thing; take God with you and don’t allow the feelings and hurts of this life to override you; but rather, allow them to nudge you closer to God…where you can fall into arms that will hold you safe and bring peace, until this battle has reached its end.
Have a great day…and may God’s peace and strength be with you! See ya soon!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
 
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​Hello everyone…and a “Happy Wednesday” to you all! I sure hope that your day is going well…and that you are doing well too!
Actually, I am writing you during my Tuesday evening, as Wednesday morning is the time that I go grocery shopping. Keith and I try to plan our shopping now, so we don’t have to go as often…especially since my legs haven’t been doing the best.
Anyways…I had something planned to share with you today; but I thought that I would just relax and shoot the breeze with you and then share something special with you tomorrow. You know…it’s not very often that I just sit here and write off the top of my head. Usually God and I have something planned; but you know…I’m enjoying this tonight…this is really nice and relaxing.
What a beautiful Tuesday evening it is! As I sit here on my daybed and look outside my office window, I am truly enjoying a beautiful sunset.  The squirrels have now left the yard, to go and rest in their own little homes, while the birds have also left for the night too. It’s hard to believe that the grass is greening up and the leaves on the trees are about to open. Even to this day…it amazes me, as to how a small bud on a tree can open into such a big maple leaf. As I’ve been thinking on this…maybe this is just what we all need, during these difficult days we’re living in. In other words…maybe we need to get our focus away from the Coronavirus for a while and just find something beautiful that can once more bring springtime back into our hearts.
As I have been enjoying my beautiful view out the window this evening, I’ve also been thinking on the different seasons of the year. You know…it’s so hard to believe that we have already entered spring, with summer just around the corner. Time seems to go so fast, except for the moments when life seems to be the most difficult. Moments such as these can make us feel as if time has stood still, while the problems that surround us seem never ending.
Today, I would like to encourage you to not give up; with all that is happening around you; but to know that God has a season for everything, just as He has created different seasons of the year…for different reasons.  In Ecclesiastes 3:1, God has given us a reminder of this, which reads… “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
You know…it’s so easy to feel stuck in one season, as though that is the only season we will ever experience. Believe me when I say; that I have felt that many times in my life; but each one of these experiences has become a reminder to me that seasons do change.
This season of the Coronavirus can seem never ending…and many can even become so caught up into what is taking place; that before they realize it, they begin to feel stuck in a season that never seems to change with time; but when we can remember who controls each season of our lives…which is Jesus Christ; then hope will override what is taking place around us.
As I continue to sit here this evening and watch the sun set, I am being reminded that just as the sun rose this morning…the sun will set and lead us into a new dawn…one that is filled and purposed with new experiences and possibilities; so hang onto these thoughts and let them be strength for you…a strength that can carry you through this rough season.
As I prepare to go to bed in a couple hours, I’m not focusing on what happened in my day; but I’m already anticipating a new beginning…a time when God once more begins something new; so look for the newness in your day too, rather than what took place in your yesterday…and this will give you hope; that even though the seasons in your life may be slowly changing…they are changing.
Have a great day everyone…and I will look forward to another visit with you tomorrow!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane

Hello everyone…and how are you doing today? It’s so good to be back with you once more! As some of you may have read on the blog…I took an extra day off because 2-3 days ago, I was really struggling with my health.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with me and the life that I have lived, for almost 61 years; I have been through multiple knee surgeries, due to a congenital problem from birth, along with counseling for sexual abuse and a dysfunctional home life…and I’ve also experienced much loss, including the loss of children. I guess that I can say that most of my life was taken away from me; that I may truly win Christ in my life and serve Him, as a means of encouraging others who are feeling hopeless.
Anyways…as a young girl, I pretty much sat on the sidelines of life, as the doctors restricted me more and more, from a lot of the activities that other kids my age were doing. In fact…it became a world of my own, where I continually lived out moments of loss…pain and deep heartache.
Well…lately my legs have been experiencing much more struggle…and the things I once used to do…even 2 years ago, have now become very difficult to do at times. It appears as though the legs and feet are deteriorating, along with some of the muscles. You know…when I was a young girl…life was difficult, with all I had to face; but never did I think that these problems could grow worse with time. For many years, I believed, with all that was within me; that God would heal and even make my legs into something brand new; but that never happened. It was one day; that I finally came to accept that God had a reason and purpose for it all; so instead of begging and begging Him to heal me, I just let go and began to trust Him, for one day at a time…that was until several days ago. I guess that I had just become so overwhelmed by the pain and tiredness…and even the struggle to walk; that my mind began to go back to my youth…thinking that more of my life was slowly leaving me, which is not always easy…especially since I love life so much.
I would say that it was this past Saturday, when the weight of everything began to make me feel as if I was struggling to keep my head above the troubled waters that were surrounding me at the time. In fact…it got so overwhelmingly out of control; that I could barely talk with God. It just seemed like I was climbing the steepest mountain, with a burden that was truly attempting to take me down to the ground for good.
I would say that it was Sunday evening, when I was able to finally get alone with God. For the longest time, I didn’t have any words to say…I just sat there, staring out the window.  Even in the midst of such brokenness, it was God that began to speak through all the rubble that had fallen deep within my heart…and these were the words He gave me… “For every difficult climb we overcome; we gain even more, than what we had before the climb began.” Instantly, I began to see how God sees our brokenness, in comparison to ourselves…for when we see nothing good, through these darkened moments of our lives; He’s already seeing and experiencing the sunshine that awaits us, at the end of the storm. From that moment on, I began to see little glimpses of light…breaking through the shattered pieces that were lying deep within the heart…and with time; God did bring me back.
Later that evening, God led me to a few Bible verses in James 1:2-4…and we read… “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3) because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” You know…sometimes we just need a reminder, as to what can come out of these broken moments; for when we can know that there is a ray of sunshine at the end of the storm; then we will be able to once more lift our heads high and press on.
This past Saturday, I came to see what it was like to experience something that seemed so hopeless…as another part of my life is slowly leaving me; but on the other hand, I was shown by a powerful and loving God; that moments such as these aren’t meant for no reason at all; but rather, to serve a purpose…and the purpose behind these moments of loss and affliction within my own life, are meant to allow me to learn and grow even more, while becoming even stronger than before. In serving this purpose, I am now able to pass this same hope along to you and others in need.
You know…loss is not always an easy thing to deal with; but when we can see how we can gain so much more, than what the loss once meant to us; then we will be able to move on and serve the purpose, for which God created us to be.
No matter what you may be experiencing within your own life…never give up; but rather, seek God with all your heart…and one thing I know; He will exchange these broken moments in your life, with a purpose…one that can change your life…and the lives of others around you.
I truly pray right now that you will be able to see the good in this day…and that God would be very close to you in your day! Please take care and know that I am praying for you! See ya soon…and God bless!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane

​Hello everyone…I sure hope that your weekend is off to a great start! You know…it doesn’t matter what surrounds us at the time…only what lives within us that matters; so my prayer for all of us today; is that we will be able to see something good from the inside out…Amen!!
Yesterday afternoon, I was preparing a few things for this writing…and I just love doing that because moments like these connect me close to God…a place where I long to be, especially during times such as these.
Anyways, as I was thinking on the writing for today; I was also thinking on how every step we take truly represents a part of our life and what God has planned for us, as we go from one moment to the next…so when we hurry ahead of God; then we tend to miss the steps that could help us through other difficult steps ahead…while lagging behind could possibly keep us from reaching what we need for the moment. In other words…every step we take in life counts for something…something that unfolds a part of God’s plan within our lives.
There’s a Bible verse in Ecclesiastes 3:11; that has truly meant a lot to me over the years and we read… “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
What is so amazing about this Bible verse; is that God has already set eternity within each of our hearts, which means that He has had everything planned out for us, from the very beginning. Just think…He knows everything about us, from beginning to end…and He does long to take the ugly moments of life and make them into something beautiful; but how will we ever know what He’s up to…or how will we ever experience these moments, if we are rushing ahead of Him or lagging behind Him?
One thing about rushing ahead of God; is that we seem to get in too big of a hurry, as we want the answers to our problems right now; where on the other hand…lagging behind can become a form of giving up or losing faith and hope in what God can truly accomplish. We need to realize that life will only fall into place, when we remain in sync with the One who holds the pieces to our lives…the pieces that can be used, to fix what’s been broken.
You know…as I have been sitting here writing, I have been wondering if we are just thinking too much on what is going on around us, rather than focusing on where God longs to take us in life…through these troubled times. Don’t we realize that God already knows the steps that we’re about to take and where they will lead us? Life can be so much easier, when we just take each step through life, as God leaves the footprints behind, for us to step into.  
Today, can you say that you have rushed ahead of God unknowingly…as you are in a hurry for a cure, to whatever is ailing you; or are you the one who is tired of what is happening around you…to the place where each small footstep has caused you to lag behind. No matter where you are in life right now, may I encourage you to get back in sync with God and let Him walk you through these difficult times? One thing I know for sure…He will never leave you or forsake you; but instead, He will always work with you, to make all things beautiful in your life once more…and how does that happen…when we are willing to take life one step at a time with God.
Have a nice weekend…and know that God loves you so much…more than you will ever know!
See ya soon and I pray many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane

​Hello everyone! Well another new day stands before us…one that gives us the greatest opportunity to experience Jesus…and oh how I praise Him for that…Amen!!
The other night, I was sitting here in my office…thinking not only on the difficult times that surround us right now; but also, on how I could have never made it through my own difficult times without Jesus.
You know…life can seem so hard and very difficult to get through at times; but could you ever imagine going through these hard times without Jesus. From my own past experiences, I truly believe that it would be like walking through an endless day of darkness, with no sunshine in sight.
As I was looking for a special Bible verse that would go along with this writing; God kept leading me to one verse and that Bible verse is found in John 14:6, which reads… “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
One thing God taught me through this Bible verse; is how He is truly the way that leads us away from darkness…and the truth that keeps us free from the deceptive lies that Satan attempts to use against us, while being the life that truly breathes new life within us.  Now how are we ever going to escape darkness…deception and a life that is attempting to bring us down to nothing, if we don’t have Jesus to be all we need and more?
After recovering from multiple knee surgeries…counseling for sexual abuse and the loss of many things in my life; these are the words that truly connected me heart to heart with God… “Breathe on me, “Oh Spirit”…to heal every hurting part; to make my life in tune with yours; so You can speak to my heart. So nothing is there but You and me…to have your perfect peace; as the dark places in my heart, pull away in sweet release. Then as Your breath pulls away, the darkness shall with it go; and my heart shall be brand new, with more love than I could ever know.”
Oh how we need Jesus…especially during these troubled times! We need Him to breathe upon us and give us the wisdom that can keep us away from the path that Satan so longs to walk us down; but if we don’t have Him there…life is only going to become a darkened path…that gets darker with time.
When God gave me this poem many years back, I began to see how His presence alone could be like a strong magnet…one that could pull out all the hurt and darkness; that I could never even begin to rid myself of.
We need to realize today that the evil that is rampaging around us; is not as powerful as the power of God…but look at it this way; when we don’t have the power of God in our lives…surrounding us and sustaining us through these troubled times; then we will only experience what we see, as a power like no other…a power that comes from Satan.
Every day of our lives, we need the power of God surrounding us and shielding us, from these evil and deceptive moments that attempt to take us down and have control over our lives…and the only way that’s going to happen; is when we allow God to reign above the powerful forms of evil and darkness…for when we allow God to reign above every other thing in our lives; that is when His breath alone will pull away the darkness from our lives, while allowing us to experience a heart brand new…one with more love than we could ever have known.
As you walk through your day, may I encourage you to shun evil and turn in the direction of Jesus…and allow Him to show you the way that can lead you away from the darkened moments in your life, while speaking truth to you…a truth that can keep you free from deception, while breathing new life within you…a life that can become stronger…and a life that will be able to weather the storms that come your way.
I don’t know about you; but after all I have walked through in this life of mine, I could never imagine walking through the hard times without Jesus. If you are attempting to walk through life alone, may I encourage you to turn to Jesus; for He will be everything you need, during a time of need.
Have a very special day…and I will hope to be with you soon! Take care…and many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane

​Hello everyone…and how is your day going? As for me, I’ve just been sitting here in my office…surrounded by the presence of One I love so much…and what a comfort to know that He is always near, especially during times like these…Amen!
You know…I just wonder how many of us have convinced ourselves that there is no reason to continue on right now.  It seems as though we are surrounded by so much hurt in this world, which can cause us to think that nothing will ever change…only worsen with time.
During times such as these, we can feel so alone or even find it difficult to find someone who will listen to us and care for the need of our hearts…especially since we all seem to be in the same boat, when it comes to what is taking place around us.
The thing that truly helps me through these difficult times; is knowing that Jesus is only a prayer away; and while facing times such as these, all I have to do is sit and have a good talk with Him…for I know that He will listen...and not only listen; but He will always remain a heartbeat away from me…reading every feeling and thought that may be etched upon my heart.
While preparing to write you today, I was looking through some Bible verses online and I came across one in Isaiah 58:9a, which reads… “Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” Now…do you know of anyone, who would be willing to react to your needs…night or day, in the way that the Lord is conveying Himself to us through this Bible verse?
You know…there was a time in my life, when I would make Jesus my last resort. It seemed like I had to try everything on my own, to resolve the problems that came my way. Once I found out that I was not the remedy to the problem; then I would fall apart, with no hope to cling to…that is, until I found myself crying out for the Lord’s help.
So many times, we tend to go through a situation; that only seems to point us in the direction of no hope. All we see at the time; is how the problem is growing with intensity and no end in sight…and from there, we find ourselves convinced that nothing will ever turn around for the good…and that is only because we are looking through our own man made eyes…eyes that can only go as far as the problem that’s standing before us. Once we are willing to turn to the One who can take us beyond the problem…to see what can come out of these problems; then that is when hope will come alive again within us.
So many times, we forget that Jesus is as near, as a prayer will take us. There have been many times, while in pain; that I have come into my office and felt relief…just knowing that I could come and lay every broken moment before Him.
You know…life can be a lot easier than what it actually appears to be, when we find ourselves willing to let go of everything and connect deeply with Jesus, rather than the problem; for when we connect with what is hurting us; we only find ourselves within the muck and mire of that despair, which only takes down a road of no hope; but when we can rise above the things that are being conveyed to us through the problem; then we find ourselves in a realm of peace…a peace that reassures us that we are being cared for, which helps us to continue on.
Maybe today, you are looking out into what seems to be one of the darkest moments of your life…one that has made you feel so alone…and only well acquainted with what is going on around you. May I encourage you to call out to Jesus…for one thing I can say without a doubt; is that He will pull up a chair within the heart and listen to your every need. Just think…you don’t have to get in your car and travel a long distance to find Jesus…or you don’t have to pay for a long distance phone call…from earth to heaven; but rather, all you have to do is speak His name…and one thing I know…He will come and say… “Here am I.” Remember…no matter how lonely this world makes you feel…or no matter how lonely the things you experience in this world makes you feel…you are never alone; for Jesus is only a prayer away.
Have a very special day…take care and I will hope to be with you again real soon!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane

Hello everyone…I pray that you are having a nice day…and that even more; you are feeling the presence of God close by, as you take each step through this brand new day!
You know…while living in these strange and unusual times; it’s so easy to get ahead of ourselves and even God. The fear that strickens our hearts and the anxiety that fills us to overflowing, can make our thoughts jump into days that haven’t even been created yet…which only leads us down a narrow path, with all kinds of uncertainties.
Before we continue on, I would like to share a Bible verse with you from Matthew 6:34, which reads… “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
I can pretty much tell you why we are overwhelmed in life and why anxiety seems to reign within us…and that is because we are trying to live in too many days…and in too many thoughts at a time. The thing that helped me to see this within my own life; is when I began to think on what it must be like, to live in days or even moments that God hasn’t created. Don’t we realize that uncreated moments…you know, those moments that we tend to worry about, are only darkness right now; so when we choose to skip ahead and allow our thoughts or the things that are happening around us, to convince us of the very worst; then we exchange a heart of faith, for a heart of fear. Another thing that can happen; is that these moments of deep thought and worry, may just be setting us up for what we feel could possibly go wrong, by actually thinking them into existence.
In Matthew 6:34, it says that “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” In other words…we have enough to deal with in one day, so we should not even try to jump into other days; for by doing so…we are just setting ourselves up for a fall.
One thing that has truly helped me lately…especially with all that has been going on around me; is to just get up each day and invite Jesus into my day…and from there, just let Him do the leading…one moment at a time. I have come to see that when I just follow His lead; then my mind is more relaxed and it seems as if all I experience; is His perfect and loving peace surrounding me.
You know…with all that is happening right now…I have to admit that we can find our thoughts in moments of imagination; but this is not the time to remain there; for Satan will only take those thoughts and fill in the blanks, which will only take us down a detour road that leads us into more confusion, fear, doubt and some unsettled feelings; that only seems to make matters much worse.
I think that if we could just get up each day and give the day completely to Jesus; then He would show us every hidden part of the day…moments that can truly bring more of Him into our lives, rather than everything that is attempting to bring us low.
As we close our time together, may I encourage you to just think on each moment as it comes and let God worry about your tomorrows. In this way, the troubles that surround you, will take on a different view…a view that can assure you that everything will be alright.
Have a very blessed day…take good care…and also know that God is only a prayer away! See ya soon!
Many…many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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​Hello everyone…and how is your day going? You know…the other day, as I was sitting in my office…thinking on some things; God gave me a title for a writing and little did I know that I would live out this writing, even before putting one word on the page.
I don’t know what I have been going through lately; but I’ve been living with a little more pain and tiredness than usual, which always seems to make the day go a little rougher. In fact…it seemed as if everything I tried to put my hands to do went sour. I’ve had days like these before; but not like this.
One thing God was reminding me of...through it all; was that each day would be a new beginning…a time when I could let go of my yesterday, to take hold of something brand new.
You know…we all have days such as these; where nothing seems to fall into place and by the end of the day, we feel as if nothing was accomplished, which can make the day seem even worse. Now if we continue to focus on every little thing that went wrong throughout the day, without realizing that tomorrow could give us a brand new start; then what we faced today could actually spill over into our tomorrow.
There is a Bible verse that can help us all during times like these and it’s found in 2 Corinthians 4:16…and we read… “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
There is one thing that I have come to see and experience, while facing an unsettled day...and that is how the day can make me feel at times, as though I am wasting away…and I don’t know about you; but I can feel so bad at times…that I tend to forget that it’s God, who is at work within me…renewing me and preparing me for another new day, which is actually a good piece of hope to take hold of, during times such as these.
Right now, as we are facing unsettled days; we can feel as if we will never experience another normal day again.  In fact…the way we feel on the outside can cause us to lose heart; but may I encourage you today, by saying that even though we may feel as if we are slowly wasting away, due to this unsettled lifestyle; God is there and He is truly at work within us…preparing us for another new beginning.
Quite some time back, I had experienced one of the worst days…and I mean one of the worst days. It seemed that everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Later in the day, I went into my office and sat on my daybed and just stared straight ahead. After I had poured myself out to Jesus, I sat there and said to myself… “Diane, it’s going to be alright…tomorrow’s another new day”…and you know what? I not only slept well that night; but the next day was a much better day.
You know…I think that sometimes the day can seem so overwhelming; that all we can see is what is standing before us at the time; but just like me…we need to slow down…gather our thoughts together and praise God for another new tomorrow…one where we can start the day brand new.
No matter what may be going on in your life right now…and no matter how difficult life may seem; may I encourage you to let go of it all…and once you let go of everything that has been on your mind and in your heart; God will take hold of you and while you rest; He will be at work…renewing you and preparing you for a new tomorrow…one, where you can begin again and experience something directly, from His heart to yours.
Have a great day everyone! Take good care of yourself and remember that Jesus loves you and is with you always, especially during these difficult times!
See ya soon & God bless!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane