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Faith and Mental Health

Faith and Mental Health

Hey sweet friends! My name is Marisa, and I am a graduate student studying clinical mental health counseling. It is an honor to spend this moment with you in this space, together in faith & in truth.

Today I will share with you what mental health is, what mental illness is, what scripture says about mental health, and I will share a short version of my testimony to faith and mental health. 

So let’s dive right in! What is mental health?

Mental health includes our spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being. 

Our spiritual health is our mental health.

Our emotional health is our mental health.

Our physical health is our mental health.

Our intellectual health is our mental health.

When one of the four lifestyles is neglected or overlooked, it affects our mental health and can allow other lifestyles to plummet if we are not constantly aware of how we are taking care of ourselves.

Can you think back to a time when this can be relatable?

Maybe there was a time when you reacted automatically with emotion, or times when you did not read your Bible because you kept forgetting, or you stopped physical activity because you were too busy.

If so, think about how this affects your mental well-being.

On our next topic:

What is mental illness?

Mental illness refers to all diagnoseable mental disorders. These are significant changes in thinking, emotions, behavior, and severe distress in problems that function in daily activities and interactions, such as work, relationships and family.

Mental illness is a condition that disables the state of mind. 

While mental health is the well-being of the mind.

It is important to know the differences in what mental health means and what mental illness means, because they mean different things. It is also important for us to know these differences to avoid assumptions about others or our own mental well-being.

My next topic is easily one of my favorites, because it brings another layer of understanding to our being and allows us to be freed from the truth.

Scripture in the Bible does not only contain good stories, it:

Is also about the traumas in life

Not always understanding the situation that you are in

What joy in suffering looks like

How we can overcome battles with God’s strength

How we each have purpose and meaning in life

How we were created

And this list goes on…

This is the book of life.

The Book of Psalms helps us relate to many of our emotions. Although David had a very close relationship with God, he faced hopelessness, joy, and the ups and downs of his emotions.

Psalm 23: 4 is our way of encouraging ourselves and others to trust God, even when we are in a dark place. Trust that he is walking with you through this darkness, even if you cannot see the light.

“Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.”

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 

Paul says, “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Your thoughts lose their power in fear when you bring it to light. Jesus wants us to share our darkest thoughts with Him so that He can find a way for the light. When your thoughts are bottled up, it gives your mind the vulnerability to ruminate about the thought (s) and can cause distress.

John 16:33 says:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

When we are in the presence of God, we have peace, but being of this world comes with tribulation. We will all face hardship throughout our lives because suffering is the human experience. If we have the strength of the Lord, we have a solid foundation on which to lean.

The quality of our mental health will fluctuate throughout our lives. We will not always be happy, joyful, brave or fearless, but we will also not always be sad. The Lord always offers us a way out. Out of our circumstances, from our situations, from our mess. The Lord has peace, love and comfort to offer you, because He has overcome the world.

He knows how you feel

Because He was betrayed too. 

He knows how you feel 

Because He was unfairly treated too.

He knows how you feel

Because He wasn’t liked by everyone too. 

God knows how you feel

Because He created you. 

I cling onto this verse for times of encouragement for my mental health:

Deuteronomy 30:11-16

11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.

14 The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so you may obey it.

15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

The topic of faith & mental health is something I am passionate about, because I have struggled so desperately with both. I will share a little back story about my testimony and how I got here, so that you can all see the magnification of the glory and hope of our Lord Jesus.

I have been struggling with my mental health for as long as I can remember. Can anyone else relate?

Prior to my relationship with Jesus, I was filled with anxiety and experienced waves of depression for years. I struggled with my identity, my self worth, body image, and attention. I felt like I was spiraling out of control. The struggle to heal from sexual, spiritual, and physical trauma had also led to depression and a hopeless outlook on life that brought forth a seemingly unshakeable darkness. I didn’t know who I was anymore, but good thing Jesus did.

3 years ago, I had an encounter with the Lord, which served as a significant influence in paving the way for me to get back on my feet. Just as I thought I was unworthy of receiving salvation, through the darkest nights, Jesus brought me life in all my sins, just as I was, needing a Savior to build me new and show me his love. I was not seeking Jesus prior to my encounter, but through Him, I am here today, living, breathing and eager to make a difference. Since that night, I have found a community in the Church, made amazing friends in small groups, continued my mental health journey, and created a completely new life of peace and joy.

By sharing my testimony, I would like to say that Jesus can take all your mess and make it so beautiful. I hope that after reading this, you can see how your mental health and faith coexist, and how important it is to look after your mind, body and soul with peace, love and safety from our Lord, Jesus.

Your Sister in Faith,

Marisa

BlueJeanSunday

When God Calls Us

When God Calls Us

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be called by God. I’m learning in a very real way that God’s calling isn’t always glamorous or easy. But to be commissioned by God, the Creator of the heavens and earth is so much bigger than ourselves, so of course, much will be required of us. In this blog post, I hope to share more on this and my prayer is that you will walk away feeling empowered and inspired to go after your God-given calling.

When God Calls Us, There Must Be Willingness

I believe a “yes” is the first response God is looking for when He calls us. Are we willing? Are we available? Many of us delay our yes, not because we don’t want to do what God has called us to do, but rather because we feel inadequate to do what the Lord has called us to do. But here’s the truth…if you’re feeling inadequate or not enough, you probably are. However, we don’t have to be adequate or enough to pursue God’s calling on our lives. Look at scripture. We see countless stories of God using people who don’t have it all together, people who didn’t have all their i’s dotted and t’s crossed; to name a few: Noah, David, Abraham, Peter, and Paul (plus many many more!) If you’re holding back because you feel broken, let me remind you that God would rather you give your broken “yes” than you give nothing at all. To be honest, oftentimes, my life feels like a series of broken yes’s to God:

“Yes, God, I’ll still worship even when I’m filled with doubts.”

“Yes, God, I’ll keep praying and reading Your word even when it’s hard.”

“Yes, God, I’ll keep giving even when I don’t have much to give.”

“Yes, God, I’ll keep moving towards the overlooked even when I feel overlooked myself.”

“Yes, God, I’ll still do it.” or “Yes, God, I’ll still go.”

Our inadequacies and “not enoughness” are precisely what makes us the best candidate for God to use us because, through us, His adequacy and enoughness can be glorified, and isn’t that what it’s all about, friends? God being glorified! Paul said it this way in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me.” ****Give Him your “yes”, friend, His grace will carry you through.

When God Calls Us, There Will Be Preparation

We love the quote “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called,” but we don’t like to talk much about the “equipping” **process. We don’t talk about it because the process isn’t usually pretty, and tends to come in a way we’d least expect it, like through a challenging season. The preparation is less like a manual and more like God allowing us to walk through hard seasons so we can come out on the other side refined. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying God is delighting in allowing pain in our lives or that something terrible must happen for God to prepare us. I am just reminding you that no season is ever wasted with the Lord and even our darkest seasons, the Lord can use for our good. My prayer is for us to come to a place where we fully surrender to the Lord and His plans for us, trusting that every closed door, every setback, every betrayal, every hurt, or whatever difficult situation we find ourselves in can be turned around for something beautiful in the end.

Look at Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own family and thrown into prison due to a false accusation, but in the end, Joseph found himself a ruler of Egypt. The enemy had plans to destroy Joseph, but God had plans to direct Joseph into a calling he probably would’ve never thought He’d walk in. Even Joseph said it in Genesis 50:20 when he was speaking to his brothers (the ones who betrayed him by selling him into slavery): “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Emphasis Added). I don’t know about you, but reading that fills me with so much joy. Surrender to Him, friends, knowing that all things will work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

When God Calls Us, There Will Be Sacrifice

Now, to the part, I struggle with the most…sacrifice. The calling of God will include sacrifice. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” “Giving up your own way” and “taking up your cross,” are references to sacrifice and pain. Sometimes, pursuing God’s calling looks more like loneliness, letting go of certain friendships and habits, or taking the focus off us and off building an image, influence, or platform for ourselves. I wrote this in my notes app recently: There’s a difference between a platform and the Kingdom of God, and sometimes, if we are not careful, we can end up a building platform in the name of building the kingdom of God. It’s easy, friends, very easy to switch the narrative and start making this all about ourselves. In the desire for support, we make people’s approval and opinions our idols, or when we use social media to spread the gospel, but hold more weight on the number of likes and shares, instead of the number of people who were encouraged by our posts. To follow God’s calling, there must be a commitment to die daily to ourselves. It’s just like John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” We won’t be perfect at this. We are human and God knows that. He will meet us in our shortcomings, but may we never forget (and always come back to) who this is all about: Jesus.

Like I shared earlier, the calling of God isn’t glamorous or easy but, friends, it is and will be worth it. Our broken yes’s are worth it. The refining seasons are worth it. The sacrifices are worth it. Even if we don’t see it now, we will see it then, when He says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Thank you so much for reading, friends! You are called. You are chosen. You were made for such a time as this. Now, let’s do this, all for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom!

Much love,

Your sister and friend,

Kimoya.

Kimoya Walker is a creative, dreamer, and encourager living right outside Atlanta, Georgia. She is currently pursuing her God-given dream as a photographer and multi-passionate creative. She loves serving in her local church in different capacities, but mostly in the creative and social media space. She has a passion for encouraging others in a real and honest way and championing others in their God-given callings and dreams. Some of her all-time favorite things are K-dramas, deep convos, making new friends, coffee shops, and chapsticks.

Choices

Choices

I’ve gone around and around about whether or not to post about the abortion debate going on in our country. I know how personal and emotional this issue is, and the internet can be a rough place to have hard conversations.

I have enormous compassion for women who have chosen abortions and know that had to have been a tough decision at an extremely difficult and uncertain time in your life. I hope you know how much you are loved by a God who sees you and was with you even then.

I have friends who think differently than I do about this issue, I love and respect them and am seeing their posts and hearing their passion on the other side than I am, so I decided it’s time I throw my thoughts into the arena.

I realize that me writing this could be risky. I won’t say it all right. People will disagree. I’ll likely write something that even my friends or followers on the pro-life side disagree with, too. That’s okay. It’s too important of a conversation to ignore or to just stay silent so here we go:

One of the things that deeply disturbs me right off the bat is the term “pro-choice”. I actually think it was a brilliant marketing decision. It implies that if you aren’t for abortion or “for choice”, then you are against women having the right to choose what happens to their bodies. And that is such a false narrative that I can’t help but speak out.

I 100% support a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body. I’m also incredibly thankful that there are a multitude of choices that are available to women in our day and age before and besides the choice to end the life inside her womb.

There are many choices in the form of birth control from condoms to spermicides, rings, gels, caps, diaphragms, the pill, shots and implants that can prevent pregnancy for anywhere from 3 months to 5 years, and IUD’s that work for up to 12 years. These are all readily available to women in the United States. You can walk into any drugstore and purchase many of these items without a prescription. If you don’t have the money to buy them, Medicaid, government programs and insurance covers the cost of the prescription. You can go to most Planned Parenthood’s around the country and they will help you get any of this for free.

I’m not letting men off the hook here. A man should always consider the consequences of his action to have unprotected sex. Condoms should always be the choice for protection from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Men should be equally responsible. Women you have the right and the power to demand a condom when having sex.

I also believe in the woman’s right over her own body to choose whether or not to have sex in the first place. I understand that there are circumstances of rape and incest that sadly take away this choice. The men who perpetrate those acts are the ones who don’t allow a woman to choose, not those on the side of pro-life.

Another choice is adoption. You will never hear me use the term, “she gave him up for adoption”. I say and hope we revise our wording to use the phrase “she chose adoption for him” because I believe that words do matter and adoption is a beautiful and heroic CHOICE that a woman can make for the baby she is carrying!

There are literally millions of parents on waiting lists to adopt babies in our country. Sources say right now in the US there are as many as 36 waiting families for every 1 baby placed for adoption Yes, there are children in our foster care system that need to be adopted and we need to do more for those children, as well. I’m a huge advocate for adoption through foster care.

There is also, of course, always the choice when an unplanned pregnancy happens to parent the baby. I know this is a major life change and a huge responsibility to take on a time in a woman’s life when she may not expect it or think she is able. However, the most unexpected things that happen in our lives are often the greatest gifts. I don’t know a single woman who after choosing to parent the child that came into her life even in the hardest of times would say I wish I’d made the choice to abort. I know many who say that their child was never in their plan but that life was in God’s plan and has been their greatest blessing. As heroic as birth mothers who choose adoption are, so are mothers who choose to parent when that wasn’t in their plan.

There is also this narrative that I’m seeing that people who are pro-life are only for keeping babies alive in the womb and then after they are born they don’t care. For the vast majority, I just don’t find that to be true. There are countless pregnancy centers in every state supporting women throughout their pregnancy and beyond with classes, diaper and formula needs, financial support and even day care for the first few years of life. And if adoption is the choice the mother makes, there are numerous organizations facilitating and funding adoptions.

I’m not saying there isn’t more that needs to be done. There always is! But I am saying that the belief that people who are against abortion don’t care about moms and babies after they are born is simply false. Are we doing enough? Im not claiming that we are, we can always do more. But do people who are pro-life care about life after birth? And are there people who love women and children who are working tirelessly to help support them? Absolutely!

In the end, I don’t believe the killing of babies in the womb should be legal in this country, and I don’t believe this is a woman’s rights issue. I believe it is a moral issue regarding the right to life. As I wrote the phrase “the killing of babies in the womb” I realize that is hard to read and almost deleted it and tried to soften it a bit, but I honestly don’t know another way to say what is happening in abortion. With ultrasounds and scientific advances coming this far, we know so much about life inside the womb. Yes these babies, or to use the scientific name fetuses, are dependent on a mother for life, but so are babies (scientific names: neonates, infants) outside the womb, dependent on another human to survive. I just can’t come to the conclusion that the right to end the life of another human being should ever be a right we afford in this country or any other.

I hope and pray you read these words and receive them with the love that I feel in writing them. And again if you have made the choice for abortion know that God loves you. He did then, and He does now. Life is precious, yours and mine, and so are the lives of these babies.

A Song for Mother’s Day

A Song for Mother’s Day

I confess I’m my happiest when I’m behind the scene. I have spent my life in the background, but there I was, lit up onstage.

It was June 12, 2021, the night before the K-LOVE Fan Awards, at a special event entitled “An Evening with the Smallbones.” There were a couple of thousand people in the audience (and more who would watch the filmed event later) who wanted an up-close look into our musical family, sometimes referred to as the “Australian von Trapps. We have been a touring family for the past twenty-seven years, with much of it in the spotlight in some way or another, including Grammy wins for three of our children.

It was a very sweet night, sharing a glimpse into our family dynamics. Then, when the cameras were turned off, our son Joel addressed the audience. He announced that he and Luke (their band is for KING & COUNTRY) had been writing a new album, and they wanted to premiere a song they had written for me: “Unsung Hero.”

The boys had first played the song for me on Mother’s Day a few weeks earlier. I could tell both Joel and Luke were proud of the piece and keen to see my reaction. They had written it from a deep place and were presenting it to me as a thank-you gift for being their mum. It was an honor I wholeheartedly accepted—not only for my years of hard work but for all those fellow mothers out there who pour their hearts into their families. Deep down, I believe every mum is an unsung hero. 

But on this night, as Joel introduced the song to the audience, I realized our son Ben had put together a video – one I had not seen on Mother’s Day. There were photos and videos of my parents; of David and me when we were dating; of us when we were married; and photos of the kids when they were small, right on up to Luke’s wedding day and for KING & COUNTRY performing onstage. When the music video concluded, there was not a dry eye in the place. It itook me back, flooding my mind with details of the journey God led me on from childhood in Australia to our family farm in Tennessee where we live now.

It’s been quite a journey, shaped by the testing and growing of my faith even as God led our family step by step toward a life “outside the box.” I never expected my life would unfold the way it has! Living outside the box is countercultural and has, without question, been a different path from the way the world says we are supposed to live. The expectation is that we are to graduate from high school, go to college, and get a job that takes us from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. five days a week. “Normal” people are expected to prepare for retirement, have medical and life insurance, get married, and buy a house. We are expected to set goals and, when we reach them, get awards and nice vacations. At my age—now sixty-six—we are supposed to retire and attend to our bucket list. 

We as Christians do this as well. We often create our own agendas and goals, then attach God’s name to them. We ask Him to bless our plans and efforts to live out what we want. I lived that way for many years. 

But after we left Australia, with six young children and one on the way, we were forced outside the box of normal. It is not the journey I would have chosen to live, but today I would not change anything about it. This journey led us into following God in ways I would not have thought possible. We have lived in the extraordinary, where we have had to rely on God to provide and where we have seen His hand actively working in and around us.

Our journey has been an amazing one, one we never would have planned for ourselves. There has been a lot of loss— at one point we lost everything. [CAN INSERT MORE DETAIL OR STORY HERE] Yet God has redeemed every one of those losses beyond what we could have hoped for or imagined, which is why Ephesians 3:20 is one of my favorite verses: “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” 

I look back on our family’s journey, and I see God’s hand everywhere. I see His phenomena. I see His faithfulness. He led our simple Australian family to the other side of the world, and has empowered us to do things we would never have thought possible. Our lives are a living testimony of believing God’s promises and trusting His timing and His ways—even when circumstances didn’t make sense and were not easy. He was always there. 

Part of my calling today is to encourage and challenge other mums to live differently— to get out of their box of “normal” expectations. God’s plans don’t look like the world’s definition of success, but they always include lasting, eternal purpose and value. They also include His presence, leading and guiding us into adventures and valleys we wouldn’t necessarily choose for ourselves. I believe God wants more of us living counterculturally, and it may even require going against “religious” traditions. But in choosing God’s ways, we will live in the miraculous! 

I know and fully believe that the faithfulness and favor God has shown me—shown our family—is the same faithfulness He shows to any person who commits their life to Him. It is my joy to invite other mums to step outside of the box and embrace God’s plans without fear or hesitation. When you do, His peace will carry you no matter what you face, the same way it has carried me.

Helen Smallbone is the mother of seven young adults and 13 grandchildren as well as the author of Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family. She is also the co-founder of MUMlife (mumlife.org) and co-host of the MUMlife Community Podcast. David and Helen Smallbone live outside of Nashville with a small menagerie of animals.

Striving and the Relief God Offers

Striving and the Relief God Offers

I have recently realized that I am a grade A “striver.” Yep…. I strive, hustle, work, and grind until the job is done. It’s a good quality most days, and one that has been rewarding. But recently God has helped me come to the realization that He desires so much more than our best human efforts.

Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of having a great work ethic. It is a valuable lesson and one that I hope to pass to my own kids. Becoming Miss Louisiana and training for Miss America was probably one of the greatest rewards I achieved through hard work. While training for Miss America, I would spend all day training, perfecting my talent, working on interview, and making appearances. The preparation was intense. I am a ballerina by trade and the process of perfecting my talent routine was called “maxing out.” I would do the routine full out, over and over until I physically could not get through it. This maxing out concept would get my endurance to a level that would make dancing look effortless when the time came to perform on the Miss America stage.

Training your body to max out is an intense but reliable process. It accomplished exactly what was expected. I could easily perform the routine making every leap, turn, and kick perfect without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, I have carried this concept into many other areas of my life that God never intended.

Why do we strive? Why do we “max out” our lives in an attempt to be the best at everything?  We are even deceived into thinking we can do more than one thing at a time excellently (multitasking) – but that’s not possible.  We do this to ourself because society has conditioned us to believe that success is only achieved through intense effort – striving to be the best.

What are you striving for? A job? To finish school? A husband? Kids? Do you strive in your prayer life? Strive in Kingdom work? Are you striving for relationships? Or, do you feel like you have to strive in all things just keep your life together (ME! This is me!)?

Here’s the deal… you don’t have to strive anymore. God gives you permission to stop. In fact, He gives you permission to rest. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to make things happen that may not be ordained by God. Hard work is good; it does in fact honor God to have a solid work ethic. But our striving was never meant to replace our trust in Him.

So how do we break this vicious cycle of intense pressure and, ultimately, doubt that manifests through our valiant efforts? How do we allow ourselves to work hard while also putting our trust whole-heartedly in God’s plan? God has given me a wakeup call in this area. I pray these words will meet you right where you are in your current temptation to strive. Here is what God so gracefully taught me:

    1. Stand firm in your faith.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV)

The Israelites had just been released by Pharaoh’s oppression and these were the words spoken by Moses as the Israelites cried out to God in fear. Pharaoh and his 600 chariots were racing towards them and they were trapped. The Red Sea was in front of them and the Egyptians were right behind them. In that moment Moses told them to “be still.”

I’m sure the Israelites might have thought, “Really? Pharoah’s entire army is headed towards us, and you want us to be still?” Instinct probably told them to prepare to fight. Grab your sword and pick up your shield and give it everything you have. Strive! Don’t rest. But God’s only command was to be still. He wasn’t going to let them strive their way through this. God was getting ready to do the impossible; they just needed to sit back and watch.

Just like the Israelites, you will eventually reach a point in your struggle where you feel trapped between the Red Sea and Pharoah’s army. You will want to pick up your weapons and fight or struggle your way through it. In these moments, God calls us to stand firm in our faith and watch Him work. That starts with the belief that God will work this out for you, even if He has to part the Red Sea. Relinquishing the temptation to strive your way through life begins with a strong foundation of faith and knowing that God will fight for you. 

    2. Replace task with devotion.

If you can relate to being a striver, then odds are you are also extremely task-oriented. Martha was one of those task-oriented characters in the Bible. I have a feeling she and I would have been great friends…maybe fellow strivers. You know the story: Mary and Martha were sisters that opened their home to Jesus. While Jesus was visiting, Martha gets obviously frustrated while making all the preparations because her sister was not helping. I too would have been totally annoyed by this. Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus instead. But here is what Jesus said: “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42 NIV). Jesus desires to spend time with us. Martha had focused on doing all the things for Jesus while Mary intended to be with Jesus. Martha had put task before devotion. I know that many times our efforts come from a truly genuine place in our heart, but sitting at the feet of Jesus is the posture in which our relief is realized. You can do all the tasks and check off all the lists, but the fulfillment you are actually looking for can only be found in Jesus. 

I have recently been caught striving in ministry opportunities. I currently serve in my local church as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator and have a personal ministry to bring people to God’s word through the shared interest of sports. I truly want to serve God in as many areas as possible. I thought if I prayed hard enough, worked hard enough, or was more dedicated that maybe God would open the door of opportunity. But God kindly showed me that even striving in ministry should never outweigh our devotion and trust in Him. 

    3. Redirect your prayer life. 

Chances are, if you are in a season of striving, then you are also pouring your heart out to God in prayer as well. I know this sounds counterproductive, but it’s time to redirect your prayer life. When your prayers are consumed with the one thing you are striving for, you have lost the true reason for prayer. If the struggle takes the place of thanksgiving, repentance and praying for the Father’s will, it’s time to refocus your prayer. 

In my recent struggle, I had poured out my heart to God. He knew exactly where I stood and what my heart desired. So, in these moments, I made space in my prayer life for others’ needs, for repentance, and gratitude, and my children and husband. I laid it before Him and ultimately learned to trust His timing and will. And you know what?? God moved in ways I never expected when I shifted the direction of my prayers. 

    4. Ask a friend to pray for you.

While you are taking a break from striving in your prayer life, ask a friend to pray on your behalf. Ask them to stand in the gap for you. Our lives were meant to live in community with other fellow believers. God never intended for us to take on the weight of the world alone. In my experience, striving causes you to internalize all of this added pressure placed on yourself. Once I confided in a friend, the life she spoke to me was invaluable. Allow others to help carry some of the weight. It will be a blessing to them and you.

There are times in our life when God needs our absolute best effort. The Bible is full of stories of admirable people and their determination that we should all exemplify. However, one of God’s deepest desires is for us to find fulfillment in Him. He wants us to stand firm in our faith and rest on His promises. If you find yourself in a season of labor and struggle, the rest and relief your heart desires can only be found through connection with Him. God doesn’t want us to strive and max out to the point of exhaustion. He wants us to live in His wonderful presence.

Amanda May lives in West Monroe, LA, with her husband Brent and 3 beautiful kids. She works for Varsity Spirit as the Louisiana State Director. She currently serves as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator at Fair Park Baptist Church. She loves encouraging women to develop a deep passion for the Word of God. As a former sideline reporter, she has a love for all things gameday. Her personal ministry, “Play for the King,” seeks to bring people to God’s word through the shared interest of sports.

How to Choose Joy on a Hard Day

How to Choose Joy on a Hard Day

Hey sweet sister! It’s an honor, sincere joy, and privilege to spend a few moments with you today!

I hope your week is off to a great start and that the little things are making you smile. I pray that with each new day you’ll see it as a new opportunity to keep going and to keep trying.

But what about those days where you can’t seem to turn that frown upside down? That even when the sunshine is hitting your skin, it just can’t seem to sink in.

You’re not alone.

I’ve been there.

If I had it my way, you & I would be at the cutest little coffee shop as our hands were being warmed by a mug. We’d quickly go submarine deep into a sweet conversation about life and all it’s been throwing our way.

But since the Lord is keeping us both busy right where we are, I’m honored to share this screen with you today:) I’m sending you a big air hug as we speak! I pray you feel the Fathers warmth upon your soul like the coziest blanket today.

Today I just wanted to share with you a few scriptures & simple suggestions, sister to sister, on how to CHOOSE JOY on a HARD DAY.

We don’t really think about it, but my gosh, we have so many choices thrown at us within a 24 hour window.

The choice to hit snooze.

To cook over ordering takeout.

The choice to stay in & do the assignment over hanging out with friends.

The choice to exercise.

The choice to go to Church after a late Saturday night in college.

The choice to prioritize your marriage even though the toddler age is a handful.

There are a lot of choices we subconsciously walk in without even realizing a decision was ever made.

Surrrre, Your steps may be small, but as you keep putting one foot in front of the other in the same direction you’ll end up somewhere!

So where do you want that to be?

Where do you want your heart and mind to be when life, emotions, & circumstances out of your control are thrown your way?

The only thing we can control is our ACTIONS and REACTIONS.

So it’s not IF, but WHEN these things come your way, how are you going to respond?

God’s word says that, “our words are an overflow of our heart”. (Luke 6:45)

So whatever is in there, is gonna come out.

My stars, I get it. When the to-do list isn’t getting done, she gets asked out and you’ve been single forever, you just broke-up when your bestie got engaged, the pregnancy announcements keep being posted when heaven just gained your angel baby, it’s more than “difficult” to see the light when the clouds seem to only follow you.

…I’m sorry things have been hard.

Our Father sees you. Your pain. Your season, sorrow, and situation.

But even here, He wants you to know that your words have POWER.

LIFE & DEATH to be exact. (Proverbs 18:21)

Imagine your heart is a garden, and your words are seeds. Friend, you can either grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.

Choosing JOY may not always look like a smile, but those lips can speak life.

On a hard day, speak kindly to yourself. To others. Your spouse. kiddos. Siblings. People in the office or in line at the store. (Or even to your own heart when you’re in standstill traffic!)

1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

They may not see those dark storm clouds over the soil of your soul… but your Father does.

He sees you & hears every prayer. Psalm 3:4

Not only can you choose joy by speaking life, you can also plant yourself in life giving environments.

Sisters need support.

Oh I know… it’s much easier to binge that show and grab that rocky road pint out of the freezer with no regrets, but the enemy would much rather see you isolated and alone.

Choosing JOY on a hard day means choosing to let people in.

You don’t have to do this alone.

You were never meant to!

So whatever season you’re in today, I want you to know you’re special, loved, chosen.

You’re not just wanted, but needed.

Today is a good day to CHOOSE joy.

Speak life.

& let people into your season.

Love your freckle faced friend forever,

Georgia Brown

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