Tag Archives: Trials

Weeds

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I love growing flowers in my yard and I have way too many.  You can ask my husband who helps me water.

I don’t love growing weeds.  And evidently, they do not need water.

Weeds remind me of trials, tribulations, problems, just the icky part of life that sometimes walks right in and makes itself at home.  No water needed, no fertilizer or particular soil.  

So when I saw these weeds the other day at the edge of the creek the Father reminded me of a simple truth.

Sometimes those weeds can become pretty flowers.

Sometimes those things in our lives that bring us pain, frustration, and trouble can turn into the most beautiful part of our life.

I had to stop and think about that for a minute.   

Sometimes those weeds end up being the favorite part of our yard.

And all along I thought it was just a weed.

~Be Encouraged Today

Tammy

TROUBLES, TRUE, TRUST

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***I wrote this five years ago.  Interestingly it is the basis scripture of my book series now, and His word is always timely. Our Abba Father is like that…***

 

 

Everyone has them…no one is exempt.

Jesus told us that we would have them.  Whether it is a health issue, financial troubles, family problems, school issues…trouble surrounds us in one form or another. I don’t believe that any one problem is anymore worth of His attention than another.  They ALL warrant His love and attention.  What might seem trivial and unimportant to me, might not to someone else….and I truly believe that because He loves us, He cares about our troubles.

The difference comes in how we handle these troubles.  THAT is it!  It is not about how WE handle them…but do we surrender them and turn them over to the Father?  Do we rest in HIM, even though the trouble seems to remain?

Interestingly enough, as I was looking in the back of my Bible in the Concordance…these were the alphabetical listings surrounding the topic “trouble”.

Trials, Tribulation, Triumphal, Triumphant, Trouble, True, Trust…hmmmm.  How cool is that?  We will have those trials, tribulations and troubles.  But it is true that we can be triumphant, as He is true and we can trust Him!  Isn’t it wonderful how all those words together can bring us peace..IN HIM!

Trust me when I say that emotions are real…and we will deal with them.  I believe the Father gave us these emotions to deal with our troubles…but HE wants to carry them for us.  We just have to let go and let HIM.

Oh how I need to be reminded of this today!

~Be Encouraged Today~

Tammy

 

 

How are We to Live the Christian Life?

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Are we to live the Christian life only in the present?

Think about that question.  We all face trials and tribulations in our lives.  It is unavoidable.  My own life is no exception.

But what good does it do us to fear?  Can we quit worrying about what the future holds and just live in this day?  It is hard sometimes to stay in that “surrendered” mode, and it can often times even appear as apathy, but in reality it is rest. God provided it for us.

Two girls that I know and love own and run the local mercantile http://www.southernillinoismercantileco.com . They designed a new shirt that they sell that says: “Go Out and Gather Manna” Ex 16:4  

I have been praying about what that means to me.  I have not asked the girls about it, so I do not know the meaning to them, but this is my take.

God gave just enough manna for the Israelites to make it through that day.  Not tomorrow’s manna, or next week’s manna.  Nothing more and nothing less, only what was needed for THAT day. 

He even let them have enough on the sixth so they could rest on the seventh day! That in and of itself is a lesson!

They had to simply Trust God.

So we can choose to live fully in the present, knowing that God will somehow, someway and always provide for the day we are living in.  We can rid ourselves of the “what if’s” and even the “if only’s.”

That test result that you are waiting for? Gather and eat the manna for today. The worry that you allow to cloud over you about your finances? Gather and eat the manna for today. What if the surgery does not work? Gather and eat today’s manna.

I am going to try to concentrate on that one day’s supply of manna … now. And the beauty? God will provide me just enough for my tomorrow when I wake up in the morning.

God provided the manna then, and He is still in the business of providing it in our Today.

~Be Encouraged Today~

Tammy