When Our Strength fails and Gods Strength Prevails

       All of us go through hills and valleys in life. We have days when our strength is completely helpless, and we feel like we can't go on. We have days when our whole world feels like it's falling apart. However, through it all, I can honestly say that God is good! I'm realizing every day that even on my bad days, I just have to remind myself of all of life's many blessings, and look at it, and say, "God is good...even then!" This past week, I've been learning a lot about trusting in God. Learning to completely surrender and give my all in all, to Christ. It's when we come to that place in life, when we completely surrender to Christ, and take up the cross, and follow Him, that God's strength is seen. We can't it on our own. It's only through Gods grace and mercy that I make it every day. 

     This past week, some family members and I were talking about struggles in our own lives. Struggles like, having doubt, worrying, stressing out about things, feeling like a failure at life, second guessing ourselves... the list can go on. But, I came to a stopping point this past week. Some family members came over to our house this last week, and we prayed. We prayed for Gods goodness and mercy to prevail. We prayed for Gods grace and strength to take over. There's a breaking point in every Christians life. A point where we have to literally give up, and fall upon Christ. I love how Paul Washer says it, "Repentance, is simply giving up! To stop fighting against God, and to stop attempting to gain your own salvation through your own works; to literally give up and fall upon Christ."
     I came to a breaking point a couple years ago. A point where I realized that I don't have strength to get through each day. I can't make it on my own. Some days, I still think I can... but it's in those moments, that God uses us the most. God is continually refining us. I'm constantly reminded in James 1:2-4, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." We can't get through life on our own strength, only in Gods. In 2nd Corinthians 12:9, we read, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness..."
     Man will fail us every day of our lives. God is the only one who never fails! He is faithful to the end, and with us every step of the way! So, when we feel like we can't go on anymore, just know that God will give you the strength to get through each day... we need only to seek God and ask.

Is God Good All Of The Time

     Recently, my husband and I were talking about how we always praise God when everythings going well, but that when we have pain and strife upon us, we're not always good about knowing that God is good even in the midst of the storm. He's still Soverign, and on His throne, even then! It got me to thinking, praying, and reading the Bible a lot. I posted this a couple years ago, but I thought I'd share it again. Please share and enjoy. :)

When the cancer is in remission, we say, “God is good.” When the pay raise comes, we announce “God is good.” When the university admits us or the final score favors our team, “God is good.” Would we, and do we, say the same under different circumstances? In the cemetery, as well as the nursery? In the unemployment line, as well as the grocery line? In days of recession as much as in days of provision?
 Is God always good? 

    For Brian and Christyn Taylor, the question is more than academic. During this last year their seven-year-old daughter was hospitalized for more than six months with six surgeries for a disease of the pancreas, Brian’s job was discontinued, several family members died and another was diagnosed with brain cancer, and Christyn was pregnant with child number four. Life was tough. She blogged: 

     Multiple hospital stays with my daughter were exhausting, but I held faith. Losing Brian’s family members one by one until there was only one left, who was then diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer, was incomprehensible, but I still held faith. Being hospitalized seven-and-a-half weeks with a placental abruption was terrifying, but I held faith. I held to the faith that God works for my good, and though I did not necessarily understand the trials, I trusted God’s bigger, unseen plan.

     God and I had a deal- I would endure the trials that came my way as long as he acknowledged
 my stopping point.  He knew where my line had been drawn, and I knew in my
heart he would never cross it. He did.

     I delivered a stillborn baby girl. With my daughter Rebecca still at home on a feeding tube and her future health completely unknown, it was a foregone conclusion that this baby we so wanted and loved would be saved. She wasn't. My line in the sand was crossed.
My one-way deal with God was shattered. 

     Everything changed in that moment. Fear set in, and my faith began to crumble. My “safety zone” with God was no longer safe. If this could happen in the midst of our greatest struggles, then anything was fair game. For the first time in my life, anxiety began to overwhelm me.

We can relate. Most, if not all of us, have a contractual agreement with God. The fact that he hasn't signed it doesn't keep us from believing it. 

I pledge to be a good, decent person, and in return God will…

save my child

heal my wife

protect my job

(fill in the blank)__________

only fair, right? Yet when God fails to meet our bottom-line expectations, we are left spinning in a tornado of questions. Is he good at all? Is God angry at me? Stumped? Overworked? Is his power limited? His authority restricted? Did the devil outwit him? When life isn't good, what are we to think about our God? Where is he in all this? He's there!...Go to part 2 for the rest:
http://daughterofdestiny-generation78.blogspot.com/2014/02/is-god-good-when-life-isnt-part-2.html
Excerpt from Max Lucado's Book "You'll get through this"

Pay It Forward and Liebster Award

     We've all heard it happening, and seen video's of people's lives sometimes changed by the "Pay-It-Forward" thing that goes around.
     I never thought that I'd ever be one of those people that someone paid for my drink/food..etc... This last week, I had some returns and exchanges to make. I also had to get my Driver's License and such changed, since getting married, and moving. So, it was a day that I wasn't really looking forward to, but I knew had to be done. I thought to myself, "I'll stop by Starbucks on the way down to run my errands, and I'll feel refreshed having a coffee in hand while running errands." I pulled through the Drive-Thru, and ordered my usual, "Iced Venti Vanilla Latte (light on the ice) coffee." The man told me to pull to the window, but didn't give me my total what I owed. I pulled up to the window, and was preparing to pay, when he opened the window, handed me my coffee, and said, "The lady in front of you just paid for your coffee, so you're all good to go!" :) You can imagine my delightful surprise! I was so astonished, that I just said, "Really?! Wow! Thank you!" And with that, I pulled away. I pulled over into a parking spot to take in what just happened. And then I thought, "I should've paid for the person's coffee behind me! Oh well, maybe next time."
     I never thought that something like that would've ever happened to me. It's something that I always saw that happened to other people, and that I always thought would be a good idea if I did it to someone.
     Have you ever had something happen to you that moved you in some way? It could be maybe someone offering to watch your kids or cook your dinners. A neighbor who mowed your lawn to surprise you, a child coming up to you, and handing you a flower, just because. :)
     " Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you." ~Deuteronomy 16:17 :)

I was nominated for the Liebster Award by: https://concealedfoundation.wordpress.com 
So here are the official rules of the LIEBSTER AWARD:

• Each nominee must have under 200 followers
• Thank and link to the nominating blog
• Answer their 10 questions and propose 10 new ones for your nominees
• Nominate 10 blogs and tell them that they've been nominated
• Write a post containing the questions
• Include these rules in the post

Here are the 10 questions I was asked:
1 What is the meaning behind your blog’s name? You can refer to my "What is a Daughter of Destiny" page for that meaning... it's long. ;) 
2. What’s the first thing you’d do if you got 5 feet of snow? When I was younger, I would've gone out to play in it, but now, probably sit with some music and a book, and snuggle on the couch with some hot coffee. ;)
3. What’s your favorite way to style your hair? My hairs pretty stubborn... so, probably just let it down. It's thick and Curly, so, it has a lot to it. ;)
4. Would you rather wear a skirt or pants? It depends on the Weather Outside. Usually skirts though. I wear pants usually when I have a lot of running around to do, or when it's cold outside. ;)
5. How often do you wear makeup? Probably about every day. 
6. What’s your blogs main focus? To encourage and Inspire other like-minded believers in Christ. 
7. What’s the last book of the Bible that you read? Psalms
8. Which do you like better, apple or pumpkin pie? Hmm... tough one... Pumpkin Pie if there's lots of Whip Cream, but usually Apple pie taste better. ;)
9. How many siblings do you have? 5... 4 brothers, and 1 sister. :) 
10. How many things have you made in the past week? As far as cooking and baking, too many things to count... maybe 15? 
I'm going to open this up to anyone who'd like to do it... it's fun! :)Here are my 10 questions to the nominees:
1. What Type of Church do you go to?
2. Do you Play any instruments? Why or Why not?
3. What interesting studies have you done that you find fascinating? 
4. Do you live in the Country, Suburbs, Apartment, or other? 
5. What's your Favorite Kind of music? Why?
6. Coffee or tea? Hot or cold?
7. Do you like Baking or Cooking better? 
8. When's your Birthday?
9. What's your Middle Name?
10. What's your Favorite Bible verse? Why? 

Lay Down Your Burdens

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you  rest." - Matthew 11:28

     It seems like we all fight the same battles, day in, and day out, only to fall short each time. In Romans 7:15 we read, "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do." Isn't this so true? 

     According to Isaiah 59:1-2, we have all done wrong and gone astray, and the things we do wrong cause a separation between us and God. No one can bridge that gap by their own efforts. Jesus is the only way. On the Cross He took all our wrongdoing upon Himself (Isiah 53:6) and paid the price for our sins.

     Victory comes when we stop trying to gain it in our own strength. It comes when we lay our heavy burden at the foot of the Cross, turn our lives over to the Lord, and are willing to let the Holy Spirit take the lead. Only then can the process of transformation begin, for it is God "who works in us to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13). All good things we have or become, whatever the world's explanation may be, are a result of His grace, and His grace alone.
      This past week, my husband and I were talking about burdens. How, sometimes, we carry burdens for so long, and they start to build up. What we fail to realize often times, is that God is there, to take our burdens. In Matthew 11:28-30, it says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
     We need to all remember this. We need to all come to the cross of Christ, give him our worries, pain, strife, needs, wants, concerns, and love. We need to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength... in doing this, we please the Father in Heaven. So, go to the Cross of Christ, lay down your burdens, and give your all in all to Him!

 Come As You Are:

Come out of sadness

From wherever you've been

Come broken hearted

Let rescue begin

Come find your mercy

Oh sinner come kneel

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

There's hope for the hopeless

And all those who've strayed

Come sit at the table

Come taste the grace

There's rest for the weary

Rest that endures

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't cure

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

Lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Fall in his arms

Come as you are

There's joy for the morning

Oh sinner be still

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are