Faith, Write 31 Days Challenge 2021

31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 12 – I Am Not Alone

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31 Days of Bible Affirmations - Day 12 - I Am Not Alone
31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 12 – I Am Not Alone

I am not Alone

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2

At some point in our lives we will wonder whether God is here with us. Especially when we feel like we are suffering unjustly. Has He really forgotten about me? If He’s here, then why don’t I feel Him? Why do I feel alone?

It’s at times like these I need to remember to turn to scripture. I forget though. And that’s when I start to feel alone. If I turned to the Bible more often, it would provide me with the comfort and truth I need to know. God is always there.

He is there when I am in my darkest moments – Isaiah 41:10

God is there in every circumstance – Isaiah 43:2

He is there catching every tear – Psalm 56:8

Something to think about…

Why not have a go at personalising Isaiah 43:2 and re-write in your own words what you feel God is saying to you. I have chosen to write a poem to reflect these words today.

I Will be With You

I will be with you wherever you go,
Through the fire or through the snow.
I am with you in all of your life,
From the happy days and in your strife. 
I will be with you wherever you are,
Walking down the road or in your car.
I am with you in all of your days,
From start to finish in all your ways.
I will be with you wherever you’ll be,
Travelling on dry land or across the sea. 
I am with you to the end of your course,
From beginning to end I will be your force.
I will be with you come what may
From early morning to end of day.
I am with you to the end of time,
Just reach out your hand and you will grab mine.
		
© Lynne Cole

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on today’s Bible affirmation then why not catch up on my other thoughts for previous days.

Faith, Write 31 Days Challenge 2021

31 Days Of Bible Affirmations – Day 11 – I Am Heard

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31 Days of Bible Affirmations - Day 11 - I Am Heard
31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 11 – I Am Heard

I am Heard

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
Psalm 18:6

It can be hard to hear when someone you care about has suffered from sexual abuse when they were a child. How you react towards what they say to you can have a big impact on them. Being heard is the most important thing as a survivor of sexual abuse. It provides validation, which is an essential part in the healing process.

On Friday 10th September, I took part in an initiative called The Truth Project. This was set up by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. It is where survivors speak about their experiences of sexual abuse and how it has affected them later on in life.

The project also looks at how organisations deal with survivors on a day-to-day basis. The hope is that through people sharing their experiences it will be used to help promote change within the government, organisations and people’s views. Further information about the project can be read here.

When I spoke to the facilitators who were involved in The Truth Project, I felt heard. But not only did they hear what I spoke about, but they actually listened (this is quite an acquired skill). I spoke for two and a half hours about everything. EVERYTHING! They were compassionate and understanding and yet sensitive towards me in what I shared with them.

For the first time in my life I felt truly validated.

This is probably how David felt when he wrote Psalm 18. David cried out to God for help when he was distressed and God met him in his hour of need. He probably was down on his knees letting everything out that he felt and experienced. He most likely did an ugly cry too! And that’s ok. God takes us however we are, where ever we are and when ever. He has no limits when we need Him to hear us.

God takes us however we are, where ever we are and when ever. He has no limits when we need Him to hear us. Click To Tweet
Something to think about…

Why not have a go at personalising Psalm 18:6 and re-write in your own words what you feel God is saying to you. You could also use my version and change to your own name.

Lynne, I hear your cries of despair to me. I see your suffering and your pain. I am here and I am listening to you. Wherever you want to call on my name I will be here.

Something to listen to…

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on today’s Bible affirmation then why not catch up on my other thoughts for previous days.

Faith, Write 31 Days Challenge 2021

31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 10 – I Am Wanted

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31 Days of Bible Affirmations - Day 10 - I am Wanted
31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 10 – I am Wanted

I Am Wanted

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
Mark 12:30

We have a longing at some point in our lives where we just want to be wanted. Not just needed, where we know we play an important part. But to be truly wanted, where we are desired for.

Growing up I felt anything but wanted. When I was wanted, it was all for the wrong reasons, as I mentioned in my previous post. The sexual abuse I suffered, along with the bullying I received, left me feeling unwanted, disliked and like an outcast.

I was brought up with a Christian background. However, even though I had a religious upbringing, I never really understood how much God loved me. In my eyes, I couldn’t really see how much God could love or want me due to what I had suffered. After all, I was damaged goods.

It’s taken me a long time to grasp that my past didn’t matter to God. He loved me no matter what. All God wants is me. He wants to have a relationship with me. He wants a relationship with all of us.

God wants to love us and be loved by us. This is why the first commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Because this is what He does with us.

Something to think about…

Why not have a go at personalising Mark 12:30 and re-write in your own words what you feel God is saying to you. You could also use my version and change to your own name.

Love me, Lynne, just like I love you. Love me with all your heart, your soul, your mind and every ounce of strength. I want you no matter what.

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on today’s Bible affirmation then why not catch up on my other thoughts for previous days.

Faith, Write 31 Days Challenge 2021

31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 9 – I Am Cared For

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31 Days of Bible Affirmations - Day 9 - I am cared for
31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 9 – I Am Cared For

I Am Cared For

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

When a friend says to you, “I care about you”, how does it make you feel? Warm and fuzzy inside? Do you feel safe? Does it make you feel at ease with what they say?

Not me.

I yearn for others to show care towards me, but when it happens something inside me makes me feel on edge. I have mixed feelings and am very suspicious about what their intentions are. Underneath all of this, I am fearful about their motives in wanting to care for me.

“My mind hardens, my spirit stiffens and I respond with a cold toughness and distrust—of them. Of myself.”

This is what one friend told me. And she is right. Why? This sense of distrust is a direct result of the abuse suffered. My friend shares…

“As a little girl, I interpreted a babysitter’s niceness as care, and it turned out to be a selfish means to get their needs met—taking my innocence and trading it for betrayal.”

What my friend writes is exactly my experience too. Maybe you have experienced something similar. Or maybe you have had a friend you thought cared about you but has betrayed you instead.

We do have someone we can turn to though who wholeheartedly loves and cares for us. What Peter is saying in this verse is that we are a matter of God’s concern. We are not alone. We don’t have to bottle up all our worries. God alone is concerned about our well-being. He wants us to be complete.

God knows when we are sad and He feels our pain. He actually cares for us and He showed this by sending His One and only Son to set us free from all that holds us back. We shouldn’t worry about how much we can burden God. He can take everything we have – all our worries and concerns, and everything we have ever faced in this life.

Something to think about…

Why not have a go at personalising 1 Peter 5:7 and re-write in your own words what you feel God is saying to you. You could also use my version and change to your own name.

Lynne, I care for you deeply. Give to me all your worries and concerns.

Something to listen to…

Cast all your Cares by Sarah Begaj

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on today’s Bible affirmation then why not catch up on my other thoughts for previous days.

Faith, Write 31 Days Challenge 2021

31 Days Of Bible Affirmations – Day 8 – I Am Secure

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31 Days of Bible Affirmations - Day 8 - I Am Secure
31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 8 – I Am Secure

I Am Secure

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40:1-2

I have been through times in my life where everything seems to be crashing down around me. At first, I think I can get through these moments on my own. I try and stay strong even though I feel everything is caving in. It’s in those moments I don’t feel secure anymore.

When my situation gets really bad, I feel like I am in a place that David describes in this Psalm. I feel so low down in the pit that all I can do is look up and scream. I’m down on my knees crying out to God hoping He can hear my cries.

I find the times when I am at my worst, this is where God is at His best. When we are at rock bottom, God is there at the bottom being our rock. There have been many times God has rescued me from ‘the slimy pit’. He has taken hold of me and put me in a place where I feel secure.

I find the times when I am at my worst, this is where God is at His best. Click To Tweet When we are at rock bottom, God is there at the bottom being our rock. Click To Tweet
Something to think about…

Why not have a go at personalising Psalm 40:1-2 and re-write in your own words what you feel God is saying to you. You could also use my version and change to your own name. 

Lynne. I see you. Don’t think I don’t hear your voice crying out to me. I see you waiting. Waiting in the deepest, darkest place. Lynne, I am with you. Let me be your Rock and I will lift you out of this. You will have somewhere to stand strong again. On me.

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on today’s Bible affirmation then why not catch up on my other thoughts for previous days.

Encouraging hope in a broken world

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