There are some days when everything just feels too much. The heaviness of the responsibilities we have and the disappointments we experience. Oh, and of course the daily unanswered prayers piling up until it feels like you just can’t carry on any longer. Maybe you’ve said it aloud, maybe just in your heart: “I can’t take this anymore.”
Continue reading When You Can’t Take It Anymore: Holding On Through the Storm
You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way. Song of Solomon 4:7
My daughter was standing in front of the mirror one day and I caught her admiring herself. I am ok with her doing this because she wasn’t doing it in a vain way. What made me notice her was how confident she looked in herself. She knows she is beautiful.
My daughter knows she is beautiful because it is something that has been instilled into her ever since she was born. We have told all our children how beautiful they are. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says, because what we say matters most of all.
Continue reading 31 Days of Bible Affirmations – Day 24 – I Am Beautiful
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.
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. Share on XWhy 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.
If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on today’s Bible affirmation then why not catch up on my other thoughts for previous days.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7 (NKJV)
Last night’s sleep was pretty pants! (That means it wasn’t very good, to say the least). Most of my sleeps are not great due to the twins waking up through the night. However, last night was especially hard. I wasn’t feeling too great either, so today I am feeling a little fragile.
With everything I have been through over the last month, nights like last night are especially hard on my mental health. Thoughts of not being good enough plague me throughout the day as I struggle to find the strength to get through it.
With this in mind, and knowing I have committed to writing for the next few weeks about Bible affirmations, it only feels right to start with what I really need. God’s strength. This is not going to be an easy journey, as I need to be intentional in what I am doing. I need to push through the barriers that are in place to stop me from achieving what God wants me to hear. I need His strength in order for me to do this.
When David wrote Psalm 28, he was pleading with God for help to deliver him from the hands of his enemies. He was tired and weary and wanted no more. Yet, in the middle of his distress, his mind shifted. He took hold of his thoughts and remembered who God is. God wants us to take our thoughts captive too.
Why not have a go at personalising Psalm 28:7 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? Lean on me? I can be the strength you need when you feel you have nothing left.
Lynne? Take hold of me? I can be your shield and protect you from those thoughts you have.
Lynne? Trust me? Give me your heart and I will help you.
You will find that once you take hold of what I have to offer, your heart will be light again. You will once more be able to sing my praises.
This is a little cheesy and may make you cringe a little, but by the end I was smiling.
I have been working through a mentoring course this year, which is run by Jo Naughton. It is designed to find out what God’s purposes are for us, to grow in our gifts and to develop a character that would help us to carry out our calling. Each week we focus on a certain aspect to help towards this.
I can honestly say that this has helped me tremendously in being able to move forward in what I feel God is calling me to do. I have noticed a big change as I have been working through some hard topics. As a result, it is a change that has been a massive step forward in my faith and my healing.
Continue reading 31 Days of Bible Affirmations
