This week was a tough but powerful message. James tells us that we will face trials and that we should count our trials all JOY. Well, of course easy to read in scripture but most difficult to digest as we are going through difficult times in our lives. Why does James say this? Because trouble is the very thing that creates the resolve that builds our faith. We must have unwavering faith that when the devil says checkmate we know our God ALWAYS has the final move.
2 Corinthians 4:1 begins with “we do not lose heart” and ends 4:16 with “therefore we will not lose heart.” It's always too soon to quit trusting and believing and hoping and enduring in the love and promises of the Lord… His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
We have ALL experienced trials in our life, this is inevitable in our fallen world. Weather you are in the midst of a trial or if you are not we will be better people if we know that our PURPOSE is bigger than our PROBLEMS. Our ATTITUDE affects our ALTITUDE. We see this all the time. I work with many people that live with catastrophic disabilities and even though most of us would give them a pass on their attitude they eventually learn that if they look at what they can do instead of what they can’t do they can LIVE once again. I have seen over and over again ventilator quadriplegics finding purpose in their lives and only through the grace of God they see life as a blessing to be lived out to its fullest.
Acts 18:9
9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Sometimes scriptures like this can be confusing because God says “no one will attack you or hurt you,” and so many times we are attacked and hurt. Why, when God says this? God is speaking eternally to us. In this scripture the Lord is telling us it is through the teaching of His Word that we cannot be attacked and hurt.
Time is the only thing that separates you from the joy that God promises for your life. FAITH that He will never leave you nor forsake you,
In the end it will be great!
My journey with the Lord this year has been incredible, to say the least. Three years ago I heard God calling me to LA to help my Mom with her company. Each week I traveled on the train to work with people that I have known since High school when my Mom began her mission. Since finding my faith 8 years ago I have prayed for God to show me my purpose in life. God has stripped all the things out of my life that I don’t need nor want and now I can see more clear than ever what His plan for my life is. I have loved my life and I don’t live with any regrets but, I know that if I was just starting my young life, like my children will be doing soon, I can only imagine what my life would have looked like. Notes Of Wisdom has been a wonderful outlet for me to share the messages that God has put onto my heart to share with others. I have discovered I love writing and it’s been such a blessings to see how others have been touched. I got up in the middle of the night a few weeks ago and wrote down the title of a book I would like to write, “A Life Worth Telling” it will be the story of my Mom’s life. My Mom is a woman of faith born by an amazing woman of faith named Annie May, my first daughter’s name. One day that book will be written but, first I am getting ready to launch a life long dream, our foundation, Freedom To Live (FTL). FTL will begin to fill the greatest need for spinal cord injured (SCI) people by providing an affordable and accessible home within the community. The success of FTL‘s mission will prevent SCI individuals from facing life in a nursing home.
As you have noticed my writings have not been so frequent, this is because I am leading our foundation and God has been moving it forward faster and faster. Last December a friend gave a large donation for me to start Freedom To Live and there is no doubt that God’s timing is NOW. So with that said I will not be writing N.O.W. on a regular basis. I’m not to sure what will be next. I just know that God is control of everything and when we ask Him to work in our lives and we listen carefully He has all the answers in His perfect timing.
God bless you and thanks for reading.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Blessings,
Sian
