My mission is to provide you with inspiration and encouragement to live everyday to it's fullest. I do this by sharing the simple things in life such as recipes to the most difficult of things such a life. We all know life is a struggle and many days a balancing act, but I am here to inspire you to do it well. Everything I write about is designed to inspire as well as encourage you to be a "better" you that you can be. Everything I share is raw and real. I do not cover up or sugar coat what I write about. This would benefit no one. My goal is for you to walk away feeling uplifted and encouraged after leaving my page. Lastly, I am here to remind you that you are… enough and beautiful… just the way you are.
I want to send out a note of encouragement to those who may be struggling during this time of celebration.
As the holiday season comes to a close and we approach a new year, often times the pain we are holding now, we take with us.
There are many who are:
Experiencing health issues and are in the hospital
Fighting against complicated health issues
Struggling financially
Grieving the loss of a loved one
Lonely
Lost
Suffering with PTSD and other emotional disorders
These problems do not discriminate because of a holiday season or a time of celebration nor do they automatically go away.
But, be encouraged my friend!
God sees you.
He sees your pain. He is drying your tears. He is calming your fears. He is healing your body. He is healing your heart. He is meeting your every need!
Here is an encouraging verse to cling to today.
“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.
Psalm 75:26
Hang in there and know you are not alone. God has not abandoned you or forsaken you, instead He is holding you and is strengthening you.
Are you living in a season where everything seems to piling up around you?
Are you struggling with feeling like you are failing at every turn, no matter how hard you try to get everything right?
Are you living in a season where every decision you make is wrong and everything you say is incorrect and disputed?
The struggle may be real, but the reality is not.
HD Benson
The reality is, no matter what society says, their opinion is never the reality.
What is real is this, “You are a Child of The King”.
God wants you to know He sees your pain, tears, and frustrations.
He knows what your struggles are and how weary and broken you are from them.
He is calling you, sweet friend.
He is calling you to come spend some quiet time with Him today.
He wants to refresh you and hold you in His arms.
So run to Him and be encouraged and strengthen today.
Disclaimer: I am tempted to hit delete instead of post because this season is real for me as well.
It is my prayer, if you are battling this same battle, that you find rest, peace, and comfort today in the arms of your Heavenly Father, who loves you to pieces.
I am sharing some comfort, as well as hugs, to those who find themselves struggling with something today.
My encouragement to those who find themselves battling in difficulties is this…. you will get through this time and you will get through this season of hardships.
There is a key to remembering this and it is found in Deuteronomy:
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV
You are never alone and God has not forsaken you. He sees your tears and He hears your cries.
Remember this truth, no matter how many lies you hear from the enemy, they will never be true.
The only real truth you need to believe is what God is saying to you today. Spend some time talking to Him and by doing so, you will hear the words of comfort and peace He is sharing.
He loves you with all His heart. He believes in you, my friend!
He sees your beauty and your worth. He made you uniquely special and with a special purpose. It is during this difficult time that He will turn it around and show you how to use it for good and for His Glory.
If you find yourself doubting this, just think about all Job or Joseph or Joshua, or most importantly, Jesus; and all they went through. If you feel like, because you are a woman, they do not qualify, then think about all Queen Esther or Ruth or Sarah went through. Their suffering was real. Their personal trials were big to them, but God brought them through all of their hardships and are we not still talking about them today?
God is still using their hurt and their pain to make something good out of it. He is using their stories to encourage us during our times of trials and hardships.
My Friend, just as He is using their story to encourage and comfort us, He will use our trials and hardships to encourage others as well.
Hang in their today, oh weary and heart-broken friend. This too will pass and one day you will be able to share your story to encourage others as well.
Stand tall and if you can not because you are too tired and weary, I will stand with you.
If you find yourself in a time of great difficulty and you are in a desperate place and a need to reach out to someone, I am here.
Leave a comment below or send me a private message so you no longer have to feel like you are battling your trial in isolation.
I am sharing a guest post today from a sweet friend over at Trophy of Grace / DON’T LOOK BACK & DON’T GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE — TROPHY OF GRACE . I shared and linked you to her page as well. It is my desire you will be inspired by this wonderful post, especially if you found yourself stuck in a place or season in life where you are constantly looking backwards to what you know or what you have been through, instead of looking forward to what God has waiting for you.
If you go over to her page via mine, please leave her a comment saying I sent you (Heidi from Home. Life. Encouragement.)
Good morning beautiful TOG readers! Just a little reminder today to “Not look back.” Don’t camp where you were once hurt. It’s important to deal with our brokenness and pain but NOT to camp there. Don’t get stuck in the middle my friend. The middle has nothing for you. “Don’t get stuck in the middle. […]
Just a little reminder today to “Not look back.” Don’t camp where you were once hurt. It’s important to deal with our brokenness and pain but NOT to camp there. Don’t get stuck in the middle my friend. The middle has nothing for you.
“Don’t get stuck in the middle. We have to learn to go the full journey. Someone needs us on the other side of the shore line.” Charlotte Gambill
In Genesis, God reveals to Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah are to be destroyed for their grave sins. Abraham pleads for the lives of any righteous people living there, especially the lives of his nephew, Lot, and his family. God said He would spare the cities if 10 righteous people can be found. So the LORD sent two angels to Lot in Sodom but are met with an angry, wicked mob who are then struck blind by the angels. Finding only Lot and his family as righteous among them, the angels warn Lot to quickly leave the city and they said “Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop in the valley. Run to the hills, so that you won’t be killed.”
But Lot’s wife did, and she became a pillar of salt.
Have you stopped in the valley?
Do you keep looking back?
I don’t know about you but I sure don’t want to be a pillar of salt, lol. Nope! Nope! Nope!
Don’t look backand don’t get stuck at the point of your pain. That my friend, I have done, and it’s not a fun place to be. I have been stuck from things of my past and present hurts.
Just a side note, the Bible has amazing accounts and stories in it from murder, hate, jealousy, and even sex. Yep! Sex is in the Bible. Get in the Word
Another cool story is the man at the Pool of Bethesda, John 5. “Soon another Feast came around and Jesus was back in Jerusalem. Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, called Bethesda, with five alcoves. Hundreds of sick people; blind, crippled, paralyzed were in these alcoves. One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, “Do you want to get well?”
The sick man said, “Sir, when the water is stirred, I don’t have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in.”
Sounds like a pity party to me….I’ve had a few of those myself.
Jesus said, “Get up, take your bed, and start walking.” The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bed and walked off.
That’s what I’m talking about…he was healed and he got about His Father’s business and he told of what Jesus has done for him.
That man sat there for 38 years!!! I’d like to think that in 38 years I could’ve wiggled myself to that pool and just fell into it, LOL. I mean that’s a really, really, long time! 38 years???
But isn’t that what we do sometimes, we get stuck somewhere at the point of our pain and we become paralyzed. I know I’ve been there. Truth is I’ve been there to long myself with some things. But you don’t want to be that man 38 years later and your still camped there.
So I’ll ask you, “Do you really want to be well?”
Bethesda means “house of mercy,” or perhaps “place of flowing water.”
That’s where I’m headed….to Bethesda! The house of mercy, the place of flowing water.
How about you?
God says,
“I know it hurts precious one. I know your wounds. I know your disappointments. I’ve seen the betrayals. I’ve seen your tears. I see your brokenness. But what you didn’t realize all along is that I was with you through the pain, and I am here to make it right. I will work it all out, all the pain, the hurt, the disappointment, the betrayals ALL for your good because your are precious in My sight and I love you. I will give you beauty for ashes. But you have to let go of those ashes, leave them behind so I can resurrect you with newness of life. All those things the enemy tried to steal, kill, and destroy, I got your back. I and the God of restoration. No weapon formed against you will prosper. Remember Lot’s wife, and Don’t look back and don’t get stuck in the middle at the point of your pain. Your destiny is ahead, and I am leading you toward your dreams. I have a hope and a future for you. I am able to do immeasurably more than all you can ask, hope for, or imagine.
~God
Hope y’all have a blessed and wonderful day! Remember, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, YOU ARE AWESOME, YOU ARE CHOSEN, AND YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER! YOU ARE A TROPHY OF GRACE!
Are you feeling like no one understands why you are frustrated?
Are you feeling lost even within your family?
Are you feeling invisible?
Are you struggling with being misunderstood?
Are your emotions misunderstood?
Are you constantly working, while others see you struggle, but offers no help?
My friend, these feelings of hurt and frustration are real. There are valid and legitimate reasons, circumstances, and events that have occurred in your life leading to these feelings.
Unfortunately, the feelings may feel real, but it is important to identify what is true and what are the lies we tell ourselves.
I know when I am frustrated and I say things out of that frustration, and my daughter quickly reminds me, this is what I am telling myself, but those thoughts are not real.
We can easily fall into the trap of constant disappointment and hurt and as a result, the enemy is in our heads feeding us these lies about ourselves.
He tells us we are a failure.
He tells us we are not important.
He shows us all of our negative emotions and how out of control we are.
He tells us we are irresponsible.
He tells us how unloving we are.
He tells us how ugly we are.
He tells us how bad we are at being daughters and sons, wives and husbands, moms and dads.
My friend, he shouts these lies loudly so we can not miss them.
What we need to do is shut him down and for everything you hear, shout back and say, No…
I am not a failure, I AM SUCCESSFUL in x, y, z.
I am not out of control. I AM IMPORTANT.
I am not irresponsible, I AM RESPONSIBLE.
MY FEELINGS ARE REAL and valid, but I will not let them run me.
I am not unloving, I HAVE PLENTY OF LOVE to share with others.
I am not ugly, I AM BEAUTIFUL or HANDSOME.
I am not a bad parent, daughter or son, or wife or husband, I AM the Best I know how to be.
My friend, take the time to evaluate where the truth is in with what you are experiencing. By knowing what the truth is, you will be able to see the lies in what you believe. The enemy’s objective is to tear you down and destroy you physically and emotionally so you do not fight back. Resist these lies and fight back standing on your truth and principle.
“Hold your head up high and fight back against what is not true. Just because you feel it, does not make it is real.”
Remember this fact and truth… you are worth fighting for. You are strong enough to fight back against the lies you tell yourself and the lies the enemy tells you.
You are… enough!! See the truth and believe it!!!!!!
Encouragement Today
Home Life & Encouragement 