Let Go and Let God (Guest Blogger)

They say when you come to the end of yourself and, you have nowhere else to turn you come to the beginning of God.

One month ago I closed my door to my bedroom. There in my room face down in the carpet I begged God for freedom from a five year relationship. I could no longer love this man more than I had loved myself. I had no more to give him and, had even less to give myself. The years of emotional abuse, infidelity and, anguish had brought me to the end of myself. I had no more excuses. I had run out of bargaining chips to offer up to God. I could no longer justify his actions or my pain. I was done asking God to fix us I needed him to change me. Through the tears, pain, heartbreak and disappointment I had finally had enough and I was ready, willing and needed God to step in.

Five months ago my younger brother passed away at the age of 34 from complications of congestive heart failure. Hours before he passed, before either one of us knew that death was looming he told me he was tired. He had been sick for 10 years. He said he no longer wanted to carry the burden that came with his diagnoses. My brother had spent the earlier part of this year in the hospital. He would stay a spurt the Doctors would patch him up and, send him home. Within a week he would return for a new stint at the hospital. Which each reoccurring visit I found myself angrier and angrier at him. Soon it was almost impossible to make myself go to the hospital to see him. My anger began to consume me. I was angry he didn't take better care of himself, angry that he didn't see his life with the value that I saw it. Angry that he didn't fight for the life that he was blessed with sick or not. I was even angry at God. After, his death I became even more angry. Angry at myself for being angry at him, angry at him for leaving, angry at my mom for not making him tougher as a boy. Angry at God. In my grief I have finally come to a place where I finally had enough of being angry. I am ready, willing and I need God to step in.

One year ago, Oct 31, 2008. A friend of mine son was killed in a car accident after leaving a church event. In effort to celebrate God instead of the holiday filled with darkness Dallas Burton , 13 yrs old came to our church's Hallelujah night, a trick or treat alternative. Leaving the church less than two blocks away the car he was riding in with three other teenagers from our church was hit by a drunk driver. Dallas was killed instantly. The other teenagers survived thankfully with minor injuries. His mother a single mother is a beautiful woman inside and out with an unyielding love for God. In the months, that followed Dallas ' death I watched her and, I wondered how she made it from day to day. As time passed I watched her smile, wit and even her joy return. Soon from the outside she appeared to be the same wonderful woman she had been before losing her son. She continued her service in the church and, stayed close with all the teens at the church that loved Dallas so much. I would always ask myself. How did she do it? After losing my brother. That questions screamed in my head. How is she making it???

This past Friday our church did a memorial service to Dallas hosted by his mother. She is a dancer and did a dance as a tribute to her son while beautiful pictures flashed of him in the background.

The song she danced to was Let Go by Dewayne Woods. As she danced and the song played my heart began to ache and I cried from my very soul. I tearfully sang along to the chorus.

" As soon as I stop worrying,
Worrying how the story ends.
I let go and I let God.
Let God have his way.
That's when things start happening.
I stop looking at back then.
I let go and let God. I let God
Let God have his way".

There was the answer. For me at least.
Answer to how she survived losing her son.
The answer how I would survive losing my brother.
Answer to how I would get past this relationship.
It was letting go of the what was.
Letting go of what could be.
Letting go of even what is and, letting God determine it all.
Every day, every second, every moment. That is where healing lives. Where love lives. Where hope lives. Where God waits for us.

That is how God created it to be from the very beginning.

Scripture:

Proverbs 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course. But, the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you.

Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you always...


Question:

Have you learned to Let Go and Let God?

Lord, I thank you for your love and guidance. I thank you for allowing me to come to the end of myself so that I could begin again with you. I surrender my will for yours Lord. I welcome your guidance, your wisdom and divine directions. I pray for those Lord who are lost for those who have not yet humbled themselves to you. I thank you for simply being GOD in my life.

Amen

Walk in faith

Faith is a hard concept to grasp especially if you do not have any. I can remember a very close friend of mine telling me that I would not graduate from college, however, I knew in faith that I would and I never let the words have power. There were other points in my life when I would pray and ask God for things but I did not have the faith in my heart to see them through. I would get so upset and discouraged thinking, if God heard my prayer, why didn’t he give me the desires of my heart but I know now it was because I was lacking the faith to see God works through. I have found that faith, sacrifice and prayer get me through most situations; my faith helps me “begin with the end in mind.” Now, do not think of faith as some magical potion that once mixed with prayer makes all things happen, that is not how it works. You must do your part, be steadfast and have faith; truly believe that even the impossible can happen. The bible says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. I have seen God work in my life when I had the faith and courage to see things through. I am eternally grateful for my faith.

Questions of the week:

Has there been a point in your life when your faith was tested?

What does having faith mean to you as a Christian and as a woman?

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:7

Walk by faith and not by sight. (Be mindful that you do not walk by faith… as in just walk on by but walk in faith.)

Psalm 37:28

For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.

Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

My prayer:

Lord thank you for faith. Thank you for clarity in mind, body and spirit and thank you for peace. Thank you for the faithful and let them continue to be a blessing in your work. Thank you for the men and woman oversees fighting for our freedoms. Bless those that do not know you. Bless those that are without homes, without refuge and bless those that do not have faith. Keep us all in your care and thank you in advance for the blessings.

Amen

God is the TRUTH and the light

The word truth is mentioned 228 times in the NIV version of the bible, 224 times in the KJV version of the bible and 269 times in the NLT version of the bible. Being referenced as many times as it is, it is only fitting that we take TRUTH into great consideration during our spiritual and life journey.

Every year a group of my girlfriends and I go on a mountain retreat. We laugh, cry, pray and hike but the most important part of our trip is the “release” (outside of the bonding). Chacon is the creator of the release processes and although a very simple process on the surface I have found our “release” tradition to be quite the healing mechanism. We each grab a couple of stones and think hard and true about things that we want to let go of or “release” from our lives. Fears, self esteem, love, money issues… all sorts of things have been and will continue to be released from the hills and mountains of Colorado. This year, I released “I can’t because I know I can” but I also released “TRUTH”. I decided on that very weekend that I wanted to do a better job of living in truth, not only in my walk with Christ but in everyday living. Being truthful in my repentance in my prayers, being truthful in my words, works and actions and then I prayed real hard for TRUTH. Well God being who he is granted me the desires of my heart for he knew I was coming to him in TRUTH. I had things revealed that were extremely painful and powerful but that were also TRUE.

Question of the day:
Are you practicing truth in your everyday life? Has there been a point in your life where the TRUTH has set you free?

Scripture:
1 Samuel 12:24
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

My Prayer:
Lord, I continue to seek truth. I pray for others that want to seek the truth in you and in your works and do not know how. I thank you for TRUTH, healing, friends, family, loved ones, trials, tribulations, life and I thank for always being with me. I pray that you continue to use me for I know that all of my wonders and gifts come from you. Bless the eyes and minds that see this, bless those that do not. You are an awesome and wonderful God and I will always praise your name to the highest.

Amen.

Meditation and Peace

Question:

Meditation what does the term really mean? According to Webster’s dictionary meditation is continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation or devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection. How many times a day, week or month do you mediate? When do you just take time to STOP, reflect and meditate?

Mediation is important to the soul. I use my mediation time to refocus on my dreams and to regain perspective. I also use the time to pray and reflect on God goodness. I write, read, study, plan, prepare and FOCUS during my mediation time. Meditation is a very important part of my spiritual survival and my personal peace. The bible speaks of meditation in the book of Psalms 119:15-16 and 94-99:

15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
16 I will delight myself in Your statutes;I will not forget Your word.

94 I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts.
95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.
96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditations.

My prayer:

Lord I want to thank you for meditation. I want to thank you for spiritual growth and peace. Thank you for the coming and going of all people in my life. Bless those that take the time to meditate and focus on your will, bless those who do not. Bless the believer and bless the non- believer. Thank you for the men and woman fighting a war to keep us safe. Thank you for your tender mercies and your care. Thank you for conviction, and thank you for forgiveness. There is none like you… I am eternally grateful to you.

Amen

God has it all in control

Question:

When you are in a state of despair, who is the first person that you call?

Over the course of my life, I have had many obstacles, we all have. I have had to call on others numerous times when I was in a bind, sometimes they were there and sometimes they were not. When I was younger, my parents would always be the last people on the list of people that I would call when in trouble or in a bind, yet they were usually the ones that had to ultimately help me. I was so afraid of the consequences and criticisms from my parents that I put myself in even more severe situations to avoid what was to come anyway. That is how so many of us are with God. We are so focused on the consequences and personal criticisms (that we create) that we look for every option to solve our problems but God.

Never once have I called on God and not got a response. It may not have been the answer that I was searching for but he always gave me an answer and a solution. Now that I am a little older and wiser (thank God), I know that there is still so much more that I need to learn and that God has it all in control. Anytime I have stepped out on faith, God has come through.

So, to answer my own question, when I am in a state of despair, it is God’s name that I call first (then my parents). I know from own experiences that he is real and he wants to help all those who seek him. I know that is times of despair, his name is one of the sweetest that you can call on. He is always there and he always forgives, even when we are to weak to forgive ourselves. God has it all in control!

My prayer:

Lord, I ask that you continue to work in me and with me. Thank you for being there for me in my times of despair. Thank you for loving me when I was too weak to love myself. My prayer is that others are encouraged to come to you in their times of despair. That someone other than me is able to be touched by your grace and mercy. I ask that you help us all decrease so that you can increase. I ask for the restoration of any lost souls that belong to you and that anyone who has lost their way knows they can always come home to you. Thank you for the big in small in all of our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Amen.

He hears your prayers

Awhile back, I used to visit this site where people prayed for one another. Complete strangers would pray and express sympathy for one another from a place of true kindness and love. I thought it was such an amazing site but it soon shut down.

Along with sharing experience with one another, I want to also use this forum to pray for and encourage one another. "When praise go up, blessings come down," and there is so much power in prayer.

Question of the day:

What does it mean to be "responsible" and how do we get others in our lives to take responsibility for their actions?

My prayer:

Lord I ask that you continue to help me grow in my faith. Please continue to show me the way and the path to rightness. Help me as I aspire to live each day in heaven for I believe in heaven on earth. Keep my family and friends and bless all that are in need. You have been better to me at times then I have been to myself. I am forever in your debt and always thankful for what I have in my life. Bless those that do not know you, keep them for they need you the most. Responsibility in spritual sense is as equally important as responsiblilty in the worldly sense. Keep me and those around me responsible.. for thier faith, actions and life. All these and other blessings I ask in your son Jesus name.

Amen