healing comes

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

- Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

 

We have all been sick, we have all had pain.

Some people experience illness or pain at a way deeper level than others.

There is physical pain and there is emotional pain.

No matter what we are feeling, if it is an illness or disease or either physical or emotional pain, we need to remember that by Jesus’ wounds we are healed.

That healing may not come on earth, for those of us that suffer from lifelong illnesses that are not treatable and sometimes barely manageable, for those of us that suffer from PTSD or depression. 

But healing will come.

By His wounds we are healed.

 

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conquering fear

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

- 2 Kings 6:15-16 (NIV)

 

I have often referenced my anxiety in my writing, some people understand it, and some don’t.

I have come a long way in conquering my fears though, for example going to the store alone used to send me into a complete breakdown but over the last year I have been able to go shopping by myself and maybe a few times I might have enjoyed it. 

Then something happened last week that set me back ten years.

Last Monday night while at the store, I was followed.

At first, I thought it was just coincidence, but I started back tracking through some of the grocery section and I noticed the same man was always in the same aisle that I was in, yet he only had one item in his cart. 

Then I went to check out, he was there too, and it took him as long to check out his one item as it took me with my thirteen items.

As I was leaving the store, I called my husband and asked him to stay on the phone with me, as this guy followed me almost to my car.

When I finished putting my bags in the car he quickly walked to his car, three lanes over.

I hightailed it out of my parking space and sped through the parking lot only to have him catch up with me at the light.

My husband told me to come straight home, but I thought I could lose him if I could just get far enough ahead of him which was very dumb of me because every signal light I came to turned red and stayed red long enough for him to catch up with me.  

Finally, I got on a stretch of road where I was able to speed far enough ahead of him to get through my neighborhood without him following any longer.

I spent the next few hours processing the event and talking through it with my husband.

I can’t let this one incident prevent me from going to the store.

When I saw this verse, it spoke volumes to me - “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

I know who my God is, and I know I am protected. 
I also have a plan for any similar situation that does not involve high rates of speed.

Conquering fear is hard, if you have never been there, please don’t judge someone that is. 

Give them your hand and help them through it, be “those who are with us”.

 

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wisdom and love

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.

- Proverbs 8:17 (NKJV)

 

Proverbs 8 starts out “Does not wisdom cry out” in verse one, and the whole chapter is “wisdom” talking about the good and wonderful things you have when you have wisdom.

In verse 22 wisdom says, “the Lord possessed me at the beginning”, which indicates to me that in today’s verse, “I love those who love me”  the word “me” is synonymous with God. 
Those who love God and seek Him diligently will find Him.

Knowing God is wisdom.

Proverbs 8 has 36 verses, which seems a little long for my daily chat, but I encourage you to read it because there are some real thought-provoking statements and gems to find. 
For those who find God, find life. 

Go read Proverbs 8, you won’t be sad that you did.

 

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powerful, amazing women

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

- Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

 

I missed calling out Mother’s day this year.

It was a pretty tough day for me because it is the first Mother’s day without my mother.

I didn’t think it was going to be as hard on me as it was, I was really quite surprised that it hit me like it did.

I have known some powerful and amazing women in my life.

I have an aunt on my dad’s side that was one of the original “Rosie the Riveter” ladies back in World War II, she even got to go on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. the last year of her life. 

I have a cousin (also on my dad’s side) that made quite the name for herself musically by earning 2 Grammys, CMA’s Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, ACM’s Album of the Year, New female Artist of the Year and Video of the Year. 

I have a friend who is a retired Army Chaplain, she has traveled the world between her military career and her post military career.

There are so many more women that have touched my life in one way or another and each of them have been “Proverbs 31 ladies”.

Women are amazing, but women of God are even more amazing. 
I hope you have the opportunity to get to know a woman of God, and if you already know one, tell her she is wonderful.

    

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you can see too

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

- Matthew 5:8 (NKJV)

 

I want to be one of those people that sees the beauty in everything, the miracle in all things and the glory of God everywhere.

But the human side of me does not let me do that.

I am not always happy.

Our hearts really do lead us the things that we hold the closest are the things that we see as beautiful and the things that make us happy.

Over and over the Bible tells us to trust in God, turn to Him, focus on Him.

When you look at all the ways you are blessed, you see God. 

And happiness flows.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

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waging war

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

- 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

 

There are many weapons that Satan uses against the people of God.

Do you ever compare yourself to others and feel like you don’t quite measure up, that you are not as smart, pretty, personable or Christian as they are?

If you answered that with a “no”, I don’t think you are being honest with yourself.

I know that I often look at stuff or characteristics that my friends have and get a little envious because it is so easy to think that if I had more or knew more, I’d be secure.

It’s a foolish comparison as all comparisons are, yet don’t we do it all the time?

If only I was like her…if only I had a house like hers, a husband like hers, a job like hers…if only my children behaved like hers…

If only <insert comparison here>, then I’d feel significant, satisfied and secure.

If only . . .

The truth is, even people who “have it all” still struggle with feelings of insecurity.

These are the weapons that are used against us, that can destroy us, weapons that are not of this world.  

While these forces might have a great deal of influence in the world at large, we need to be determined that Satan's deception won't rule in us.

We must be committed to God’s truth!

Our culture is obsessed with many different gods, beliefs, and choices.

We must be vigilant to take every thought, fear and anxiety and make it obedient to God.

The world we live in is unprincipled and it doesn’t fight fair.

But we should not live or fight our battles that way.

We must use the knowledge and power we have been given to smash warped philosophies, to tear down barriers erected against the truth.

We must remember that God loves us, He made us who we are, what we are, every part, every hair, and He loves US.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

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I’m fine

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

- Luke 5:30-32

 

Seriously . . . how often do you go to a doctor when you are feeling fine? 

I am really bad because I don’t even go for the yearly check-ups. 

If we walked into a Medi-clinic or emergency room and said, yeah I am feeling fine, just want to check in, we would get laughed at, I am sure.

Jesus was often criticized when He associated with people that were considered “bad” – the tax collectors, the woman at the well, the sick and lame.  

But wait - there was a reason for His behavior!

He wasn't hanging out with those people to be popular, He came to redeem the enslaved, find the lost, mend the broken and reclaim the sinner.

If He can do it, why can’t we?

Reach out to those around you that others might avoid. 

Maybe you are the only smile they will see today.

 

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