His Design for my life

Was working on a study for my small group, saw this, and thought I would share... Twelve Steps to forgiveness Openly recognize wrong deeds to be wrong deeds Recognize that your anger is not only normal, but necessary. Realize how ongoing bitterness will ultimately hurt you. Learn from your problems by establishing better boundaries Refuse to be in the inferior position and resist the desire to be superior. Avoid the futility of judgments, letting God be the ultimate judge. Allow yourself permission to grieve. Confront the injuring party if appropriate. Find emotional freedom as you let go of the illusion of control. Choose forgiveness because it is part of your life’s mission Come to terms with others wrong deeds by recognizing your own need for forgiveness. Become a source of encouragement to other hurting people. From: The Choosing to Forgive Workbook, by Les Carter, PHD, and Frank Minirth, MD

I wrote this paper my junior year of high school! Can't believe I found it! I was one intense teenager! The Room Intense emotions gripped the sympathy filled funeral home. Teardrops persisted to slide down my visage. It was like viewing the rain on a chilled winter night. My eyes were growing very accustomed to the depressing scene, for I had been through this many times. The family members of this lost one were dark and sullen in appearance. My feelings continued to fall deeper and deeper, to the lowest depths of the earth. I could not remove my eyes from his lifeless form. The sight engraved like stone in my mind forever. I got up to say my last goodbyes, so confused and asking why. Gradually I approached the still casket made as a bed. I looked down, and the sight overwhelmed me. I started to shake and tremble, unable to be controlled. Friends and family tried to pull me away, but I could not let my best friend go. His face had been made up like a china doll to hide the abra...

It has definitely been a whirlwind couple of weeks! I had my first book signing, which was a new experience for me! I am by no means a social butterfly, and I hate being the center of attention… so this is a stretch for me! I am the one who likes to blend into the background. Old habits die-hard! Seen, not heard…when that is all you know, it is a tough nut to crack. I am working on it… I am still not real sure where all of this is leading, but I am just so grateful and humbled by the people that have touched my life due to my book. While I am not surprised that I have not heard from other choice people, it still saddens me that some will just hold on to their pride instead of doing the right thing. I have said it before, life has many disappointments, but it also has many amazing and divine opportunities. I am trying to focus on the divine, because there is nothing I can do about what others choose. Something else that happened this past weekend that really frustrated me was we...

Are you ever really ready for what life may throw you? I think, for myself that is where faith comes in. It is sooo difficult for me to not try and control all that is around me. Even though honestly, I don’t control any of it at all. Life sometimes feels like a looking glass. Do you ever just stop and look at the people that you pass by? The guy holding the sign that says “will work for food”? How easy could that become you or me? We all have dreams and goals right? My dream when I finally decided to publish my book was to have the ability to help others like myself, to give back. Until then, I was also working full-time at a day job to make ends meet. As of last Friday, I am now unemployed. Am I scared? Yes & No. I know God will provide. Maybe this was His way of telling me my focus needed to be solely on my book, and all the outreach that I was limited on doing b/c of my job. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I do know that there is no such thing as a sure thing in th...

A part of who I am, is a part of who you tried to make me I fought you I still fight you Is that so hard to understand? Many hurts Not enough happiness Filled with pain till it was too much Than depleted like it is not enough Where do I go from here? Who do I trust? You? Me? Life is a jigsaw puzzle Always trying to fit the pieces together Did we ever think Maybe for one second They aren’t supposed to fit?

A Time for Everything-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)   1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: As we walk through this life what are we looking for? Acceptance? Completion? Other human beings will always fail us, always hurt us, and always let us down, but there is One who won’t.   2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, We always are congratulating, excited, and in awe when someone gives birth…as the child grows older most lose their fascination with that child and what is cute. Why is that? Those children become jaded because of us. A child has an insurmountable amount of faith when they are young…we end up squeezing it out of them as a society. A time to die. It is so hard to deal with death of a loved one, whether family or friends, it is so hard to say goodbye. As days go on I stop, much more than I ever use to, and look around me. Amazed at what God has created, and saddened by the signs that sat...

Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.”-
Wayne Dyer When I saw this quote today, it rang so true for the events that have happened over the last week. None of us have a future that is guaranteed, but we live our lives as if we do. You go to bed one night, wake up the next morning, and poof your life, as you knew it is over. Doesn’t matter how old you are. I know I am guilty for it, because hey thinking about death is not so fun! I read an article not to long ago that said something to the effect of “if there is no God, and we just “poofed” here, and we are the ever evolving ape person, than what is the point of life at all? (I totally paraphrased that!) Some may say that is a little drastic thought process, but to me…made perfect sense. I cannot imagine living my life based on no faith, no hope, no purpose, etc…what would be the point? And I know I cannot wrap my mind around the ever a...