Failed Expectations

Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

These words are ringing very true for me today. I think of all of the things I thought I would have accomplished by this time in my life, and really only one of them has been done in the time frame I thought. I was a teacher. In some of the things I expected, I am farther than I had planned. I always thought I would go into administration after the age of 40, and I actually went into administration at the age of 34. My expected life for myself at the age of 22 looked very differently than the journey God and I have been on, and I'm completely okay with that. I have lived my life with Jesus, letting Him guide my steps, and this is where it has gotten me. I have become a person at peace, with big hopes and dreams. I pray continually that God will match my desires with His because it has become so obvious that His plans are far more incredible than I could ever dream for myself. This doesn't mean that I don't still hope for a few of those things I had planned years ago, but it does mean that I am trusting God to bring those things into my life at the perfect time, as He has done with everything else. Life is good (I think that's the saying), but life in Jesus is perfect.

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Blessed Assurance

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth , nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This verse just makes me want to shout, "AMEN!" But isn't it frustrating how Satan knows exactly where to hit us to make us doubt? And then he is so good at kicking us while we are down. I, unfortunately, had this experience very recently. I was feeling a little worried about a particular situation and then Satan pounced and made me feel like an enormous loser. He was feeding me lies that he knew I would believe, because they are the same lies I always fall for. Thankfully, I was able to spend some time with God in quiet solitude. I was reminded that no matter what Satan throws at me, I will never be separated from the love of God because I have Christ Jesus...

Mercy and Compassion

Jude 22-23 Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. This is something I have struggles with, loving those who frustrate me. How can we be merciful to those who are "corrupt" without being judgmental? It is definitely not our place to judge one another, it is our place to love one another. Sometimes loving the people who are rude or cruel is the hardest part of being a Christian. My humanity would like to judge people for their behaviors and choices and lash out at them. I believe we are only able to show true mercy and compassion for others when we accept these for ourselves from Jesus and then He lives them through us. Allowing God to change our hearts in order that Jesus' mercy and compassion shine through is a journey. It's not always easy. On those difficult days, I remain quiet and ask God to love on me, so I...

His Strength

Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. I was prompted to read this verse and it was perfect for today, of course. All of Psalm 100 is praise to God. For me today, I am praising God because He was faithful in something He had revealed to me a while ago. Let me explain. Have you ever asked God for His strength? Not just strength, but His strength. This is something that I was prompted to do about a year ago, not to just ask for strength in general, but to specifically request His strength to be given to me. I know it sounds a little like a bit of rhetoric, but keep reading. In requesting God's own strength, I have noticed something tremendous has happened each time. When God bestows His strength within me, it is so much more than just endurance. His strength comes with clarity of mind, lightening of the spirit, and a depth of inner joy that cannot help ...

Abbie Coffey

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