The woman on the corner

When I drive to work some mornings there is a woman a little over half way before I get to work standing on the corner of a major intersection. She's probably in her 60's and not in the best clothing but none of that matters; this woman is a great example of truth. You see, every time I pass this woman she has a huge smile on her face while she holds a sign that boldly exclaims, "HIS PAIN, YOUR GAIN!"

I was stopped at the light of that intersection a couple days ago and as I watched that woman and read those words countless times I began to weep. God got a hold of my heart that morning and I knew it was time to step back and see all I've been taking for granted.

God is a compassionate God. He does have mercy and loves me and you unconditionally. We're far from perfect and we're fathered by the perfect one. I've been through a lot and come out on the other side completely redeemed and I know I am worth every bit of every thing God has instore for me.

God is real and alive and He wants the best for us. He has given and will continue to give us all we need. He is the only constant in our lives and it's a daily choice for us to walk in complete restoration. God didn't create us to just walk this earth. He created us to be in relationship with him. To make a difference and step out of our comfort zones and reach the lost.

HIS PAIN, YOUR GAIN!

Weighing the Pros & Cons

Over the last several days I've really had to weigh the pros and cons of possible situations brought to my attention. After taking many things into consideration I, 9 times out of 10, chose the situation with the most cons.
-Did I, at all, feel guilty? Most definitely!
-Did I repent? Absolutely!
-Is God a forgiving God? Without a doubt!

I know with no hesitation that I'm free from my past, I know I am a strong person, I know the truth, and I know everything I do is a choice and with each choice comes consequences I must deal with [present OR future].

On the other side of my obedience is someone elses breakthrough - so why do I ["we"] keep disobeying?

One Question -

Does this world mean anything to you?

Resort [God]

It's hard to pick one thing to talk about because there are many things going through my head right now. I think I'll keep it simple. Last night was my dad's 50th Birthday Party, so in the midst of the chaos of running errands for my mother, I went and got the cake. I pushed the cake in the cart out to the car, picked it up to put it in the seat but I needed to rearrange some things, so I put the cake on the cart [not in the cart]. I turned to situate what needed to be and the cake fell face down on the ground. After staring at it, I picked it up, quickly flipped it over to my mouth dropping open and gasping at this unplanned failure. I panicked, took it back inside and the wonderful people in the bakery were able to repair it for free to the best of their ability. I made it home less than 10minutes before all the [40] people invited started showing up. It was quite overwhelming so I spent a decent amount of time outside. The party was a success though. My dad was happy and I'm glad he was in such good company with his friends!

I left the party after helping clean up, drove to a gas station, and glared at the beer. If my eyes were on fire every bottle/can behind those doors would've busted. I was stressed, frustrated, disappointed in myself, and I thought I'd find relief in alcohol. I will say, I walked past those doors 5 times and walked out with 2 bottles of water. 

Everyday is a battle. Temptation is all around and it's not going to end because we choose to get our lives on track. I'm not powerless, I'm not a failure, I'm not going to choose to resort to what used to comfort me. I will choose, however, to resort to God; the one and only constant in my life.