Letting The Past Go

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Letting the past go is one of the hardest things we can do. The past is like a chain dragging us down each and every day. Remember that time you did that one thing when you were 12? Yeah that haunts you still to this day and you're 20. I have personally struggled for a long while trying to figure out how to let the past go. But then one day I woke up and I realized " hey, God loves me and there's nothing he wouldn't do for me. So why am I sitting here pouting about something that happened so long ago?" It was then that I realized that there really was no need to worry over the past.

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:13-14

It's important to realize that the past is the past and that you're not really living in the moment if every living second all you are thinking about is something that happened such a long time ago. God wants us to give all of our cares to him. And this is something that we have to remember. I'm not going to say it is easy, because it's hard to get out of those chains that are weighing us down. But we need to remember that the past is exactly that-chains. How do you expect to live in the moment and live everyday to the fullest if you're constantly reminiscing about what you have done and what you have been through? Think about that for a second. Here are some tips on getting over the past:

1. First and foremost I'm going to tell you to read the Bible. The Bible tells us multiple times not to worry and to give our cares to God.

"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus." 1Corinthians 1:4

2. Pray. Praying is one of the most important things you can do. Praying allows us to have a relationship with God and allows us to hear what God wants us to hear.

“When you pray, rather let your heart be without words then your words without heart. ” John Bunyan

“Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.” John Bunyan

3. Realize you are a new creation once you've been saved. God tells us that when we are saved, we become a new creation. Our past is behind us, and we have a new starting point in life.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2Corinthians 5:17. 

4. Talk to friends and family. If you feel like reading the Bible and praying isnt enough (which it really should be), resort to talking to your friends and family about what is really bothering you. Chances are if If know you well enough they will know that something is wrong with you long before you talk to them.

In my opinion, praying and reading your Bible are the very first things you should do. God is always there for you 24 /7. And He is always wanting to help you and listen to you. He doesn't want you to be shackled down- that's the devil working. Don't give the devil those powers. Remember, God loves you with all He has.

Life Is More Peaceful When You Forgive.

 

Have you ever kept dwelling on the things that people have done to you? It doesn't matter if it happened 5 or 10 years ago....you just can't let it go. You still think about it and still get a little angry over it. I have been doing that. I had a list, yes, a list in my mind of 6 people I needed to forgive in my life. That shouldn't happen. We shouldn't put it off to forgive them some other time. Don't get me wrong. It does take time to forgive people. But when a list starts to form, that is a problem. So let me tell you what I did to let these things go. First: I wrote down the name of the person I needed to forgive. And what they did that hurt me. Next: I prayed and asked God to help me forgive them and let it go. I talked to him about each one and vented as to why I kept holding on to it. I even admitted to God that it would have been less hurtful had I put more trust in him for certain situations. I did all of this for each person. I took each slip of paper with the person's name on it, and after I had talked to God and felt ready to let it go.....I put it in the paper shredder. Yes... you can laugh. How dramatic. But hey. Those negative feelings I have towards those people are GONE. The more you hold on to things, the more they get in the way. The more they continue to resurface. Sometimes, God can't bless us the way he wants because there is something in the way...preventing us from receiving that blessing. Looking back on my life, I remember times when God has given me instructions on what he wanted me to do. But you know what. I usually only heard step 1 because there was something in the way that kept me from hearing step 2. I don't want to miss out on the blessings God has for me!!! Especially if it's because I don't forgive others!! We need to give people some slack.....and I feel like a total hypocrite for saying that. Because I sure haven't done it. We are all born sinners. We either know better, or we don't know better. We all fail. Forgive Forgive Forgive. What a RELIEF it is to let things go. Life is more peaceful this way.

Verses on Forgiveness.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.-Matthew 6:15

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 1:9

Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.-Luke 23:34

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.-Ephesians 4:32

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do. -Colossians 3:12-13

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." -Matthew 18:21-22

But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.-Psalms 130:4

 



Envy, Jealousy, and Covetousness.

-Envy- the desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to someone else

-Jealousy- feeling resentment because you feel like you deserve something more than another

-Covetousness- desire for another's possessions

    Envy is something that makes us act CRAZY. Just look at the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis Chapter 4. The Lord was pleased with Abel's offering because he "brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat". Cain though "brought an offering of the fruit of the ground". The Lord was most pleased with Abel. Why? He offered his best to him. Cain didn't. So Cain gets all mad and jealous because the Lord respected what Abel brought instead of what he brought. AND GOES AND KILLS HIS BROTHER YALL. That's what jealousy does. Makes you go crazy. If you don't get it under control, it will control you. Let's try to keep these envious feelings in check. Think about this next verse A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. Proverbs 14:30. It really is a rotten, bitter feeling. You want so bad to be like someone else, look like someone else.....that it takes over your life.

     It's important to be content with what God has given you. Don't make another person feel bad for the things God has given them. And don't wish you had something different either. After all, everything we have in life is from God. Be content. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. Hebrews 13:5. This is definitely not something we want to hear. I sure don't like to hear these things. We don't want to really admit we are jealous or envious. Because that makes us look weak. But know that God forgives us of our sin. For you Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Psalms 86:5

10 Things I Love About Being A Southerner

So I'm originally from California (well, I moved here when I was 6). And now I live in the south. Most people think I'm crazy for loving it here (those people being those that live anywhere else), but I LOVE it here! And I just have to share this with y'all. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. It doesn't get extremely cold here.

Ok. Seriously. I can't stand the cold. I'd rather it be hot. I mean, at least there is sunshine! Well, there's sunshine in the winter too but it's not the same. I just get so depressed in the winter! I love the summer so much more. And in the south, we have legit summers! 

2. SWEET TEA 

I love me some sweet tea. It's amazing. And in places like California, they don't even have sweet tea! I went to a Mexican restaurant in Cali once and asked for some sweet tea. The waiter looked at me like I was crazy and I had to get unsweet and put a packet of Dixie Crystal in it. THAT'S NOT THE SAME!! Here, you can walk into literally any place and get some sweet tea!

3. No crazy traffic. 

Well, I lived in LA. And I know this isn't entirely true of all the south. But even where there is traffic in the cities it's so different. Seriously. It's not the crazy bumper to bumper, waiting in line for 2 hours to get 5 miles kind of traffic. I don't know what it is. Maybe people are just nicer here. Oh wait, that's my next topic!

4. People are nice. 

People really aren't all that nice in other parts of the country. I do have to say that it's amazing how people in the south will help you and be there for you and watch out for you (most people) and in other places, you just flat out can't trust anyone. But ok, seriously, you drive down the road and people you don't even know are waving at you. At first, it was kind of weird. But now, if someone doesn't wave, well THAT'S weird.

5. People say "Y'all, Ma'am and Sir".
This may sound silly, but I love this about the south! People in other parts of the country get mad if you call say "yes, ma'am" or "yes, sir". They think you are calling them some type of old. And they think saying "y'all" is ignorant. But Y'ALL. It's not ignorance, it's not calling somebody old. This is our culture down here. People call me (a 20 year old) "ma'am" and I never think they are calling me old. And I say "y'all" all the time. It's not being ignorant, it's just the way we do things down here. 

6. When it snows, we actually get to enjoy it.
Ok, I get this is like if it gets hot up north or something and they have to cancel school. But,  I love the fact that when it snows, we get days off. We get snow days, the way they were supposed to be. The whole town shuts down. And while that probably sounds really silly to people who get snow a lot (it sounds silly to us that you would close down because it's too hot), I think it's a great quality of the south!

7. Sonic & Waffle House.
Do ya'll know what these places are? Ok, well if you don't, the minute you see one on your lovely trip to the south, STOP and eat at them! They are delicious. That's really the only way to explain it. Sonic is a drive in, and Waffle House (while they do sell amazing waffles) has that amazing greasy (and bad for us) food we all love!


8. Southern Food.
This kind of goes along with the last thing, but southern food is amazing. That macaroni and cheese, fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy- YUM. Do I need to say any more?!

Honestly, I don't know if there are red dirt roads in other parts of the country. I'm guessing the soil isn't the same elsewhere as it is here, so places don't have the red clay like we do, but I haven't driven across all 50 states looking for these things. But seriously, red dirt roads are a landmark of the south. Driving on some back country road, in a pickup truck, and there being nobody around for miles. I love that.
9. Red Dirt Roads.

10. We love God.
I guess this is just a small town, southern thing. But, in a town with like 100 people, you can expect to find at least 4 churches. That's just how it is. We love us some Jesus. Now, I don't know if it's a seriously good thing that there are so many churches (what's wrong with just one?), but I think it's a strong testimony that we are a God-fearing culture. And, being a Christian, it makes me extremely happy to be a part of this culture. And, also, people are more accepting of Christians in the south. There isn't that much persecution of Christians in the United States, but I feel like we have it pretty good in the south compared to some of the bigger cities in this country.

Salads Of The Week!

Side Salad.
-Romaine lettuce
-Fresh cucumbers
-Grape tomatoes
-Italian dressing

 

Super Veggie Salad.
-Romaine lettuce
-Cucumbers
-Grape Tomatoes
-Carrots
-Cheese
-Italian dressing

 

 

 

 

 

Caesar Salad. And yes that chicken wrap was delicious. lol

Tan Time Reflections.

As I lay outside, I can't help but be totally relaxed while enjoying God's beautiful creation. I spend a lot of time out here thinking, praying, AND getting a tan... (hehe). So many times I've sat out here and questioned God's who, what, when, where, and how for my life. It's so important that I talk to God constantly or I will start getting extremely overwhelmed. Satan will creep in and make me doubt that God even cares about my life. I'm sure that most of you reading can relate to the struggle I have. That struggle is the future. The unknown. Not knowing how my life is gonna be later on down the road. A lot of people's advice may be: "go read some bible verses for some encouragement" Listen. That's easier said than done. No matter how many times you may read a verse, you have to believe it in your heart for it to have any kind of effect on you.
     In your early twenties, you start wondering things like "Am I everrrr going to get married" "Will I everrrr have kids" "Will I everrrr get the job that I've been dreaming of since I was 5". As far as the marriage thing goes...I don't doubt that it will ever happen for me. I just question whether it will be with someone that I sincerely, truly love and that I didn't settle for, just because I wanted to get married and not be single anymore. And from there, I'm afraid I will have kids with this man that I won't really be in love with. Children can pick up on these things. You can't fake love y'all. I want to be so in love with the person who I share my life with. Think about it. You have to be around this person ALOT. lol It's not like having a relationship where every time you have a fight, you take time apart so you can give each other "space". To be honest that scares me. Knowing that they only way out is......gulp...divorce. And that is way too complicated. And God hates it. That's why I want to make sure I marry the man who God picked out for me. Does he only pick one??? I don't think so. I believe he gives us options and it's up to us to choose(free will), but I also believe he has one that is considered the "best". Young and old married couples I've talked to always have the same answer. They knew he or she was God's best. That God made that other person specifically for them. Which is why I think it is silly to continue going out with or dating someone you have absolutely no chemistry with. You know you don't see a future with them. But in the back of your mind...they meet all the requirements you look for. Christian. Has integrity. Kind....etc etc. So you convince yourself maybe over time something might develop, and you end up forcing yourself to make it work. God has to be all up in a relationship for it to be successful. I want to be reassured every day when I wake up next to a man, that God is the reason we are together. And I'm tired of Satan trying to convince me that I have to settle for every guy I meet. See...Satan wants you to be the farthest from God's will as possible. So being in a relationship with someone that isn't part of the "plan" makes him happy. He wants you to be disappointed and emotionally exhausted. This situation I just described can be totally flipped around though. You meet a guy who is so attractive and charming. Because of these traits, you overlook and accept things that you shouldn't. For example: he treats his mama like dirt, he cusses, he drinks, he does drugs, he's gets angry over the littlest things......he says he loves God, but the way he lives his life doesn't show it one bit. Granted people can change. But I really believe God will change a person BEFORE he gives them to you. That's not your responsibility to change them either. But you still think you can. And while trying to change the guy, he drags you down with him. I remember years ago when I was still in youth group, my youth pastor gave an example of what happens when two unequally yoked people get into a relationship together. Imagine you're standing on a chair. You are trying to pull the other person up with you. But it's hard. Almost impossible. The other person tries to pull you down.....easy. And I'm not just preaching to everyone else. I'm preaching to myself because I've been there. And been dragged down. And been out of God's will.

I've come to the conclusion, that if something is meant to be it will be. Having the husband, kids, and job that you want will happen. BUT in God's time. Not ours. Psalms 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Now it's easy to understand that first part. But the second part of the verse....one word catches my attention. Purpose. I want my relationships, friendships, and job to have a purpose. So that's why I really believe (my opinion) that God gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalms 37:4) if it has a purpose and is aligned with his will and plans. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and wait on God. Because......If we hope for what we do no see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance(Romans 8:25).

And lastly. We can rest in this.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)