Dear sisters in Christ,
Greetings from a sister full of joy! I want to encourage you all who are going through a difficult time, a valley, in their spiritual and physical life. I have been battling many valleys lately, since the beginning of December and I haven't been victorious. But, I praise my Lord and Saviour who has seen me through!! While I'm dissapointed over my failures I see that God has worked them out for my good!
Valley number 1: My Momma has been away. My Momma, who is part-time in the Air Guard, has been on a trip for a couple weeks. With her being gone I have been feeling very lonely...she is my best friend, my closest confidant. And with her being away I have been feeling anxious and depressed. Jesus has shown me that those feelings of anxiousness and emptiness are simply signs of Him needed to fill a hole in my life. But I was using my mom! And humans, no matter how dear to us, can never fill the hole in our lives. Only Jesus can! It's like building my life upon the sand....a foolish choice because when the rain falls I will as well. ~Matt. 7:21-29
The sweetness of valley number 1 is that God helped me realize that He is enough to make me happy, to fill my heart! Besides that, He is the father of the fatherless [motherless] ~Psalms 68:5. I believe He becomes that Father even if my earthly father or mother is only temporarly away! He is that good! He is also the friend of the friendless. God is so good and if we were to only trust Him, He will fill us with joy, peace, and happiness.
So after this trial I simply want to bless and encourage my Mommy. I miss you, but Jesus can fill my heart and I hope you had a wonderful trip. And to my family at home, thank you for being there and being my friends. May I be a faithful and good servant, daughter, and sister to you all! I'm so thankful for my wonderful family!
Valley number 2: With moving away from Alaska it has been somewhat difficult to find and make friends. In the last several weeks, this has made me struggle alot with being blue or sad. Jesus again showed me that only He can fill my heart whether I have friends or not! Once again, He is the Friend of the friendless. The biggest point the Lord graciously showed me is that His ways and timing is perfect ~Ps. 18:30. It is He who has moved us here and woe be to me to grumble or complain ~Ps. 28:5. In His timing He will bring friends. Perhaps during this time He wants me to concentrate on learning to lean on and trust in Him, or maybe He wants me to use this time to allow Him to fill my heart entirely with Him ?! I don't know! But I do know that His ways are perfect and He has only good planned for me
Valley number 3: This valley is similar to valley number 2. It is the valley of needing fellowship. We have found a Bible beliving church (praise the Lord!) and have been visiting there. But I have found it difficult to go through my days without close, truly like-minded fellowship. This has led to my being sad, upset, and anxious. But this is not what Jesus has intended for me! He has promised me peace and joy! So were is all of this joy and peace? I have been throwing it away for the sake of a pity-party and cheap thrills. Jesus wants me to be satisfied in Him and Him alone. When I realize that even large amounts of good, godly fellowship can't bring me true happiness and that only Jesus can satisfy my hearts deepest longings, I begin to find joy and happiness. The lesson Jesus showed me is that, once again, He is enough. Jesus knows my deepest need and in His timing and way He will fill it. He is a good friend and will not leave us alone and anxious; instead He will give us peace and contentment when we finally rest in Him. He is so good!
Greetings from a sister full of joy! I want to encourage you all who are going through a difficult time, a valley, in their spiritual and physical life. I have been battling many valleys lately, since the beginning of December and I haven't been victorious. But, I praise my Lord and Saviour who has seen me through!! While I'm dissapointed over my failures I see that God has worked them out for my good!
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." Roms. 8:28
Praise His name! I wanted to put three "valleys" which I have struggled with as of late and show you how the Lord has been there the whole time and the wonderful goodness He has to give!
Valley number 1: My Momma has been away. My Momma, who is part-time in the Air Guard, has been on a trip for a couple weeks. With her being gone I have been feeling very lonely...she is my best friend, my closest confidant. And with her being away I have been feeling anxious and depressed. Jesus has shown me that those feelings of anxiousness and emptiness are simply signs of Him needed to fill a hole in my life. But I was using my mom! And humans, no matter how dear to us, can never fill the hole in our lives. Only Jesus can! It's like building my life upon the sand....a foolish choice because when the rain falls I will as well. ~Matt. 7:21-29
The sweetness of valley number 1 is that God helped me realize that He is enough to make me happy, to fill my heart! Besides that, He is the father of the fatherless [motherless] ~Psalms 68:5. I believe He becomes that Father even if my earthly father or mother is only temporarly away! He is that good! He is also the friend of the friendless. God is so good and if we were to only trust Him, He will fill us with joy, peace, and happiness.
So after this trial I simply want to bless and encourage my Mommy. I miss you, but Jesus can fill my heart and I hope you had a wonderful trip. And to my family at home, thank you for being there and being my friends. May I be a faithful and good servant, daughter, and sister to you all! I'm so thankful for my wonderful family!
Valley number 2: With moving away from Alaska it has been somewhat difficult to find and make friends. In the last several weeks, this has made me struggle alot with being blue or sad. Jesus again showed me that only He can fill my heart whether I have friends or not! Once again, He is the Friend of the friendless. The biggest point the Lord graciously showed me is that His ways and timing is perfect ~Ps. 18:30. It is He who has moved us here and woe be to me to grumble or complain ~Ps. 28:5. In His timing He will bring friends. Perhaps during this time He wants me to concentrate on learning to lean on and trust in Him, or maybe He wants me to use this time to allow Him to fill my heart entirely with Him ?! I don't know! But I do know that His ways are perfect and He has only good planned for me
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."Jer. 29:11.
Valley number 3: This valley is similar to valley number 2. It is the valley of needing fellowship. We have found a Bible beliving church (praise the Lord!) and have been visiting there. But I have found it difficult to go through my days without close, truly like-minded fellowship. This has led to my being sad, upset, and anxious. But this is not what Jesus has intended for me! He has promised me peace and joy! So were is all of this joy and peace? I have been throwing it away for the sake of a pity-party and cheap thrills. Jesus wants me to be satisfied in Him and Him alone. When I realize that even large amounts of good, godly fellowship can't bring me true happiness and that only Jesus can satisfy my hearts deepest longings, I begin to find joy and happiness. The lesson Jesus showed me is that, once again, He is enough. Jesus knows my deepest need and in His timing and way He will fill it. He is a good friend and will not leave us alone and anxious; instead He will give us peace and contentment when we finally rest in Him. He is so good!
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" Ps. 18:9
Frannie, I really enjoy reading your posts!!! Keep up the good work and keep pressing on!!! God bless you!!!
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