2011 March :: Putting God First Place

WFW: A Future and a Hope

By Ashley Wells, on March 30th, 2011

God is worthy of our complete trust! He has plans for our lives, a future and a hope!

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) says:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Visit the Internet Cafe Devotions site for more Word Filled Wednesday posts!

Do Not Give Up!

By Ashley Wells, on March 29th, 2011

When life gets difficult and you begin to lose hope…there is reason to trust and reason to move forward. Even when you cannot see what lies ahead, you can trust in the One who made the plans!

I found comfort in this reminder from Sun Stand Still (pg. 184, my emphasis):

Between the promise and the payoff there’s always a process. That process is where your audacious faith comes into pay. Without the process, there is no progress. But the process is usually filled with pain. And if you don’t know how to process the process, you probably won’t make it to your promised land.

Our trials are difficult. They are hard. I do not discount those facts.

However, I know that it is usually when we are at our end that God can work through us! When we are weak, He is strong (1 Corinthians 4:10)!

And, here’s something else…wisdom from James 1:2-3:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Trials are the tools that God uses to make us more like Him!

Here are some definitions of steadfastness from dictionary.com:

1. fixed in direction; steadily directed: a steadfast gaze.

Our trials keep us directed toward God. Our trials keep us focused on Him.

2. firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc., as a person: a steadfast friend.

Our trials keep us firm in our purpose, to glorify God. Our trials keep us firm in our faith, trusting in Christ. Our trials keep us firmly attached to God, our Father.

3. unwavering, as resolution, faith, adherence, etc.

Our trials aid us in developing unwavering faith!

4. firmly established, as an institution or a state of affairs.

Our trials help us to become firmly established, in Christ.

5. firmly fixed in place or position.

Our trials keep us fixed in our position with Christ, keeping our dependence on Him.

Our trials can be great times of pruning which are bittersweet, bitter because they are difficult. However, sweet because we can grow so much through these times of difficulty. (Maegan helped me see this bittersweetness in a recent conversation together).

We can get through these times of difficulty, usually stronger on the other side!

Relapse

By Ashley Wells, on March 28th, 2011

What does it mean to feel hurt? What does it mean to feel like you have overcome that hurt? What does it mean when you are going along life just fine, then the hurt comes back like it was just yesterday?

Hurt is real. We are human. Therefore, we are not immune to hurt, or grief, or loss. We will encounter those feelings.

I’ve been on a long journey. A journey that is continuing today. A journey of waiting. A journey of hurt. A journey of feeling broken, again.

God has brought me such a long way. God has carried me through this trial. He is still carrying me today.

However, just because I have come far doesn’t mean that I don’t feel hurt. It doesn’t mean that the hurt doesn’t come back, strong, some days.

It just means that I continue.

Some days I feel the hurt more than others. On those days, the past week (and really couple of months, if I’m being honest), I cling to the One in whom I can hope in. I cling to the One I trust. I cling to the One who has plans for me.

He doesn’t take away the hurt. However, He is with me. He is guiding me. He is carrying me.

So, what do you do when the hurt comes back? When you are struggling?

I don’t know all the answers. But, here is what I know:

God is faithful and present in my life. He has been with me before, He is with me now, He will be with me always.

God has a plan for my future. It is not the same as my plan. It is better! Even now, when it is hard to believe it, I know it. I know that He has a plan for my life and it is for my good. Even this, even now, is for my good.

God loves me. He loves me more than I can know.

Trusting is sometimes hard, and not always what comes naturally. However, trusting in Christ is the only thing I can do!

Quiet…

By Ashley Wells, on March 23rd, 2011

These days, I am trying to find as much time as possible to be quiet before the Lord and seek His peace.

The process of waiting is continuing and it is getting harder and harder. My goal is to keep my focus on Christ and wait in hope of His plans for our life.

Sorry for the delay in posting this, but I am going to take this week off of blogging.

Here’s a great song that I am loving listening to:

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our strong deliverer.

You are the everlasting God,
The everlasting God.
You do not faint,
You won’t grow weary.
You’re the defender of the weak,
You comfort those in need,
You lift us up on wings like eagles.

I will be back next Monday though!

Gratitude Builds Trust

By Ashley Wells, on March 18th, 2011

I’ve mentioned before that I’m going through One Thousand Gifts with the Bloom (in)courage ladies, let me just say that this book and these videos are changing my life!

I’m a little behind…but when I watched the Chapter 8 video I was struck with a practical implication that this process is having on my life, I am seeing it daily, growing.

Ann says, “Gratitude builds trust.”

I am learning to trust in the Lord. Trust is a hard thing. Trust is something that I am sure I am going to struggle with my whole life.

But, these gifts, this counting, it is helping me to build my trust.

Through this counting, I am constantly preaching to myself that…

God is faithful.

God is good.

God provides.

God blesses.

God is trust.

God is here.

It is so easy to loose sight of these truths in the daily grind of life, in the difficult, in the trials.

But, God is there with you. He is carrying you through. He will see you on the other side.

We can trust in Him. He is worthy of our trust.

I was just writing to a friend about what has been happening in my life:

Honestly, I have been lacking trust lately. It has been so hard to continue on and press forward in spite of no tangible progress. However, today I am encouraged. I know that God has AMAZING plans for us, plans that I just need to wait a little bit longer for. He is completely trustworthy and worthy of praise. I am continuing to remind myself these things each day, even when it is hard.

It is during these hard times that He is carrying me through. I’m sure I could succumb to these feelings and not be able to get out of bed. However, God is giving me the strength to press forward and serve Him while I wait.

Although some days it is so hard, I know that this time and the past five years has been teaching me to trust in God and believe that He has plans for my life, and be able to trust Him for the timing.

I truly believe that this process of counting gifts and practicing gratitude is helping this change to happen in my life!