It’s been awhile since I’ve written in this blog…  Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t feel like God was impressing a specific word on my heart.  When I started this, I committed my words to Him. I never wanted to write just to write.  I wanted it to be about listening to His voice, His heartbeat and obeying…  Well, after almost 3 months, I feel that “urging” again.  Summer has been great.  It’s been a season of focusing on my family.  Focusing on my walk with the Lord and quite honestly, a lot of time to ‘be still’.  I needed that.  My soul needed refreshing and the Lord did just that.  From observation reading my facebook wall and from several conversations with friends, the summer for many has been a challenging season.  In fact, for several, it’s been a life altering season and not necessarily in the best way.  Conversations have revealed so many that I love that feel like they are drowning.  I’ve been there.  Not these exact circumstances, however I have had multiple seasons where I felt like I was sinking.  You know what I remember?  That in those moments, the enemy was doing his very best to hold my head beneath the water and convince me it was over.  his voice (yes, I put a lower case ‘h’ at the beginning of a sentence… he doesn’t deserve a capital ‘H’) yelled.  It did it’s best to keep my ears hearing only that.  It tried to drown out that still, small voice whispering truths to me… and if I’m honest, many times it did.  I heard only the lies.  And when you are listening the lies… you start believing them. Embracing them.  Owning those things that are the exact OPPOSITE of what our Lord says to us.

In this world, we WILL have trouble.  It’s a fact.  It’s biblical.  The Lord tells us that. Remember the end of that sentence though… “take heart, for HE has overcome the world”.  He starts that sentence with “I tell you this, so that you can have peace.”  Oh what a sweet savior.  He knows that this world is going to be filled with many lows, many moments where we feel that we are drowning… moments where it feels as if our very world is caving in on us.  But… He’s bigger.  He is.  Those things that feel like they might actually take us down… He’s bigger.  Does that mean that everything is going to end roses and unicorns?  No, unfortunately we live in a fallen world and junk happens.  But even still… in the end… He is bigger.  So in the midst of this trouble, in the midst of your world caving in around you, what can you do?  The only life raft I know is clinging to His promises and doing your best to drown out the enemy.  I know… sometimes we don’t have even the strength to do that. To go find those promises.  So here are a few… wrap them around you.  Write them down. Put them on your mirror, in your car.  Make them your wallpaper on your phone.  His word is your life jacket. It’s what is going to keep the enemy from fully submerging you.

When you hear that voice snarling at you that you are “not enough”. Oh friend, that lie is one of his favorites.  Fill in the blank here…  Not a good enough _____ (mom, wife, leader, friend, daughter, son)…. when you hear that voice remember “his grace is sufficient for you, his power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:9  Remember that you are His masterpiece and He created YOU.  Friend, he doesn’t make junk.  When you hear the enemy telling you that you are alone… that no one loves you. Remember that he loved you so much he died for you (John 3:16). He DIED FOR YOU.  Then He rose again.  For you. Remember that he says he will NEVER leave you or forsake you Deuteronomy 31:6.  Psalms 139 tells you that he knows when you sit down and when you rise.  There is no where that you can go to be away from his love.  When you are frightened and the enemy is so loud that fear is your companion… remember to cast all of your cares before Him, because he cares so very much for you (1 Peter 5:7). He tells us that we do not have to be afraid because he will strengthen us and hold us up with his right hand (Isaiah 41:10). He reminds us that we do not have to be afraid because NOTHING. Let me repeat that… Not a thing… can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39).  When the enemy is telling you that the broken mess in front of you is as good as it’s going to get… remember what our Lord says… that He can turn your mess into a masterpiece.  He works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).  If you are someone that is drowning, remind yourself of all these things.  You are chosen.  You are cherished. You are loved.  You are beautiful.  You are forgiven.  You were created by a mighty God.  You are seen.  You are not forgotten.  You are never, ever alone. He has written your name on the palm of His hand.  You are enough, because you are His…  and remember to breathe.  The enemy doesn’t win.