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Pure

I have learned a few lessons in my life. Some, I have had to learn more than a few times. Sad, I know, but true.

I say to my kids all the time, "we listen the very first time". Sometimes God uses my own words to remind me of what He says. I know...you think at my age, I would get this stuff THE VERY FIRST TIME!!!

So, here are a few things I have learned in the last week (and over and over again):

*I've learned through happenings over the last few years, that I can stand and trust only in God. Everything and everyone else is imperfect, myself included.

*God is always there...my husband has to work and my friends, well they have other things to do.

*My prayer and study time directly affects how I view the happenings of the day and my life.

*Speaking the positives and praying about my negative thoughts makes me and my family and those around me much happier.

In Philippians chapter 4, Paul (one of my fav's) tells us to stand firm with the people of God. Uphold each other. Don't worry. Pray. And focus. Read and hear what God may say to you...I used The Message translation so that instead of hearing familiar, you hear, well, the words:

"4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." Philippians 4-9, The Message

Comments

tiarastantrums said…
great post - one of my BIGGEST hurdles in life is worrying - gie it to God - that's is what i keep saying in my head!! Let him worry about it this day
Abby said…
Oh so wise words! I really needed to hear the one about speak the positive and pray the negative. I'm gonna work on that this week.....
jenn said…
Great reminders. I know, as far as I'm concerned anyway, even when I know something in my head, I still have to be reminded to put it in practice at times. I'm a worrier and I constantly have to give it all to God.
Elizabeth said…
Thank you for posting this...I too am a slow learner when it comes to these points (and many more).
Mandy said…
I do believe we keep getting challenges until we learn from them, I have seen it too many times in my own life not to believe this one, so I am right there with you. It is funny you posted this today because I was cleaning the kitchen and I thought to myself, "wow, you don't get irritated or angry with so and so anymore, why is that" and it hit me it is b/c I have accepted this person as who he is flaws and all, and I have stopped trying to change him and/or the disappointment. Aging can be fun when wisdom comes with it, huh! Great post!
I need to use those words...we listen the very first time... I tend to just say, "You need to obey me right now." I like how you say it in a more gentle way. Sometimes I have to trade blogging for being in the Word, to get my affirmation from Him. Much aloha and your cell story made me cringe and gave me a good laugh!!!
Very wise words to AlWays live by!! Thank you so much for taking the time to type it out for us to read.
I'm in a woman's Bible study right now and last week was over trust and worrying...us gals are so good at it and sometimes I think I've perfected it...worrying about things that haven't even happened.

I *must* remember "Instead of worrying, pray." -- MUST. :)

Thanks for this post!

~melody~
Susan said…
So true! I was reflecting on that third one last night. I decided to start journaling the positives and spending a lot more time praying about the negatives. Thanks for the well written reminder.
Lindsay said…
Thank you for such an awesome and MUCH NEEDED reminder. Man I'm bad with my "down" time....priorities i guess is what it all boils down to. thanks.
Anonymous said…
Thank you for this post...words I really needed to hear.

Also wanted to say thank you for visiting my site. :)

Take care,
Kimberlie
AutoSysGene said…
All good lessons to have under your belt! Thanks for the reminder!
carrhop said…
Beautiful, beautiful post--I love turning to the Message version--you're so right--it can bring home something that has become familiar in the other translations and help me see it with fresh eyes.

Our fourth child is hearing impaired and I've come to firmly believe that we are all God's hearing impaired kids. We can hear...it's just sometimes to make out the words through all the ambient noise of the world around us. Thanks again for reminding me to listen the first time...

Glad you liked our homeschool fashion show--it's a very real picture of the wardrobe parade around here!
Blessings!
Anonymous said…
this is sooooo true.

It's scary to know what has come out of my mouth- and then shot right back at me.
GypsiAdventure said…
Yes, some lessons come back to me if I failed to heed there message the first time around.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
~K
Unknown said…
What a wonderful post. God provides what you need when you need it. I was just sitting here lamenting over something and I need to stop, pray and rejoice. I have truly been blessed.
Thank you!

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