Tag: Time

Purpose in the Pain

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

PAIN HEADER.020

I’ve talked about before how tough it was for me living in Germany. Initially, the hard part was being so far away.  I had gotten comfortable where I was living, my family was not very far away and overall I was happy with life. That is of course until the news came that we were moving to Germany. At the time, I was mature enough to understand that it wasn’t my husband’s work sending us to Germany it was God. But I must be honest and say I still did not understand or like the fact that these changes were coming. I felt like my whole world was being flipped upside down and that was very hard for me to accept. When I finally got myself together and began to embrace my life in a new country, sure enough the enemy came and attacked again in a few different ways and tried to get me back to that same place I had been in when I first got there. But just as sure as he attacked, I prayed and prayed. I cried, hollered and screamed. I pleaded with God to please help me understand. I prayed for God to get me up out of that place and finally He did.

I said all that to say this, my time in Germany was tough, but I made it. I got through what feels like was the hardest 3 years of my life. Looking back, I can now say without a shadow of a doubt that there was purpose in my pain. No matter how bad I hurt and how much I did not understand at the time, I know there was a reason why I had to go through what I went through. I grew so much spiritually and God got me to a place of total dependence on Him.

Purpose

This is how I was able to find the purpose in my pain. I began to realize why I was created. I realized that my purpose in life was so much greater than anything I had ever imagined. This is also why the devil attacked me like he did. The purpose in my pain was to push me. My pain pushed me in my quest for God. My pain pushed me to think big. My pain pushed me to not just think outside the box, but actually live outside of the box. My pain pushed me to not just walk by faith but to make faith my lifestyle. My pain pushed me to be greater and bolder when telling people about God. My pain pushed me to walk in love no matter what. My pain pushed me to start my own blog and publish my first book. My pain pushed me to be the best me that I could possibly be. My pain pushed me to take off every limitation in my life. And now, one of my goals in life is to help others do the same. I want you to understand that there is so much greatness on the inside of you. If you stay comfortable and never try anything new, you will never grow and you’ll never be able to walk in that greatness. You have to get uncomfortable. It may hurt, matter fact it is going to hurt but rest assured that God is going to see you through. At the end of the day, it all boils down to this…the more uncomfortable you are, the more you have to depend on God. That’s the way it was intended to be in the first place. “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut 31:6 ESV)

~letstalkaboutlife365.com~

Thought Check:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

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Take A Break…You Deserve It!

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

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Take A Break

I know the issues of life keep us going day in and day out, but everybody deserves a break every now and then.  Take some time for yourself.  Do something you enjoy like read a book or get a massage.  Sometimes we really have to just slow down and take some time for our self.  For me personally, taking time to myself doesn’t even require me to do much.  If I just sit in a room alone in silence, I am happy.  Some people like to do things and go places, and that’s all fine too.  Do whatever makes you happy.  The point is, do something.  As adults we have a lot of daily obligations, so whatever your something is just make sure that it takes you away from your regular norms in life.

I’ve learned that from time to time our regular routines can get the best of us.  What I mean is, it can wear you out.  You go to work, cook dinner, get the kids ready for bed, and any other extra curricular activities you have going on each and every day.  These are all perfectly normal, but there comes a point in time when you just need a break.

What a break does for me is allows me to actually enjoy the moment that I am in and not look at it as an obligation, I have to do this or I have to do that.  We get so busy preparing for one thing or another, where we actually miss out on what’s right in front of us at that very moment.  The duties are always going to be there, but I’d even add that taking a break actually help you to complete those duties. Instead of being stressed and overwhelmed, it gives you time to calm down and focus on the task at hand.

Taking a break also your body to be refueled.  You give so much of yourself day in and day out that you become totally depleted.  Taking the time to just chill, gives you the opportunity to be filled back up.  I know this to be true spiritually as well.  When you are constantly ministering, praying for people, counseling, etc. you just pour more and more of yourself out.  Stepping back for a moment and taking rest in God is what you need to be filled up again.  Allowing the opportunity for God to pour Himself into you even the more will give you the wherewithal to continue to do what He has called you to do for the people.  So take rest.  Remember, a field that has rested yields a bountiful crop. #iDeclare #TakeABreak…YouDeserveIt!

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Prayer:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I come humbly before your throne of grace. Thank you God for showing me that it is ok to take a break.  Help me Lord to discern and know when the time has come for me to relax and take a break from the craziness of life.  As I do your bidding and pour out, please continue to pour back into me so that I do not become depleted.  I decree and declare rest and restoration in my life.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture Reference:

Psalms 37:7 KJV “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NLT ”Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”