“even if you fall sometimes, you will have the strength to rise.” – kutless

have you ever gotten to that point in your life, where you feel like things are so messed up that you don’t know how it will ever get better? yeah, me either. my life is PERFECT. haha. YEAH RIGHT. sometimes, life just sucks. i find myself dwelling on all the bad and get so overwhelmed with it all that i don’t see a way out. i let the devil convince me that there is no way God can turn my situation around. i allow him to steal my security and shake up my life for the worse. i hate it when that happens. it’s just so easy to sit and have a pity party and feel bad for yourself. don’t get me wrong, sometimes you need to get it out of your system. but after the temper tantrum of, “why does my life suck?” ends, we need to snap out of it. we need to hand it over to God. He is there for us and will fight for us. He doesn’t expect us to do this alone. we insult Him by not giving it up to Him.

i have been very guilty of trying to carry the world on my shoulders, lately. there are a lot of changes happening in my family. i am still trying to figure out what step i should take next in my life with a job. i get discouraged about photography a lot. ANDDDD everything is just so dang expensive. but guess what? i’m over it. i’m tired of feeling sorry for myself and taking on the world alone. i have a God who wants to be by my side every step of the way, who am i to stop Him?

so here is my promise: i am surrendering it up to Him. i’m raising up my white flag and give it all to Him. i will need help and lots of prayers, but i trust God to take care of me. He’s seen me through so much already, why wouldn’t he be there for me now? a cool thing a learned at camp a few years ago was to not see it as your problem anymore. instead, look at it as God’s new opportunity to turn that problem into something glorifying for Him. pretty cool, right? He’s also pretty awesome to put up with all my crazy. 😉

i know when i am going through a hard time, i like to have bible verses to encourage me. when i was at longwood i always had some bible verse note cards taped to my bathroom mirror. it’s just a good reminder and a quick piece of encouragement.

this is for any of you who may be going through a hard time. i hope these verses help you and give you peace. if you need any prayers, i would love to lift you up. just lemme know.

1. don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity [1 timothy 4:12].

2. now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. the Lord be with all of you [2 thessalonians 3:16].

3. whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters [colossians 3:23].

4. may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust i n him, so that you may overflow w/hope by the power of the Holy Spirit [romans 15:13].

5. the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit [psalm 34:18].

6. commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans [proverbs 16:3].

7. when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze [isaiah 43:2].

8. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow [ jeremiah 31:13b].

9. be strong and courageous. do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you [deuteronomy 31:6].

10. have I not commanded you? be strong and courageous. do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go [joshua 1:9].

11. I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. in this world you will have trouble. but take heart! I have overcome the world [john 16:33].

12. if God is for us, who can be against us? [ romans 8:31b]

13. therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing [1 thessalonians 5:11].