Sticking Closer Than a Brother...or Sister!

My growth over the last few months has been remarkable. I’m finding myself growing in strength and wisdom in so many areas. I can only give credit to God for this. He is shaping and moulding me into the woman He truly knows me to be.

Part of this transformation is me working on the fact that, to put it bluntly, people in my life have let me down. From partners, to work colleagues...the list goes on. It wasn’t until my wonderful friend Jo prayed over me a few weeks back did I realise just how much being let down has actually affected me.

Tonight I dealt with some of the emotions of healing from someone letting me down. It hurt, and it hurt a lot. But, once again, God brought me through the pain. It is by His love, and the loving kindness of another wonderful friend, that I can now sit here and write this.

I write of God’s goodness. Of how over the last twenty plus years of my life He has never let me out of His grasp. Of how in my life He has given me people who have never, and I mean NEVER, let me down. Of the love of a child who keeps renewing me and my confidence in humans every day. Of the grace that God provides by forgiving me of my many sins on a daily basis. And of a God who will continue to do this, and much more, until the day I meet Him in Glory.

“There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 NLT

Jesus is my only real friend. I have wonderfully "real" friends, but even in their capacity as my close friends, it is not guaranteed that they will never let me down. But Jesus never will. And when you think about what He went through for me, I don’t think he’d be able to.

He died on the cross for my abovementioned sins. He suffered horrible cruelty as the hands of humans. He was let down by His friends. He suffered the same loss as I have done so.

That’s why He won’t ever let me down. He’s been there and He’s felt it all.

God is strengthening me and changing my heart and mind to bring glory to Him. When I look back to where I was mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually this time last year it blows me away. I was a co-dependent, insecure, muddle-headed mess. Now I am confident in my singleness, my direction and my thinking. And I owe all of this to God and what He has allowed me to endure.

Don’t ever feel that you don’t have anyone to turn to when you are let down by others. There is Someone, and He is the greatest Someone you will ever encounter in your life. He is my Jesus, my God, my Father, my Comforter, my Protector and my Saviour.

To Write Love On My Arm...

February 12...worldwide...is a TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arm) Day. Yesterday was February 12 here in Australia and I wrote love on my arm.

TWLOHA's mission statement is -

"To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery."

Please check out the website here and work your way through from the Vision along to see what this wonderful group is doing.

I struggle with depression and have done now for the last 10 plus years. It's hereditary, it's circumstantial but it's also something that I am overcoming with the help of my Wonderful God, some amazing friends and, yes, a box of little white pills.

In life we are dealt with circumstances - thorns in our sides, if you wish - that open up new avenues to experiences to us. Depression is not something that I like to say I suffer from, but I do. It's part of me, but it will be overcome as I am the Daughter of the King and He will heal me.

As for addiction, self-injury and suicide. Not so much. Addiction, I suppose, comes in many forms and not just drugs and alcohol. It can be to shopping (books, among other things, in my case!), watching TV, food and more. Addiction is a comfort and can be hard to break given that, depending on the thing one is addicted to, it can transform our mind into something not natural. It can affect our brain chemistry, our day to day activities and can become a crutch.

Self-injury can also come in many forms aside from cutting your arm. In some cases it is self-loathing, and in the case of a depressed and anxious person, hurting oneself by other means than a knife cut on the arm. I experience the overwhelming need to inflict pain on myself when highly anxious as it's a means of releasing tension. Let's just say that in my case fingernails are not a good addition to have on ones person!

Suicide...now there's a big one! Aside from thoughts of wishing that I was no longer here to endure the emotional pain of life, I would never contemplate suicide. Some may say that I can't say that, but yes I can. I know there is hope in life even despite the difficult times. This hope comes from an unwaivering faith in my Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one that speaks to me when I just wish I was not here. I have had many low moments in life over a twenty year period and I have wished I wasn't here. But, suicide is not my game. There is much more to life that letting the enemy have his way with my heart and soul.

Everyone has their reasons to write love on their arm. Above are mine. Everyone needs to know why they need to write love on their arm. Above are mine. Everyone needs to know who can help them overcome the need to write love on their arm. God is mine. He is our Creator, Provider and Comforter. A lot of people do not understand why I walk with God, but to be fair to them, they have never felt God's Heavenly Touch on their heart. I have.

Please take some time to read about To Write Love On Her Arm, to understand what their vision is, to see what they are doing, and then to relate that back to your life and see how to write love on YOUR arm would help you. Also, please take some time to thank your Heavenly Father for the blessings He gives in your life.

Our God...He's Quick!

When 2010 started and I chose the verse in this picture as my life verse for the year, I did not think that I would receive a vision this quickly! But today I did. It's a vision that I've felt creeping up on me for a little while now, but the ease (for today) that I am following the vision is surprising me. I won't share any details at present, but I do want to share that we serve a Great God, a Wonderful God, a Mightly Provider, and we need to be so very thankful, as I am tonight.

Thank you Heavenly Father!