Forget the Former

January 30, 2024January 31, 2024 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We all have past memories and live with regrets.

Our hearts have experienced loss or bondage from trauma which keeps us stuck. Some minds may be consumed with memories they can’t get past. Some focus on the loss, the betrayal, and the deep hurts.

If your mind is living stuck on things that have happened in the past, know that isn’t what God wants for you.

We must forget the former and shift the focus to at all that God is going to do in the future!

We must feel the pain for a season, but then we must pick ourselves up and push forward. If there is breath in our lungs, then God still has purpose for us.

Losing or failing doesn’t mean our life ends. If we chose to remain stuck in the past, we will miss out on the good things God has yet to do in the future.

My friends, I know it hurts because I’ve been there and had to let go and give it to God. I had to accept I will never understand why some situations and circumstances occurred or why individuals I tried to help or pour into chose to wrong me.

We all want answers and explanations for closure.

But…

What if we were not meant to understand? What if God is just calling us to accept and to trust him?

If you are experiencing feeling stuck in your past, pray and ask God for strength to shift your focus. Ask him to help you turn and look to the new things which lie ahead, to the future.

Isaiah 46:18 tells us to forget the past and look to the future plans he will create for us.

Now depending on the version of the Bible you have or look at, he tells us this in different ways; but the main point all Bible versions share is “forget” what has happened previously [because it is done and out of our control] and look to what He will make happen.

When we keep our minds stuck in the past, we likely will miss what he is planning to do.

Today, can we dig deep to find the strength to anticipate the goodness that is yet to come from God? Forget what was, forget what hurts, and focus so that you may see what is coming!!

Isaiah 43:18 Versions:

Isaiah 43:18 NLT- But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

Isaiah 43:18 CEV- Forget what happened long ago! Don't think about the past.

Isaiah 43:18 NKJV- Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.

Isaiah 43:18 NIV - Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past

The Prophet Isaiah here is speaking to the people telling them not to remain focused on their captivity. He is telling them that something new, something better is to come. God is calling us to look to him and to stop focusing on our circumstances. We are not to remain paralyzed looking back at our failures and shortcomings, that’s slavery, but instead we are to focus on the freedom we will have in Christ.

With eyes focused behind us we will not see what lies ahead. The focus must now be on the hope for a new future.

God has blessings to come. Now is the time to trust him!!

Pray with me:

♥️ Heavenly Father,

We are all carrying some kind of regret or turmoil deep within our hearts. Some of us mentally stay in the past and take comfort in pain because they don’t know how to let go and stop living in their past.

Some of us are battling feelings of betrayal and abandonment from people we expected to stand by us. Some of us feel defeated because our plans and dreams haven’t worked out successfully. And some of us just feel stuck and without hope that the pain can ever end.

Father, hearts are in need of your healing so Father, we call you today, to strengthen us and shift our minds onto the hope of the future to come. Holy Spirit, we call on you today to comfort us as we let go and let you heal the wounds we have allowed to take root. Lord Jesus, uproot the old and renew our minds and heal our hearts, so that we may keep our minds and hearts stayed on you and focus on your promises.

When we follow you, Lord, the best is yet to come. So remind us that you have a future for us. Remind us that healing will not be found when we live in the past. Holy Spirit, heal our deep wounds so that we can move forward, seeking after the purpose you still have us here for. Remind us oh God, that joy comes in the morning and tomorrow is a new dawn. Reveal to us all, the blessings that our pain blinds us from.

Father God, rise up your people to walk in their God ordained purposes and assignments! There is joy left to feel and work yet to be done. In Jesus name, help us to look forward to what you are going to do and may we be willing vessels knowing that you will restore and bring a hope that is brand new! In Jesus name we pray, Amen 🙏

Growing with you, Sandy

Be Still, it’s not about you…

May 22, 2023 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The Holy Spirit is speaking this to me today!!

Sometimes what we are going through isn’t about us!! There is no need to argue or fight. God is above it all!!! He will be exalted!!!

No matter what is attacking you today or what you are going through step out of your emotions and let God in. Let him remind you it’s not about you, about them, nor about what either of you want or need. Let GOD alone be exalted! He alone deserves all praise for everything that happens.

Even in the frustration, sadness, confusion, he is right there and no matter the outcome. He will be exalted!

We must let down our wants, desires and expectations and seek him in the madness. Trust him in the hardest situation and fully rely on him. It’s not about our will. Trials are here, walk through them and let them build you.

My Prayer Today:

Jesus, what are you trying to teach me today? This is all I am seeking.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations,
exalted on the earth.”
Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬

#God #HeIsExhalted #BeStill #Godisinthis #HisWill #hisway #surrender #dietoself #spiritleadme

Sometimes You have to Sit with Your Feelings

June 29, 2022June 29, 2022 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We all have faced a time when something upset us and our feelings took over. When anger and frustration set in and we immediately wanted to tell “that person” a thing or two and give them a piece of our mind.

Reacting based on emotion may lead to saying things you will later regret.

Sometimes you just have to sit with your feelings. This is important to allow your mind time to process what happened. Identify how the occurrence left you feeling as you sit and allow your emotions to calm.

When the other person resorts to cursing you, insulting you and being hostile. You don’t have to respond.

“Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.” — Proverbs 29:11 NLT

Let go and allow God to fight.

Leave your troubles with the Lord, and he will defend you; he never lets honest people be defeated. — Psalm 55:22

Sit with your feelings and pray. Ask God to direct you.

“What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature.” — Galatians 5:16 GNTD

Listen to worship music and praise God for all of your blessings. Shift the atmosphere from one of frustration into one of joy and praise. For God is good and he can turn your circumstances and situations around and use them for your personal growth.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” — James 1:2-5 NLT

The next time you feel a need to defend yourself and react, leave it all in God’s hands!! He will work it all out for your good! Respond (only if you must) when you’re calm and allow yourself to be lead by the Spirit of the Lord and not by emotions.

Father God, I thank you for your love and for always there being there for us, protecting us, and ready to fight our battles when we call upon your mighty name. Lord, I lift up my brothers and sisters today who are in circumstances or situations which have their emotions heightened and going in every direction. Jesus in your name we come against anger, fear, frustration, sadness, and every negative emotion that is taking over their minds right now. Father, give them peace that only you can give and remind them Lord to take time to calm & pray, leaving things at your feet. Lead them Oh Father to respond according to your will and not their own. We know that you go before us and that you are fighting for us. So Lord, give them strength to call upon your name and lead them to respond with words that will not cause harm or pierce the heart of another. We know that you work things out for the good of those who love you, so we give you thanks father God in advance because we know that you will make a way and that you work their situations out. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Growing with you,

Sandy

A mind that leads to Life and Peace

June 3, 2021March 8, 2022 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I’ve been battling frustration lately, over things I have no control over. When I am frustrated or upset, I talk out loud; this is one of my biggest flaws.

Have you ever done that? Talk to yourself out loud, complaining to your self? When I do this others can hear what I’m saying and often take offense to it.

Complaining out loud can make a situation worse, because even when you aren’t trying to offend others, it can and does happen.

Can anyone relate to this? Have you ever gotten so frustrated that you become blind to your own behavior and say things aloud that can offend another person? If so, you are not alone and neither am I. But let’s be mature enough not to justify our actions. For we should never meet evil with evil or bad with bad. We must be wiser and do better.

I disappoint myself when I allow my frustration to get the best of me and allow it to shift my mood into one which is cold. I’m human so people I care about disappoint me and frustrate me, that’s normal, but I know I need to learn to manage my frustration better. I don’t want to be an ugly person with an ugly attitude, that’s not who God called me to be.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In Romans 8:6, God’s word says that to overcome reacting in our flesh, we must allow the Holy Spirit to to control our mind and lead us. Funny thing is, when we are angry we tend to forget that we should be relying on God to lead us. But when we do it without the Holy Spirit, just where does replying based off our emotions get us? No where better.

Tonight this is my prayer:

Father God, help me to be mindful enough to get alone in your presence when I feel myself becoming frustrated rather than letting that frustration consume my mind in the moment. Holy Spirit fill me and lead me so that I may be obedient to your will and your purpose for my life. Holy Spirit allow your peace to come upon me in those moments and redirect my actions. Help me to seek your lead rather then behaving like someone I don’t want to be. Father, I know I have no control over others. But by your spirit Lord, I can try to control my own actions. Help me to seek you and to grow and overcome. Strengthen me and cover me in your peace. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏

Growing with you,

Sandy

Begin Anywhere

April 9, 2021April 15, 2021 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Change is hard. When life seems to be falling apart we either struggle to hold it all together or we just give up. When you feel defeated and as if pieces of your life or situation are all over the place, that is when it is time to take a break, slow down, pray and put things into perspective.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, give yourself time to feel and sort through the pieces.

I’ve never been one to love puzzles, I’ve always found it overwhelming to look at 500+ pieces all at once. But I do know that when you invest the time to just pick up one piece and slowly start to build, eventually you create an amazing picture. By taking the time to slowly focus, and take it piece by piece, with patience you can put together what seemed at first to be a very overwhelming project.

In real life, we face challenges of all kinds. You get through one hardship or obstacle only to be faced with another. When you feel overwhelmed don’t avoid the issue and don’t run from the situation. Instead, take time to rest and spend time with GOD.

There’s something about being in GOD’s presence, he brings peace that can come from no other.
{Look up Philippians 4:7}

Many of us are so focused on trying to take control of our circumstances or on running away from them, that we fail to invest time to find mental clarity. Once these important steps (rest, time with God, refocusing) are realized and completed, that is when it will be easier to actually pick up one piece and begin creating something new or begin to restore pieces which seem irreparable.

It doesn’t matter where you start, what matters is remembering that you will get no where if you don’t begin somewhere.

Nothing is perfect and not many things come easy or without struggle.

When I have a problem all I can think about is how the issue can be eliminated. I don’t want to struggle, be hurt or feel defeated. But sometimes GOD allows certain things to break because it just wasn’t what he had planned for us. If we seek his guidance through the uncertainty, and invest time, eventually all pieces come together as GOD planned for them to.

After completing a puzzle many are left with a feeling of accomplishment. Their final result is an awesome picture made by themselves (or family and friends who may have contributed). Life is very similar to puzzles. As we navigate through life, each challenge, situation, and hardship are strategic pieces that are needed to create a bigger picture – Your life story.

GOD blessed you with purpose, chase it!

When we are overwhelmed with what seems like a mess, we are incapable of seeing the masterpiece that God has created. So when we are overwhelmed, lets run to GOD rather than running away. Lets set on our minds towards focusing on each circumstance, moment by moment, step by step, building piece by piece. One day we will reflect back in awe and pride.

Don’t allow giving up to be an option. Make up your mind not to turn back. GOD is a finisher of all things. We are not battling relationships, family, friends, or problems. We are battling our minds which the enemy fights to gain control over. Do not allow him to make you feel defeated. Decide that you are not a quitter and begin picking up those pieces.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT) says this, “And I am certain that GOD, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Father GOD,
We thank you today for your love and mercy. Father you are good and have a perfect plan set out for each of us. Father when we feel defeated or overwhelmed, help us to call upon your name. May we never quit and never label ourselves as being incapable of accomplishing the work that you have called each of us to. Father, we know that in time all pieces are needed for a greater purpose. Please help us to never loose sight of that.

In Jesus name, Amen

Reflect: What situation or challenge are you currently being faced with? Are you feeling as if you just don’t know where to begin? Bring your pieces before the LORD and ask GOD to redirect you so that all things fall into their proper intended place.

Growing with you,

Sandy

Mighty Within Us

September 22, 2017September 22, 2017 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 1 Comment

I am currently enrolled in the last trimester of the International School of Ministry (ISOM) program at my church and in tonight’s class something stood out to me. The speaker , T.L. Osborn, stated “The most difficult thing to get unbelievers to understand is, God lives in us.” This statement resonated with me because so many people are blind to the fact that Christ can dwell within each of us.

Often when you tell someone you’re a Christian, they think you are religious and judgmental. We get a bad rap because so many who claim to be Christians are condemning and judging everyone around them. As Christians, our job is not to convince anyone who Christ is and it surely is not our job to judge others. We are called to love and share the unconditional love of Jesus Christ with the world. Everything beyond that will be done by the Holy Spirit.

Don’t enter into the business of condemning or judging yourself or others. We live in a sinful world and all fall short of chasing what we desire rather than traveling down the roads God intended for us to travel down.

To the unbelievers: Becoming a Christian does not mean that one must strive to be religious or try to behave as a Christian behaves. Becoming a Christian means that you are opening your heart to receiving Christ and inviting him to dwell within. Read more ›

A Critical Spirit

September 2, 2017September 2, 2017 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

via Daily Prompt: Critical

crit·i·cal
adjective
1. expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgments.

When you are critical of someone or something you tend to be expressing your disapproval or judgement on something they did or said. When I go onto social media lately, it seems that critical comments and posts are the norm. I see battles and arguments over politics and religion daily now. It seems as though everyone is out to prove that someone else is wrong. What happened to respecting others? Does respect even exist anymore?

Many are being quick to speak and put others down and react out of emotion. This is not always good or healthy. As a mother, I do my best to teach my daughter to think before speaking or posting on social media. I believe that our words [and posts] are a reflection of our character. While I don’t live my life based on what others think of me, I live trying to be mindful of the way my words or comments make others feel. Of course I am human so I too have made the mistake of blurting something out that I have regretted after the fact, but I do my best to be cautious with my words and statements.