IT IS YOU, that holds us together

January 8, 2023January 9, 2023 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Some of us have multiple things or responsibilities going on at once. We are parents, providers, supporters, encouragers and also have manage protects and challenges in our places of work to juggle simultaneously as well.

Sometimes trying to manage all many things at once can cause us to feel as though we are living in chaos. This chaos can feel both organized and unorganized at times, and this can be overwhelming.

When chaos is all around, there is something we need to be reminded of: What seems like chaos to you, may appear as order to another. What appears as weakness to you, may appear as strength to another. What appears to be falling apart to you, may appear to be held together by another. It is all a matter perspective and faith.

So when you’re feeling as though chaos is all around you or that there is no one you can count on to be there for you, drop to your knees and lay it all at the feet of Jesus. This is what he wants from us; to come to him when we are weary or heavy laden (Mathew 11:28), so that he may give us rest and restore and renew our strength both physically and mentally.

We were not made to handle the struggles of life alone. So when your load is heavy and life is waring against you, call on Jesus. He will handle it all for you.

“Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’ Indeed, all those who are angry with you will be put to shame and humiliated; Those who strive against you will be as nothing and will perish. You shall search for those who quarrel with you, but will not find them; They who war against you will be as nothing, as nothing at all. For I the Lord your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord], Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:10-13 AMP

No matter how big or heavy you feel your fight or burdens are, God will protect you and hold you together and handle all that is before you. God is mighty and powerful! He can move the mountains you thought were impossible to move.

Pray with me:

Heavenly Father, I thank you Lord for your unfailing love, grace and mercy. I thank you for always being here for me and for all of your children when we need you. Father God, tonight I pray for anyone who is up battling anxiety or fear. Father God, life can feel really overwhelming and hectic sometimes. At times there can be so much to handle that we are trying to prioritize but still feel as if life is a chaotic mess. The enemy is out to corrupt our minds and hearts. In Jesus name, I pray against the enemies plans, and I decree and declare peace will fall upon anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus. Tonight, I ask you LORD Jesus, could you cover them and replace their fear or anxiety with peace. Holy Spirit fill their rooms, comfort them and make your presence known, transforming their hearts and minds. Remind them, LORD Jesus, that you desire for us to call upon your name in our times of need, and that you are our helper and you will uphold them and fight any battle they are facing, whether it be mental, physical, or a health report or illness. Remind them Holy Spirit that they are not alone. May they take comfort in knowing GOD is with them, even through the darkest of nights. In Jesus mighty name I pray, Amen 🙏

I heard this song today and although I have heard it many times before, it inspired me tonight to write this blog post. If you are reading this and have found any encouragement through my words, I pray that this video will also uplift you and comfort you in your time of need reminding you that It is God who holds us together, and he always will when we call upon him.

Something New

January 5, 2023January 4, 2023 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

“Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already—you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.”
Isaiah 43:19 GNTD

We are going into our 5th day of the new year 2023, and I pray you are filled with a heart and mind of expectancy. Take time to draw close to GOD through worship and in prayer and be reminded that it’s not about our own wants or desires or any new year resolutions. As followers of Christ, we must pray daily and seek out the Lord’s will for all decisions we will make.

In the Bible, in Isaiah 43:19, Isaiah was prophesying over what is to come in the future. The “new thing” he was referring to was Christs coming. Through Isaiah, GOD was giving the people of Isreal a hope and encouragement. Although they were not following GOD’s way and continued on in their evil ways no matter how many times GOD delivered them, GOD was starting to reveal to them that they would have a chance for salvation through the coming of the Messiah. GOD still loved them and wanted to give them another chance and help them to change.

Just as God was doing a new thing and making a way for the people of Israel, he desires to do the same for both you and I. When we fully surrender our lives to him in obedience, that is when he will be able to work in us and through us and do a new thing. He wants to make a way out of the dry dessert for us too. He wants to use us and transform us.

GOD is calling us to a new level of freedom in 2023. But he needs our willing hearts. Just as it was up to the people of Isreal to accept GOD’s offering, so must we too accept his invitation to move in a new direction.

Do you want what GOD is offering? Do you want a new direction in life. Do you want to step out of your old patterns and walk into the new thing he wants to do? We have a choice. Will you choose to leave behind the old? Will you choose to leave behind the repetitive unhealthy cycles in life that you’ve been battling in your own strength?

For he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!
Psalms 95:7 NLT

Pray with me:

Father God, We thank you that you are a loving God. No matter how many mistakes we make you are always there giving us another chance to surrender our hearts to you. Lord, forgive us today for our disobedience, and for the times we take our lives into our own hands and forget that you are our creator and that you know the beginning and the end. You go before us, and see all that we cannot and you protect us. Holy Spirit, convict our hearts today. Change us and remove any desires that are not from you. Father God, in this new year, may the desires of our heart be to grow closer to you and to surrender to the purpose that you created us for. We know that we are not fighting in the physical, but we fight against spiritual principalities, and demonic forces. This world is getting dark. I declare and decree that plans which the enemy has to destroy us and keep us bound in the darkness will be broken, in Jesus name. You have a choice. Tomorrow is not promised, so today in this new year I pray that you will choose breakthrough, choose change, and choose to follow Jesus and watch the amazing way he will transform your life. I am excited to see him do a new thing in mine. My prayer is that you will surrender and allow him to do the same in yours. In Jesus mighty name, I pray, Amen.

I can get through anything because;

God Formed me
God Created me
God Redeemed me
God Called me

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

A Piece of My Story

August 30, 2017September 1, 2017 by madepiecebypiece ♥ 6 Comments

I thought I would take some time to write a little bit about myself so that my readers get to know to me. Like every human being I have been through many difficult times in life but I have also experienced joy.

I had a rough upbringing, I come from a broken family without a dad in the home. I was raised by a single mom who struggled independently and needed assistance to raise three children on her own. As a child, I never experienced what a healthy family life felt like so it is a hunger I have carried with me my entire life. This hunger caused me to have a blind eye to love. I have a huge heart and allowed my heart to lead me in my choices, this resulted in me having many painful life experiences.

I became pregnant at the age of 17 and gave birth to my beautiful daughter at the age of 18. She represented life to me. She was so innocent and precious so I made a promise to myself to always be her provider and protector. God graciously blessed me by opening doors to jobs that paid me enough money to support my daughter and provide for all her needs. We had all the material things we needed to survive, but somehow my inner hunger for a life partner led me in the wrong direction.

Parenting helped me discover that I have a giving heart. I found joy in providing for my daughter and seeing her face light up. This birthed a strong desire within me to help others. I know what it’s like to be in need so when I see someone with a need my instinct is to help them. I find myself having a desire to make their load lighter. So I try my best to help them in any way I can. I give the encouragement I know I would need if I were them.

I know what it’s like to have a longing for something in my heart and I know what it is like to be broken. I also know what it is to feel hopeless and shattered because the one you trusted to protect your heart left you in pieces instead. So when I come across someone who feels shattered or lost, my heart is lead to encourage and help uplift. I don’t want anyone to feel the emptiness I struggled with in my past.