Much More Than Conquerors

Ahhh, verse mapping!!!  I love it...Breaking down scripture is so refreshing and satisfying!  It's one of my favorite activities that helps me better understand scripture, and grow closer to God.

Romans 8:31-39 was my reading for today.  There is SOOOO much to unpack in this passage, but what really caught my attention this morning was verse 37:

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (NIV) 

At first, I just read through it like "OK cool, God loves us and we conquer stuff through him and his love ok yup yeah cool."  Then something told me to go back, and dig deeper...

I tend to think in short bursts (what I call "bullet-point style" lol); this is also how I do my verse mapping.  So if you can follow me, here we go :)

• "All these things" - In the passage, this is relating to the previous verses in the chapter, regarding condemnation, trouble, hardship, and persecution.  In the bigger picture relating to daily life, it relates to anything and everything in life (including hardships and troubles). 
• "We are" - Not "we might be," but WE ARE (and YOU ARE!).  No question about it!  
• Conquerors: 
• A conqueror is a person who conquers (I know, that's a tough one to grasp!).  
• Conquer means to: 
1. Overcome and take control of (a place or people) by use of military force 
2. Successfully overcome (a problem or weakness)
3. Climb (a mountain) successfully 
• This can be interpreted to mean that through him (God) and his love, we can conquer and overcome anything and everything.  We can conquer any problems.  We can successfully overcome any addictions, struggles, weaknesses, health issues, financial issues, anything can be overcome with God's love!!!  
• Now, what's even more awesome is that it doesn't stop there.  No, the Bible tells us "we are more than conquerors."  Not only can we overcome our problems and issues, but we are so much more than that!  We will not only survive through our problems, but we will truly thrive through (and after) our problems!  

With God's love, anything is possible.  We can conquer and overcome any setback, any issue, any problem, any frustration, anything and everything!  His love is how I've overcome many problems in life, including cancer, and how I will continue to push forward in life!  

"'If you can?' said Jesus.  'Everything is possible for one who believes.'"  ~Mark 9:23 (NIV)

Never forget you're an overcomer!!!  <3  God bless :)  

Why Worry? Verse Mapping Psalm 139:5

I LOVE Psalm 139:5!!!  When I read what the verse of the week was for our OBS Week 7, I got super excited!  Each translation of this verse reveals so much about the wonderful ways God gives us to rid ourselves of worry.

The NLT version of Psalm 139:5 reads: "You go before me and follow me.  You place Your hand of blessing on my head."  This made me think of how soothing it feels to have someone place their hands on your head, especially if they are rubbing your scalp or stroking your hair.  Getting my hair cut is one of my favorite things to do simply for the washing and conditioning of the hair - the scalp rub is the best part!  It is also very relaxing as the stylist brushes and styles your hair.  Whenever I am blessed with the time to get a massage, I request that they spend a fair amount of time massaging my scalp.

There is something very calming and pacifying about hands on the head, and the fact that God places His hand of blessing on our heads is incredibly soothing!  We have access to this calmness and reassurance at all times - we just have to seek Him.  It also amazes me to think of how blessed we are that our wonderful and incredible God would take the time to remember us and to comfort us - not only by placing His hand on us, but by giving us blessings as well!

The NIV translation of Psalm 139:5 reads: "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me."  "Hemmed in" - this sounds just like getting tucked in a nice warm, comfortable, and safe bed by God.  When we are aware of His presence, we can have that feeling of safe warmth all throughout our day!  Usually I am very claustrophobic (sleeping bags are NOT an option for me!), but the thought of being hemmed in by God sounds wonderful - being trapped in by God's blessings and security actually frees us from worry, fear, anxiety, shame, and other negative emotions, which leaves us free to enjoy His many blessings.  We have no need to worry when He is always with us, keeping us hemmed in with Him!



Psalm 139:50 in The Message reads:  "I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going."  God is behind us in everything we do; and He is also ahead of us, preparing the way for our future!  Jeremiah 29:11 also reminds us that He is preparing the way for us: "'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 a hope and a future.'" (NIV)

The Message version also makes me think of this Prayer of St. Patrick:

As I arise today, 

may the strength of God pilot me,

the power of God uphold me,

the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me, 

the ear of God hear me,

The word of God speak for me.

May the hand of God protect me,

the way of God lie before me,

the shield of God defend me,

the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today. 

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 

Christ on my right, Christ on my left, 

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit, Christ when I stand, 

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, 

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen.  

I love this prayer, and I love the idea of God and Christ surrounding us, protecting us, and reassuring us.  When we consciously focus on seeking God throughout the day, he will calm our fears and anxieties.  We have no need or room for worry when we make God the sole focus of our lives - He is surrounding us to protect and bless us, and is preparing our future for us too!  I pray you are able to seek Him throughout all your days, and that you are able to experience His blessings and peace.  God bless! :)

Fear and Doubt - Verse Mapping Luke 24:38

For Week 3 of our OBS, I chose to dive into our scripture for the week - Luke 24:38: "'Why are you frightened?' he asked.  'Why are your hearts filled with doubt?'" (NLT) 

Frightened is defined by Google as "afraid or anxious."  Luke 24:38 details the disciple's reaction after Christ was resurrected from the dead.  Even after all the miracles that Jesus performed prior to the crucifixion, the disciples still did not believe that he was truly standing there - they were not believing the miracle of the resurrection!  Not only did they not believe, they were anxious and afraid.  Two other translations of Luke 24:38 read: 

• "And he said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?'"  (NIV).
• "He continued with them, 'Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over.'" (MSG)  

God does not want us to be troubled, anxious, or afraid; and he especially does not want doubts taking over our lives.  How many of us are consumed with worry, anxiety, doubts for our lives?  Most of us are, but the good news is that we do not have to be filled with these any longer!  Jesus taught the disciples multiple times during his journey to not be troubled, anxious, or afraid (Luke 12:22-28, Matthew 6:25-34), yet they still were anxious and doubtful.  As disciples of Christ, we must learn to turn our concerns, worries, fears, anxieties, and doubts over to God.  Not only does He ask that we do so, he wants us to do so!  He desires for us to talk to him, and to turn everything over to him.  How incredible is it that we have such a loving God, who wants us to live free of anxiety and doubts?!?  All we have to do is believe, and trust in Him.  

Doubt is a word I use on almost a daily basis.  If I do not say it out loud (i.e. "I doubt we can make that work...I doubt I will have time for that"), then I say it internally (i.e. "I doubt I can do that...I doubt that he/she will do what they are supposed to").  Merriam-Webster defines doubt as "To be uncertain about (something); to believe that (something) may not be true or is unlikely; to have no confidence in (someone or something)."  

WOW!  That completely changes the way I think of using "doubt!"  When I say something such as "I doubt that we can make that work," I am saying "I do not believe that we can do this."  Not only does that mean I do not believe in myself, but that I do not believe in others - which is not true!  I have decided to become intentional about restructuring my thoughts, so that I can restructure the words I say!  I will begin thinking better thoughts (i.e. "I will do my best to accomplish this...I believe that they will do their job well"), so that I can say better statements (i.e. "We will do our best to make this work...If there is time, we will take care of that").  What a change that could be for my own life, and for the lives of those around me!  

By turning over our doubts to Him, we are removing all our dis-belief from our lives, which allows us to believe in ourselves and in others.  This is life-changing!  Imagine living your life believing that you can accomplish everything you need to and want to, and believing that those around you can live up to their full potential as well.  This brings glory and honor to God, and it also makes our lives so much more enjoyable!  While it is not always easy to turn everything over to God, we will find true peace and joy once we are able to fully surrender to Him.  

I pray you are able to turn your doubts over, find freedom, joy, peace, and blessings in Christ, and begin #movingforward!  God bless :)  

I Will Be With You

"I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  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.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."  

~Isaiah 43:1b-3a 

This verse is so incredibly reassuring!  It literally warms my soul, and makes me feel loved.  To think that God is there to protect me in the waves and fires of our lives is incredible!  He is there when I am at work when I am fighting fires with patients or other people.  He is there in my relationships when things get heated so I don't get burned.  He is there in my family when I feel like the waves of major change, economic stress, and life in general will wash us away.  He is there when I feel I will be drowned in a deep river of stress, yet my soul feels dry.  He is there in all of this, taking care of us, keeping us safe.  He is in control!  

In the midst of all our hardships, grievances, suffering, trials, and tribulations, God is there.  He never leaves us - we just have to seek Him always.  If we do not actively seek Him every moment of every day, then we may miss His presence in our lives.  We cannot know the incredible power of God unless we seek Him.  He has already met us more than halfway; we must just go our half to meet Him! 

Thank you for reading, God bless!!!  :)  

Whatever Is...

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."  

~Philippians 4:8 (NIV)  

Verse mapping! :)  

• Whatever - used to emphasize a lack of restriction in referring to any thing or amount, no matter what
• True - in accordance with fact or reality 
• Noble - possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties 
• Right - being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper 
• Pure - free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes; without any extraneous and unnecessary elements 
• Lovely - exquisitely beautiful; delightful for beauty, harmony, or grace 
• Admirable - deserving the highest esteem, respect, and approval 
• Excellent - extremely good; outstanding 
• Praiseworthy - deserving approval and admiration

When I look at these definitions, I realize that if all my thoughts were aligned with these, then love, encouragement, and peace would just automatically flow from me!  Over the past week, I have really focused on watching my thoughts.  Whenever I had a moment to "think about my thoughts," I went through this list about my thoughts:

• Is this thought true?  Is this actually a fact, or something that my emotions are leading me to think?  
• Is this thought noble?  Does this topic I am pondering possess excellent qualities, or does it possess negative, harmful, or destructive qualities?
• Is this thought right?  Is this thought in line with what is good, just, or proper?  Am I being fair to the subject I am considering?  
• Is this thought pure?  Does this thought contain anything harmful or negative that will contaminate my view of the subject?  Is this thought free of anything that might weaken me or someone else?  Is this thought free of anything that is unnecessary to thinking about it, such as raw emotions that may not be based on facts?  
• Is this thought lovely?  If someone else were to see what I am thinking, would they see it as beautiful, or ugly?  
• Is this thought admirable?  If someone else were to see what I am thinking, would they respect me and my thoughts?  Is this thought respectful to others?  Would God approve of this thought?  
• Is this thought excellent?  Is this topic I am dwelling on a good, healthy, positive topic?  
• Is this thought praiseworthy?  If someone else heard this thought, would they approve of it?  Would Jesus approve of this thought?  Would others admire me if they heard what I was thinking?  

I found out that I did not have to get far past "true" to realize if I needed to change what I was thinking about or not!  :)  Also, I realized that while other people may not be able to see my thoughts, they can sense a "vibe" about what I am thinking and feeling towards them.  And God sees all of our thoughts!  

One example I found myself going through several times during the week was my thoughts towards others.  I was frustrated with myself that I even had these thoughts, but it was good to work through them!  When I found myself frustrated with someone else, I just walked myself through the list.  I would quickly realize that the person I was upset with is just another human being trying to survive in this crazy world, just like me.  This softens my heart every time I realize it, and immediately turns my day around.  

It really all does begin with our thoughts!  God bless!!!  :)  

"But Seek First..." Verse Mapping

One of my new-found favorite activities...verse mapping!  This week in our online Bible study, we were challenged to verse map Matthew 6:33:  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  

My verse mapping (in rough format):  

• But = Apart from (this)  
• Seek = to go in search of, look for; to try to acquire or gain; aim at  
• First = Before anyone or anything else; before seeking ____ from anyone or anything else:
• Help
• Comfort
• Love
• Strength
• Approval
• Companionship
• Wisdom 
• Guidance 
• Before anything else, seek HIM first! 
• His kingdom = A realm or sphere in which one thing is dominant.  He needs to be dominant in our lives!  
• His righteousness = His holiness and perfectness; set apart from 
• All these things = Everything, including what is stated in the versus previous to this: clothes, food, water, body (health) = all of our basic needs!
• Will be = Guaranteed they will be given, not "might be" or "may be" given, they WILL BE - how very reassuring!!!  
• Given to you = gifted; bestowed as a gift 
• As well = in addition to; along with all the other blessings He has given us 
• Apart from all else, aim at searching for and living in God's realm and His holiness before you search for anyone or anything else for anything, and everything you need to live will absolutely be bestowed upon you in addition to a multitude of other blessings.  (This sounds rough, but it's my interpretation that makes sense in my head! :)  

*Do not focus on or worship earthly things!  Food (gluttony), clothes (materialism), etc!  Focus on HIM first, and we will receive all the necessities of life, and a multitude of blessings beyond that!!!  

*Place Him first in our lives, and we will be satisfied with everything we need in all aspects of our lives - basic needs, emotional needs, physical needs - everything!!!  

I also think a scripture that goes along well with this one is Luke 16:10-13:  

"If you're honest in small things;

you'll be honest in big things;

If you're a crook in small things;

you'll be a crook in big things. 

If you're not honest in small jobs,

who will put you in charge of the store?

No worker can serve two bosses:

He'll either hate the first and love the second

Or adore the first and despise the second.

You can't serve both God and the Bank."  

Love this!  If I can't be responsible for a small about of friends, money, responsibilities, how can God trust me with more friends, a marriage, more money, and more responsibilities at work and at home?  

I love and am amazed every day at how powerful His Word is, and how it speaks to every aspect of my life!!!  :)  Have a blessed day!!!  

Verse Mapping Insights - Isaiah 30:15

Today's post is a rough outline of some thoughts and insights I had while doing some verse mapping with this week's online bible study verse!  Please excuse the rough formatting, I just wanted to get my thoughts down :)

"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength" 

~Isaiah 30:15 (King James Version) 

"Come back and quietly trust in me. Then you will be strong and secure.”

~Isaiah 30:15 (Good News Translation) 

Definitions with Google Dictionary:

• Salvation - A source of being saved or protected from harm 
• Repentance - feeling or expressing sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoings or sins 
• Rest - Ceasing work or movement in order to relax and refresh oneself 
• Quietness - Making no sound (this definition just sounds peaceful! Pun intended :) 
• Trust - Firm belief in the reliability, truth, and ability of someone or something 
• Strength - The emotional or mental qualities necessary in dealing with situations or events that are distressing or difficult 

By feeling and expressing to the Lord sincere regret and remorse about our wrongdoings and sins, and by ceasing work and movement at times in order to relax and refresh ourselves, we are saved and protected from harm. 

By making no sound in order to focus on the Lord, and having a firm belief in the reliability, truth, and abilities of the Lord, we develop positive and stable emotional and mental states that are necessary to deal with distressing and difficult situations.  

We need to regularly go to a quiet place to focus on the Lord, whispering to Him, and listening to Him. We need to trust Him and His great plans for our lives, and have confidence in Him and in our abilities with Him at our sides. This gives us strength to get through life, and the strength to persevere through whatever we go through! 

We are saved from bad things in live (stressors) by returning from any distractions to focusing on the Lord, repenting and confessing any sins, and resting in His perfect peace.

By focusing on Him, we find His perfect peace and are able to rest. This helps us to grow even closer to Him. This is all our salvation, which saves us from death, and a life of stress and pain!

God bless!!!  :)