Being Mrs. Mom®

Woman, Wife, Mother

You are here: Home / Archives for Encouragement

Encouragement

Matthew 25:29

By Leave a Comment

“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” ~Matthew 25:29

This is the scripture for the week. It really gives us something to think about, as we each seek to live in a way that is pleasing to our Heavenly Father.

Each week the scriptural focus and devotion are sent to my subscribers through email. There is so much more to accompany this scripture, including a free PDF for thought, evaluation, and application.

As a subscriber, this week’s devotional has already been sent to your inbox.

If you are not already a subscriber and would like to receive the weekly devotional that accompanies this scripture, please fill out the form below the “God loves you image.” It will be sent out once again this evening to all new subscribers.  

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the devotional. Just send me a message with your thoughts included.

Do you have any prayer requests? Just send me an email or visit the contact page to share your request with me.

Receive the Weekly Scriptural Devotion in Your Inbox

Every week, our communty receives a weekly scriptual devotion that encourages and challenges you for the week.  It is a way to stay connected and empowered by the word of God.  If you want transformation in your life and relationships, you need the word of God.  Sign up to receive encouragement in your inbox on a weekly basis. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Are you going to push and praise your way through?

By Leave a Comment

Ultimate success is fulfilling the purpose of God, for your life. This doesn’t come easy. You cry through it, pray through it, and want to quit through it. Yet, everyday that you wake up, you have to make a choice. Are you going to do it all over again? Are you going to do what God told you to do? Are you going to answer the call and will you praise Him in the midst of it?  Are you willing to push and praise?

Admitting the problem

You don’t come to a place of having what you want because it fell in your lap.  For every good marriage, there were hundreds of hours spent toiling, fighting within, and praying for change to come.  For ever healthy life, there were months and years of mistakes and unhealthy habits.  For ever goal achieved, there were times of learning what not to do, so that the “what to do” was engrained on the heart of the achieved. 

I know these things from experience.  When you want to be successful in life, you worry, but then at some point you realize that worrying isn’t going to get you anywhere, so you seek to do something else.  

As children of God, we have to look to Him for our answer and, as we have seen before, He has a word for every situation that we find ourselves in.  

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

~Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry!  But what do you do when you are full of worry?  You are worried about your house, your finances, your marriage, your personal success, your friendships…so full of worry.  And all of this worrying is making you anxious.  

Realizing the solution

You have to be willing to do what the Word of God says.  You open up your mouth or stop for a moment and commit to action.  

You have to say to yourself and to God

“I am not going to be anxious.  I am bringing myself to a place of calm.  I am going to tell God what is causing me to stress and I’m going to ask Him for what I need.  Lord, I need somethings from you and I know that you will come through for me.  I believe and trust you, but where there is doubt, help my unbelief.  Father, I thank you that you are doing all of the things that you told me you would do.  You said in your word that whatever things I ask for in prayer, believing, I will receive.  I am asking you for these things now and I know that you are going to give me peace that surpasses all understanding.  Guard my heart and mind through Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name.  ~Amen”

You have to push

You cannot quit!

You must not give up!

No matter how you are feeling.

You must know without a shadow of doubt that whatever God has called you to do, He will also equip and accompany you to do.  

You must push your way through this and every situation in front of you.  

You must get in the word of God and reinforce the words that He spoke to your heart from the beginning.  Get to a place where you know that you know that God has called you to this place of pushing to the high mark that He called you to.  

While you push, praise.

You have to praise

Put on the playlist.  If you don’t know what to play, go on YouTube and pick your favorite biblical song.  From there, the app will do the rest, playing songs that are like it.  Allow the Holy Spirit to encourage and be with you through this process.  

Tell your heart to be glad.  Find the beauty and the joy in the midst of the situation.  Don’t allow yourself to get in a slum.  Yes, cry, if you must, but then be done with it.  Give it to God and praise your way through, knowing that He is faithful and He is with you.

He is with you

For everyday that you wake up, He has something for you to do.  For every breath that you breathe, there is a task for you to accomplish.  For every moment that He graces you with, He is with you spurring you on to accomplish the thing that He has placed in your heart. 

So, dream big for your marriage.  Have high hopes for your children.  Determine that the dreams and visions that He has placed in you, will come to pass because you are going to allow the Lord to work in you and through you, to see them accomplished.  

Make a decision, everyday not to give up, so that have the strength to push and praise.

 

If you are struggling with seeing things in a positive light and need a little push from the outside, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter.  You will receive encouragement, right where you are.  

If you need to take a few days to refocus, so that your heart can get right, then go ahead and purchase the 5 Days of Gratitude Devotional and Journal.  You’ll be encouraged through the Word of God to refocus and live life with a thankful heart. 

Understanding Gratitude and the Power It Can Have in Your Life

By Leave a Comment

Everyday that you wake up, you are given the same opportunity as millions of people across the world. You start off with the same number of hours, the same breath of life, and the same ability to decide how you will see the world around you.
 
So, what is the difference between a person that sees the world as dark and grim, and the one that sees it as a beautiful place where the colors are a bit faded today? 
 

The difference is perspective

 
I believe that the difference is perspective. Our perspectives are the way by which we see the world, but it is also the lens that is colored by the environment cultivated within us. In other words, what happens in our hearts, determines the perspective that we view the world from. 
 
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
~Proverbs 4:23 NKJV
 
Be careful how you think, your life is shaped by your thoughts.  ~Proverbs 4:23 GNT
 
If you struggle with forgiveness and bitterness, your perspective will always be of one on guard because the world, through this lens, cannot be trusted. If you have struggled with rejection, guilt, or depression, the world will seem mean and unkind because you will feel that you have nothing to be thankful for. You will feel like an outcast in the world and your inner perspective will determine your outlook, actions, motivations, and even, the direction of your relationship. 
 
But what happens if you have a heart of gratitude, where you are constantly on the lookout for things to be thankful for? 
 
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  ~Luke 6:45
 
Well, like everyone else, you will always have 24 hours in a day, but when spent with a thankful heart, you live loved and optimistic.  
 
I’m sure that you’ve heard the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”  I know that we apply this statement to many things, but you can take the same concept and apply it to the condition of your heart.  If you look at your life and situation hard enough you can find something to be thankful for.  I’d also like to point out that the opposite is also true. 

 

Understanding Gratitude

When you turn your heart from unthankful to grateful, you are expressing gratitude.  
 
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful.  It is a readiness to show appreciation and to return kindness.  
 
Now why would you want to be grateful.  Well, gratitude involves being appreciative for the things that God and other people have done for you.  It causes you to look outside of yourself for goodness, and it makes you feel good in the process.  This process occurs because possessing a grateful heart helps you to realize that the goodness you see is beneficial to you, which causes you to feel loved.  
 
“The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I feel good.”  
 
Thinking like this keeps your mind upbeat, joyful, and optimistic.  Positive thoughts breed positive emotions, actions, and interactions.  When you feel good, life seems good.  When this is true, no matter what happens, you can find the good and this is the way that you want to live your life.

 

The power gratitude can have your life 

Gratitude causes you to feel like you are important to someone, cared about, and loved.  You begin to feel like you matter.  You see people as good and your perspective of life is blessed.
 
When you see this, you will even begin to bless God for the way that He has cared for you. 
 
Research shows that gratitude has the power to make you resilient, more optimistic, and kinder.  It helps you achieve your goals, feel more hopeful, makes you healthier, and can help you sleep better. 

 

Gratitude makes the difference

If each person starts their day with the same ability to make a choice which effects their day, situation, and life, wouldn’t you want to choose the perspective that blesses you the most?  If your answer is yes, then choose gratitude.  It really makes the difference.  
 
If you have trouble focusing on the positive, go to the scripture. 
 
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.  ~Psalm 34:1-2
 
Scripture helps us to focus on what God says and it gives us a new perspective, when ours is out of whack.  
 
Make gratitude a goal by focusing on the things of God to take your thoughts outside of yourself.  Begin to thank God for all that He has done for you, ever, in your whole entire life.  Sometimes that’s what it takes to make your heart grateful.  It may require you to look back over your life and remember where you have been to see where you are and bless the Lord.  Your act of thankfulness will transform your thinking, surroundings, relationships, and your life. 
 
Today, I encourage you to think about the effects that gratitude can have on your life.  Make a decision to have a grateful heart, so that you life can always be in an upward spiral.  

 

Get focused

I also want to encourage you to take sometime to focus your thoughts and heart.  That’s why I’ve written the 5 Days of Gratitude Devotional and Journal.  It gives you the opportunity to focus your thoughts, emotions, and actions on being thankful.  Get your copy today, it costs $7 and is packed with such great information.  It blessed me to write it and I know that it will bless you to interact with it.  I want to tell you that while it is a 5 day devotional, it is 44 pages of devotion that will send you on a biblical journey of checking your heart and your perspective, so don’t wait.  Get your printable e-book copy of 5 Days of Gratitude Devotional and Journal today, by clicking on the image below.  
 
 
 
 

How to Use Your Mouth to Frame Your Thoughts and Your Day

By Leave a Comment

Have you ever woken up and found that you were in a weird mood?  You don’t know why, but your attitude is a little bit off.  You can’t even put your finger on it, but you now have somethings on your mind that are making you feel some sorta way.  These feelings are starting to make you wonder if you are going to have a good day or not.  

I want to stop you right there and say that we all have mornings like this.  Now whether that turns into a bad day or not, is up to each person.  

As things begin to happen, you will have to get frame your thoughts.  We normally try to figure out whether  or not it is going to be a good day or a bad day based upon circumstances, but you and I have to be willing to take a step forward and do something that will effect everything.  

We must take control over our thoughts and emotions, using our mouths.

When we feel this way, the Holy Spirit, who is our Helper, will always say something that we must respond to, if we want things change.  He will speak words of encouragement or even the word of God.  

One time, I remember struggling in the morning to get going.  My emotions were all over the place and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me.  It seemed like everything was going wrong and getting on my nerves.  Then as I stood in the bathroom, brushing my teeth, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart “bless the Lord O my soul.”  This immediately triggered me to stop for a second and think on the scripture and the Psalmist’s experience in the Bible.  

Let me say that the Lord doesn’t always speak to me in this way, but the more word you and I put in us, the more word He will use to speak to our hearts and direct us.  

I continued getting dressed and took my children to school, all the while contemplating the word that was spoken to my heart.  

Let’s take a look at Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
The Lordis merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lordis from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
Youministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

David used his mouth to fame his thoughts and to get himself, his soul, in line.  

This is what we have to do.  We have to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and command our soul to bless the Lord.  With this we take charge over our experience.  We frame our minds and our day by what we are saying. 

If you think of a frame, no matter what type of picture you put in the fame, it is going to be perceived by it’s frame.  You could have a children’s popsicle frame or an expensive decorative, each one give you a certain perspective, when you look at the picture.  

This all matters. By framing your day with your words, using the word of God, you can change your perspective and situation.  

So, do as David did.  

  1. Speak to yourself commanding, yourself to bless the Lord and to remember all of His great works.  Don’t forget the benefits of being a child of the King of Kings.  
  2. Remember how the Lord worked in the past because that is His track record.  He never changes.  What He did for someone else, He can also do for you. 
  3. Find the beauty in the world.  Slow down for a moment.  Look around you and notice how all of creation has chosen to bless and worship the Lord. 
  4. Go back and reaffirm to yourself that you should be blessing the Lord with your mouth, heart, and life.  You need to be reminded sometimes.  Tell yourself to do it and then actually do it.

Keep this up and watch what happens within you and around you.  God has given you the power and authority to change what could have been a bad day, into a good day. 

Remember to be Present in Your Marriage

By Leave a Comment

It’s important to realize that marriage requires 100% participation if it is to be lasting. You have to be willing to give all that you’ve got.

If you want your marriage to work, you have to be willing to grow, develop, and change.

Great marriages are great because both people work to give and get the best in their marriages.

Remember to Be LED by the Spirit

By Leave a Comment

We must remember to be led by the spirit.

We have to pay attention to our surrounds and influences. We must be selective about who we follow and walk with. The enemy often sneaks in unannounced and begins to guide the paths of those that are unaware. Just because it looks good, doesn’t means that it is good. Just because it sounds wise doesn’t mean that it’s wisdom. All things should be held up to the Word of God and tested. Making these decisions are hard, but the Holy Spirit will help you in it. Remember Galatians 5:7-9 says “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”

Look at who influences those that influence you and begin to ask the Lord to reveal to you whether or not you should be linked up with them. Trust His leading and be prayerful in everything.

Romans 8:14 says “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

We have to choose to be led by the spirit. The flesh will fight us and so will the world. Still, we must decide to turn from the lusts of the flesh. We must decide to say no to the influences of the world. We must listen to the still inner voice within us. We must follow the “I don’t know how I know, but I know” unction from within.

This is not easy, but remaining in the word and being prayerful enables your spirit to become stronger. Taming your flesh allows you to line up with the word of God.

You can do this! Meditate on this word. Think and ponder on how you can apply it to your life. Then do it, everyday. See…this does not end. We are all making sure that we are walking in the spirit and submitting ourselves to the Lord. This is how you win.

It’s so easy to get lost in the noise. The best thing to do is to remember God’s perspective of everything. Don’t forget that it’s what He says that matters most.

Sometimes the easiest thing to do is walk away. You want great things to happen, but you may feel like it requires too much work and effort. When you desire great things to happen, you must have certain expectations of yourself too. You have to step up to the plate and give what’s required of you. In most situations, the best place to start, with giving of yourself, is prayer. When you spend time focusing on the need, how it can happen, and submitting that to God, you invite His will into the situation. Your participation calls the kingdom of heaven to earth in your life. From there, I’m sure you’ll get direction as to what you can and should do next. If you aren’t sure, go back to step one and pray. The clarity will come, as you continue to involve yourself.

Positivity does not come about on accident. When you want a good life, you must choose to be inspired by what beautiful, gracious, and lovely. Realize and make a choice to love what is good and live a positive life.