I Need Her
If you came over from Encouragement for Today, welcome!
God and girlfriends. Does He really care about that? I think He does. In John 13:34 Jesus instructed his disciples to love each other. You see, he knew something that the disciples just hadn’t grasped yet, though he had told them over and over again.
He wouldn’t always physically be with them, and hard times were ahead. So friendship — true friendship — would be a necessity.
You and I have our faith. We have our family. But true friendship can be another gift in that paradigm. Of laughter. Of rest. Of encouragement. [Fill in the blank, because it offers so much.]
But the reality is that things get in the way. We want to do it. We need it. But what gets in the way. . . and what can we do about it?
1. We forget the art of self nurturing
We tackled this topic on Moms Together some time back. Many moms said they struggled because of time, or busyness, or felt like they were juggling too much at one time, but a couple of beautiful moms said, “I feel guilty when I take time for myself”.
If you are nurturing everyone else, pouring out daily, and never filling back up, it’s not a gift to you or your family. At some point you become depleted. (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
4:43 am |
self-doubt
Maybe today you are struggling with doubt.
Perhaps you took a huge step of faith and you feel as if you failed. It didn’t work out the way you hoped, or even as you took that step you felt inadequate. Or perhaps, no matter how you succeed, you still feel it.
Self doubt is the opposite of living free. It binds you, stops you from discovering all that God has for you.
So, let’s get to the heart of self doubt together.
Is there a valid reason that you are doubting? (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
4:12 am |
What about the “good” one?
Dear Suzie,
I loved your devo on the prodigal child, but could you share some light of encouragement regarding those of us that keep the faith and who are trying continually to be obedient to the father? We suffer because we are neglected and in need of encouragement.
Not the prodigal child (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
2:41 am |
When your child is in trouble
If you came over from Encouragement for Today, welcome!
Your child is in trouble. Maybe you suspect it. Or maybe it’s obvious to the world. And you’re worried.
What can you do? (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
4:55 am |
When you feel pressure
If you came over from Encouragement for Today, welcome!
It’s the day after Christmas. My house looks like a bomb exploded . . . and I love it, because that means my home has been filled with my children, their spouses, and my three grandbabies (all under the age of 17 months).
I couldn’t help but think about that moment I shared in the devo. The moment I had no strength as my young children ran up the steep path without me. I had no idea what the future held, or if I’d ever be myself again.
But that leads to my promise I made to you today in the devo: to share three principles that can help you when you feel under pressure. (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
10:35 am |
Tree speak: How God helps us grow
If you came over from Encouragement for Today, welcome!
Yesterday I carried off two large sections of my butterfly tree and set them by the curb for trash pickup. The wind had hit my house hard the night before, and evidently it swirled around my front porch, creating chaos.
“It makes me sad,” I told my husband. “I loved that butterfly tree.”
I received more joy from this one tree than anything else in my garden. All spring long butterflies and hummingbirds flutter around the clusters of lilac flowers that grace the tree. When I walk along the sidewalk the fragrance of those flowers greeted me.
“It’s still alive,” Richard reminded me. “You lost a large section, but it’s still standing.”
I looked back at the remnants of the tree. It was fractured and misshapen. Winter has hit and the green leaves were silvery and the flowers dormant.
But I will nurture that tree back to health. Taking away the dead branches is the first step. Next I will feed the roots, mulch them, and shape the remaining branches. It will not be the same tree, but I expect next spring it will bloom as beautiful as ever. And with the dead and weak branches pruned away, it will flourish. It won’t look the same, but I am excited to see what emerges.
In my own life, I do not look the same as I did 30+ years ago when I fell in love with my Savior. (more…)
Posted by Suzie @
9:03 am |
