Tag: Peace

Don’t Lose Sight of Hope

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“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

We just celebrated Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and my Pastor (via live stream of course) talked a lot about having Hope in Jesus and allowing that Hope to shape your thinking and your attitude and how you go about things. He talked about having confidence in the outcome of God’s will, whatever that outcome may be. As he was preaching this I actually realized that I had finally gained that sense of Hope and that inner peace that I’ve always wanted. It is interesting when you start to notice changes within yourself taking place (usually you are the last one to actually notice them) because even when you are working on yourself and your personal growth for that very purpose, it often feels like you’re the same person you always were.

I found it odd that when the current world crisis that we are in hit that I wasn’t as freaked out about it as a lot of people around me were. It’s what I would’ve been doing years ago. I would have been overly paranoid, overly worried, and my OCD would have went off the charts. But I’m not doing any of those things, at least not when it comes to this pandemic. I feel an overwhelming sense of peace and calm and I think that is attributed to this journey of spiritual growth that I have been on.

I knew at the beginning of that journey that I wanted to get to a place where my anxiety and depression didn’t have such an overwhelming hold on me and to where, even if I felt a little bit of worry over a particular situation (because I’m still human) and even when I’m staying cautious about certain crisis I can still feel gratitude and still trust that ultimately God is going to do everything that he said he would and that includes all of the promises that he made over my life. God said in Jeremiah 29:11 that his plans for me and my life are to prosper me and not to harm me and to give me hope and a future, and not just any future, but an abundant one. If I believe that and if I trust that then there is nothing to worry about or to panic over.

I never used to get it when people told me that even when all hell was breaking loose in their world they felt at peace and they were as happy as they could be because they knew God had them. I didn’t get it before but I get it now because that’s how I feel. Things still aren’t great for me right now, financially or career wise, but I have so much to be grateful for and the fact remains that I still have each day that HE wakes me up to get it right and to get things on track. I have confidence in the outcome, whatever that outcome may be because God’s will is always going to be done no matter what. So let’s not lose Hope in a time when it is very easy for us to lose sight of how much God loves us. Until next time… #BeHopeful #BeConfident #BeinFaith

 

Jimmetta Carpenter 

Writer/Editor 

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Peace Within the Storm

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“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” ~Philippians 4:11-12

The bible verses above touches on a brief point mentioned in the message this past Sunday that really hit home with me given the struggles that I’ve been dealing with lately. It made me really look at things from another angle and realize that I spend far too much mental and emotional energy on being stressed and worried about things that I simply cannot control. Now recently I’ve symbolically thrown my hands up in surrender and have just come to grips knowing that I’ve done everything humanly possible for me to do and I had to leave the rest of the miracle work that I am going to need up to God because he’s the only one that can do the impossible.

After that realization I felt a sense of peace come over me and a friend of mine had asked me how I was not balled in a fetal position somewhere. I simply said because I put in the hands of the only one who can handle any and everything and I just have to let it go. Of course that doesn’t mean that I have forgotten that I have this huge issue that I’m dealing with that eventually has to be handled in one way or another. It just means that I realize I can only control the things that I can do physically myself and I can’t perform miracles so continuing to dwell in it only brings about more stress.

When the pastor this Sunday had made a statement regarding being content in life no matter where life takes you and not letting the ups and downs of life ever have control over how you feel and how you go about living your life. In many ways it tied in with the peace I felt of letting go. I hadn’t even realized, or come to terms with the fact that that was what I was doing until he made that point. Too many times we let whatever is going on around us control what goes on inside of us and that can lead a person to a point where they never truly feel any peace. Let’s be honest here, life throws obstacles at us on a consistent and steady basis and the chances of a world with absolutely no chaos is unlikely to happen in this lifetime.

The thing is figuring out what will be your source of strength to get through those chaotic times without losing your inner peace and joy along the way. Whatever your source of strength to find a way to deal with life’s curveballs, just make sure you aren’t afraid to draw on that source whenever you need to so that you don’t get so caught up in trying to figure out how you’re going to fix everything that you lose sight of the joy of what you already have right in front of you. For me I have started to read more of the bible and doing devotionals as well as leaning on a friend who motivates me spiritually as well as creatively. I am content where I am because even if everything falls apart I am still here to put it all back together again. Until next time… #BeContent #BeinFaith #BeatPeace

 

Jimmetta Carpenter 

Writer/Editor 

https://write-2-be.com/

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To Thine Own Self Be True

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To Thine Own Self Be True 1

Let’s talk today about checking in with yourself! Sometimes in life things can get very crazy. You’re busy taking care of the kids, taking care of your significant others, you’re checking in with your friend’s needs, your tending to your business and making sure your customers are always satisfied, and if you have a day job then you’re making sure your boss is satisfied as well. While all of that is very important to maintain, all of that would get neglected if we forget to take care of ourselves.

It took a long time for me to learn this, to even learn how to love myself it took more than half of my life so I still struggle with making sure I’m good. I have to have conversations with myself at times to make sure I’m okay and that I’m happy and that I’m at peace. That doesn’t always mean that I have everything I want or even half of what I need. It just means that I have to make sure that no matter what crazy thing is going on, what things would normally stress me out, that I have to have peace within myself to be able to deal with everything going on around me.

What I am learning, the older I get is that even when you have the things you swear up and down that you need, if you don’t have happiness and peace within you that having those things means absolutely nothing. There’s nothing wrong with having alone time with yourself. Time to reflect on things, to do some reading, to do some writing, time to meditate and talk with God, time to take yourself out on a date and just be comfortable being with yourself. Every now and then you have to remember to have a conversation with yourself and to make sure that while you are trying to take care of everything and everyone else that you are also taking care of you.

 

Jimmetta Carpenter

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