23.

The mind is a powerful outlet. It has the ability to create the most brilliant ideas which we cannot imagine. It also has the power to instill darkness within you, which then can ultimately cause you to feel defeated in your circumstances. I have learned a lot through the past  23 years,  and I can say the scars I wear across my chest are badges of honor for glory. I needed to cry and to be broken in order to unearth the truth of my existence. If I was not tested in the storm the course of my being would be static.I would have not understood the act of perseverance; that the joy of overcoming builds character and prepares me for the next step or that prayer changes things.Truthfully, there would be no room for growth and I would have had to carry the load of my burdens in a repeated cycle. So I thank God for his wonderful love, the love that casts all fears out of me and brings me to my knees in spite of my reality.That same love that makes me perfect when everything around me seems to be broken or in a battle. To be frank, there are wounds still healing(forgiveness), battles that I still fight (lust of the flesh) and tests I have failed (trusting in myself rather than in God)but will pass one day. I am better because I understand that I am human and to be human is to be flawed. I appreciate my flaws and I know it makes me "ME" in the midst of a world that tells me to be everything other than that.

Note to Self,

Don't look back and start comparing your past to your future. You don't live there anymore. Everyday comes with its own challenges deal with them as it comes, never surrender to a history that you were not able to perfectly write.

Your peace comes from God. If you keep searching for the world's peace you will never be in one piece. You will constantly fall apart because you forget that there is no greater peace than what you have in Christ.

Love others:  people are the hardest to love; ( especially those in the church) you love them anyways. Understand that people are broken and love is the only thing that can fix broken people. So love them even when it hurts. God is love, so love his people.

Your are not perfect:  you will make mistakes, do not beat yourself up over it. Pick yourself back up and learn from them. Don't rely on being perfect to please God.You don't perfect yourself to please 

God. God perfects you so that your crooked paths are made straight in order for you to be pleased with his will.

Die to Self: Do not let your flesh make decisions for you. Self control!!! Self control!!! You are going to need a ton of that to make the right choices.

You are You, made in the perfect image of God: in His perfect, unceasing love. Don't compare yourself to others-- they don't have it all figured out. Give the fears you experience to God and always remember that you will always be enough. A flower:  beautiful, honorable and worth it!

For the sake of his love,
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
|1 John 4:18|

NanaOhh.