Change - Part 4, Our old things will become new

Today, Bill and I met with the contractor and several other men who will be involved in the rebuilding of our home. I was shocked to see how many men got out of the three trucks that pulled in behind us. I was prepared to meet with just the lead contractor to get the ball rolling, so to speak. I had no idea that they would all be there at once; the electrician, the insulation guys, the cabinet maker, and one or two others. (I'm not too sure of their roles in it all.)

Bill spent most of the time talking to all but one, the cabinet maker. He and I stood in the kitchen area for about an hour, discussing all the options we have. While Bill and I had in our minds what we wanted, Mr. Cabinet man starts giving me all of these suggestions! And they were good! Now, what do we do? I decided to ask the rest of the guys their opinions (including Bill's) and they all agreed with Mr. Cabinet man.

Although I do love the ideas, I'm still a little afraid that it will be the wrong decision. I'm not a visionary when it comes to decorating. I have a hard time "seeing" the end result. Maybe I'm just too afraid of the commitment that it will be, especially in the kitchen. A new coat of paint that turns out to be hideous is an easy fix, but replacing kitchen cabinets is not!

Fortunately for me, he is going to show us a 3-D rendering of all the options we discussed so I will be able to SEE it. I can't wait. I know I am going to love it. Whatever IT is.

I am grateful for all the experts who know what they are doing. If they depended on me to tell them what to do and how to do it, then nothing would get done.

So, to tie it all together, Jesus is our expert. He has written it all out for us. Even the end result is very clear in His Word. When we seek His face and then wait for Him to answer, He will. The only thing that limits God is our unbelief of what He says. Jeremiah 33:3 tells us to call on Him and He will show us great and mighty things.

Don't let fear take over in your life. If you do, it will paralyze you and will keep you from becoming all who our Heavenly Father desires you to become. Listen to Him and follow His commands, and I promise, the end result will be better than you could have imagined.


Be blessed,
Dawn

Victim Mentality

  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 hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Were you a victim in the past or are you a victim of the past?

During our lifetime, we face many experiences that are life-altering. We have good times and bad times; times of great sorrow, and times of great joy. When we think about the good times, they usually put a smile on our faces, and then we continue with day to day life.

However, when we think about the bad experiences, we tend to dwell on them longer. We rehearse the events as we remember every little detail about what happened. This can often cause us to question ourselves as to how or why that happened to us. Why did I have to go through that? 

God wants us to let go of the past. Is that saying we should forget the struggles or trials that we've been through? No, but we should not live there anymore. We have to learn how to let go of what is holding us back so that we can move forward with the plan that God has for us. 

You have to change how you think about what you have been through. Don't let it consume you so much that you can't see yourself in the light of who God says you are. You are a child of the One True King!

Your yesterdays do not have to determine your tomorrows. God wants to heal your hurts, calm your fears and set you free from what has held you down for so long.

So, what now? Change your focus. Purpose in your heart that you are no longer a victim of the past but you are a victor in the present. God wants you to live victoriously!


Be blessed,
Dawn