Watching the leaves fall from the trees through my kitchen window I pause reflecting on where time is going. Time seems to be spinning so fast in a cycle of furry that I am often left feeling as if I just stepped out of the spin cycle. Everywhere I look things are changing; and sometimes, it’s just hard to maintain my balance. Inside and outside I have the feeling of being overwhelmed by it all as I try to keep it all sorted and under control. I want so much to hold on to the moments and as hard as I try to hold on they slip right through my fingers fading into the past. Tomorrow becomes today much faster than I am ready to accept. I turn around and yesterday is only a fleeting memory that I am becoming increasingly unable to remember. Moments of time turn to black and white images of faded uncertainty. Where has the color gone . . . standing still I begin to listen . . . the waves of tumult surrounding me, and then in the quiet I hear it . . . that still, small voice that speaks to my heart bringing a peace as it breathes a renewed sense of well being into my heart. As I stand in the stillness, I can feel God all around me, holding me, balancing me and bringing my world back into full “Color”.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalms 28:7

Within me there is no balance, there is no calm; only in Him will I find the ability withstand the forces of life that encompass me and threaten to overwhelm me. In Him alone will I find the beauty that surrounds me and visually experience the color of it all. So as the colors change around me I have to look to Him for strength and trust that He is directing my life each moment to bring me to exactly where I was meant to be.

So many days I find myself becoming burdened down as I look back over the pages of my life and realize all of my failures. Why is it that when we become tired and weary the devil always brings to our mind our failures? Never do I find him filling my mind with reminders of all the times I was faithful, all the times I trusted God and saw the power of Him working in my life. Its in the middle of the dark that the devil is always there reminding me of just how much of a failure I have been. Yes, it is good to reflect on how merciful God is and just how undone we really are; but, when we allow that to become a focus by which we allow ourselves to be encumbered it zaps the power of God from having reign in our lives.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

God has promised to forgive us from ALL unrighteousness, All of our sin. . . . not part of it. . . . ALL of it!!! In all humbleness of spirit we should allow the wonder of His love and mercy to fill us with the realization that He truly forgives and forgets. We do not have to live in the condemnation of sin and failure, because our Savior has already paid the price. He gives us the ability to live a life of fulfillment in the realization that He cleanses us, He makes us new each morning when we bring ourselves before Him in prayer. It is time that we realized exactly what the word ALL really means . . .  He Forgives Me of ALL . . .  so I should stop living in the constant reminder of my past and strive to live for the future that He has promised !!! In His mercy I am made whole . . .  in His love I am given new life 🙂

“Be Careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4: 6-8

Its all in the attitude . . . That is a phrase that we hear repeatedly but so soon forget. Many of the things we face each day are designed to bring out the worst in each of us. Its a plan put into place by the devil long ago in the Garden of Eden. He placed questions and doubt in the heart of Eve, as he beguiled her with his questions of God’s true love for her. Each day our minds become filled with questions and doubts; what about this, how will we handle that, Is God really listening to us at all, and does He even care? Thats when we need to pause and “Think on these things” . . . . things that are honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, full of virtue and praise . . . . because it truly is all in the attitude of our hearts and mind. Whatever we think upon becomes the focus of our attitude and our attitude directs the focus of our day. When we think on things according to God’s perspective we will be able to come to Him in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving in our hearts; and when we are able to do that we will experience the peace of God that truly passes all understanding. So Today . . . . Think on These Things !!!!

We spend so much of our time looking toward something rather than really enjoying where we are at any given moment. If we stop to enjoy the moment for exactly what it is we might discover something we will otherwise miss. Today pause, breathe for a moment with your eyes closed and experience the exact moment in which you find yourself. Consider the fact that never will you be exactly where you are in the exact moment of time in which you currently find yourself. Remember to see the beauty as it is happening right now !!! Wherever you are life is happening, choose to experience that rather than allow it to pass by without even noticing !!! Wherever you are LIVE the moment !!!!

“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19

When we find the ability to let go of what once was and look to the future, God has promised to make a “new thing”. His promises are always true, exceeding even our greatest imaginations. Even when we do not see a way, He prepares the way and brings things to be that we never thought possible. When things become new we see His hand in all that He does, recognizing His great love for us and the wonder of all His plans for our lives. Each new day I am amazed by His power, the miracles that He brings to be, the beauty of all that He creates and the vast immeasurability of His faithfulness. Each day is a gift to believe. . .  to have hope  . . . to see the power of God  . . .  to fulfill the plans that He has established for our lives . . . for “When God Makes a New Thing” . . .  old things cease to be !!!!!

In the chaos of the day I find myself feeling overcome with stress and anxiety.  Everywhere I turn this world is full of confusion, if I allow it to, it will overtake me leaving me with feelings of inadequacy as I become less and less capable of handling life. Even the small tasks can become unsurmountable as I lose perspective among the chaos. I find myself becoming worn and empty. But, when I chose to listen; when I pause to hear the sounds of God all around me, I find His voice ready to still the storm that has overtaken me.

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39)”

But, when I chose to listen  . . . in the stillness I can hear the birds chirp and the breeze blow through the trees. I can see the sunlight as it glistens across the water; I can feel God’s calming voice spreading through my soul bringing peace in the midst of the stress of life. Just like a cool glass of water that courses through a thirsty body, God’s peace renews me bringing perspective to the day. For “when I chose to listen” God is all around me filling me with peace.

So many times I find myself looking backwards at all of my failures, it drains the life out of me and leaves me feeling empty.  Each day becomes a constant battle to look forward and leave the past behind us. God promises that he will forgive us all our sin, remembering them no more. “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17

If God forgives us and remembers our past sins no more, who are we to continue to remember them?? All we are doing is robbing from all that we could accomplish for Christ in the future, if we left the past in the past. Our future is only defined by our past if we lack the ability to let go of it. It is a tool of Satan to constantly remind us of our past failures, he knows that a forgiven sinner can accomplish great things for Christ if they possess the ability to let go and trust Christ with their future. It becomes a daily battle to refocus on what is ahead and leave what is behind where it belongs!!!! God forgives us and casts our sins as far as the east is from the west!! He does not define our future with the events of our past. As far as he is concerned each day is a clean slate, waiting for us to fill it with all of the mighty things he has planned for our lives, “They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23

I recently had a friend say, “I just have more life, than 24 hours will allow”.  Those words make a lot of sense!! So many of us find ourselves feeling the same way. It seems that with each passing day, life takes on the feeling of a never ending roller coaster spinning out of control going in a vicious cycle that never ends. Each new day brings new tasks and new challenges,  causing us to have to make choices as to which we will embrace and which we will leave to another day. The question becomes, “Are we filling our lives with things that matter or are we filling it with things that simply take up our time?” We are given 24 hours in each day to live our lives for one purpose and one purpose only. . .  to bring glory to our Creator. So at the end of each 24 hour period of time we will find ourselves full of peace or full of chaos depending on what we chose to fill our lives with that day.  Many are the days when we allow “Life to Overtake Us”. We spend our time concentrating on things that have no eternal value and leave us feeling empty. But on the other hand, there are also many things that we can fill our lives with that are good and wholesome things that do bring honor to our Creator; but the fact still remains there is only so much time in a 24 hour day if we allow it to become so filled that we leave out time for God, then we will soon find “Life has Overtaken Us” in the midst of the good. Even when we fill our lives with “good things” we still have to remember to balance our lives in such a way that “Life doesn’t Overtake Us”. We have to make time to be still and listen to God during the course of each day to ensure that our time is being filled in a way that is pleasing to Him. So next time you feel like “Life has Overtaken You’, pause and allow God to “Take Over Your Life“.

So the new year is off and running with no skip in step; not even so much as a moment to catch our breathe good before we hit the ground at a full sprint in 2015. Already a full week into the new year and time for a pause . . . a moment to reflect . . .  a reminder of all the purpose and resolve we had on December 31st for this new year. Above “ALL ELSE”, we need to stay focused on the resolve to make Christ center in our life making sure to include Him in each aspect of our day. Remembering that at the end of the day, just as it will be at the end of the year, the only thing that will be accomplished of any importance is that which we did through Him and for Him. If we allow ourselves to get caught up in the rat race of this chaotic world we will find ourselves looking back over yet another year during which we limited God’s ability to work in and through us. So. . .  how do we ensure this doesn’t happen????

We make sure to start each day by pausing to pray, reflect and refuel in God’s word. . . . taking Him and His word with us throughout the day !!! With Him as our partner for the marathon, there is nothing we can’t accomplish. . . . “For I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”. . . Phillipians 4:13