Author Archives: marysmithcreative

Anyone who has ever experienced anxiety before knows how bad it can be. It can make you feel paralyzed, dizzy, faintish, hopeless, depressed, and so much worse.
But God gave us instructions on how to deal with it, and fact is, if we are putting our trust in him, we shouldn’t be dealing with it. It usually shows up when you are looking to be able to have control. When God is truly the only one in complete control. We have choice. And our free choice to live in fear or live in a state of peace, trusting and putting our hope in God. Our creator.

In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Psalms 94:19 NKJV

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Psalms 94:19 NLT

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Philippians 4:6 NKJV

Another version says do not worry about anything.

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Proverbs 12:25 NKJV

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
Proverbs 12:25 NLT

Anxiety is worrying. Worrying is based off of fear. Fear presents itself in the absence of faith.

If you are finding yourself in a state of worrying, anxiousness, depression, or fear… here is what the word of God says about it.

1. Only God can be of true comfort, lasting comfort when you are anxious or worrying.

2. God’s comfort brings; peace, renewed hope, and makes you truly joyful.

3. Stop worrying. Stop fearing. Stop being anxious! – Instead PRAY! Pray while you drive. Pray while you have a moment to yourself at work. Pray while you’re in the bathroom. Pray and talk to God, making a supplication is requests, it’s simply asking God for his help.

4. Anxiety in your heart leads to depression. You are allowing fear of the unknown, the “what ifs” steal your joy and peace. A good word makes you glad.  Get around a friend who encourages you, let them speak into your life. Encourage one another! Let their good words cheer you up! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Others have gone thru many of the same trials as you!

5. Worrying weighs you down. We can’t run this race that God has called us to and win it if we are running with weights. We will wear out much faster and eventually quit. Don’t quit! Throw the weights off and keep running.

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 NKJV

You noticed I separated the two Phillipians 4:6 and 4:7 verses. Now put them together.

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 NKJV

That scripture above has been my answer in so many times of worrying and facing anxiety. Only God can bring a peace that surpasses, or TRUMPS your understanding. Trumps your mind. You may never understand it all. Actually you will NEVER understand it all. So stop trying to. Instead try trusting in the Lord with all your heart!

It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man.
Psalms 118:8 NKJV

The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
Nahum 1:7 NKJV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not unto your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6

That’s another one that has been my rock verse thru hard times.

For God has NOT given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
II Timothy 1:7 NKJV

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15 NLT

Finally, brethren,

whatever things are true,

whatever things are noble,

whatever things are just,

whatever things are pure,

whatever things are lovely,

whatever things are of good report,

if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy

—meditate on these things.
Philippians 4:8 NKJV

Take captive your thoughts and submit them to Jesus. Let Jesus be your minds filtration system.

We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT

We have a job to do. To teach our mind to submit our thoughts to Jesus to make our thoughts obedient to Christ!

casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
II Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Romans 8:6 NLT

So think on things lovely and pure. Excellent and worthy of praise. Things that are true based off of what God says about you.

When we take captive our thoughts, fears, anxieties, and depression will go in the name of Jesus!

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

👉You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others.👈

😏 Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.

🍼 You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

🍔 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

Hebrews 5:11‭-‬14 NLT

As I was praying this morning God was moving in my heart and made me remember this verse right above.

I started praying that we would no longer be spiritually dull.

That we have been believers for so long that we would stop drinking milk and being baby Christian’s and instead GROW into our faith and become full functioning hungry adults.

After praying I open up my bible to read chapter 5 of hebrews (I read chapter 4 yesterday) and BAM!
That exact verse that God put on my heart in prayer was in that chapter.

Talk about the Holy Spirit leading and guiding me this morning.

I want to share with you this morning, if you have been a believer in Jesus Christ for a long time and haven’t matured at all spiritually, I want to encourage you, examine your heart and your actions.

What are you doing to grow into a mature believer?

Going to church?
That’s awesome! I know we need to be apart of the body of Christ and not to forsake assembly with other believers! (Hebrews 10:24-25) however my friend, that simply is not enough.

Think of it like this… in a relationship (whether it be marriage or dating) while you are pursuing eachother (because there must be a mutual pursuit other wise its called stalking) you both want to talk to eachother daily, and even hourly for that matter.

You want to know everything about eachother and want to go from knowing nothing about eachother to finishing eachother sentances.

You desire that level of connection!!

Some people date for YEARS and never reach that level.
While others can date for 3 months and have more intimacy and transparency between eachother then a married couple of 40 years.

Why is that? It’s because they came together humbly and open.
Ready to give it all and receive it all. Because they made it a PRIORITY to get to know each other inside and out as much aspossible.

Because they were willing to sacrifice other things to make MORE time to spend with that person. Instead of spending their time playing golf or time hanging out with the girls, they decided they will sacrifice that time to pursue eachother.

So this couple who was deep at 3 months is now 10 years into their relationship are on a much deeper journey then the couple on the 50 yr relationship.

Let me break it down…

It doesn’t matter how LONG you’re a believer of Jesus.

Unless you seek him FIRST every single day, and sacrifice your time of doing what you “want” to be doing or “are used to be doing” and instead spending that time investing into a relationship with God, you won’t experience that depth to the relationship. Part of the benefit of spending that time with God to get on a deeper level is that he will bring you spiritual, mental, and physical health.
It will bring healing to your body. It will bring change to your ways.

Because God wants your heart. Not your “front” that you put on around church people.

So stop being an immature Christian.

GROW UP!

Open your bible. Read it. Every question you have, problem you face, the answer is in God’s word. The solution is in the bible. Others before you faced it too.

If you really love it you’ll give to it, LIES! If you give to it you’ll really love it!

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Matthew 6:21 NLT

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21 NKJV

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained NOTHING.

Love IS patient and kind.
Love is NOT jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does NOT demand its own way.
It is NOT irritable, and it keeps NO record of being wronged.
It does NOT rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love NEVER gives up, NEVER loses faith,
is ALWAYS hopeful, and endures through EVERY circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:3‭-‬7 NLT

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:8 NLT

And do everything with love.
1 Corinthians 16:14 NLT

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Luke 6:32‭-‬36 NLT

The bible is so clear about loving others. GOD NEVER SAYS LOVE ONLY THOSE WHO LOVE YOU. He instead shows us how he sent his son, his baby boy to die for a bunch of people who wanted him dead! He sent Jesus to be the living sacrifice so we no longer have to sacrifice animals (which half the time weren’t good enough offerings and the people would die immediately) in order to repent and be cleansed.

We are made right through Jesus that right there my friend is true love.

Nowadays people give up so quickly on loving people. And close themselves off to their spouse, their friends, their family… they isolate themselves.

That is NOT God’s desire for you.

His desire is that you forgive quickly and that you love deeply. It’s not easy. Let me tell you, it is NOT easy.

But its required of us to live these lives that God has gifted us with. Sometimes you have to forgive 70 times a day or 70×7 times a day. Forgiveness is so much more for yourself then for the other person. Living with unforgivness will in fact grow your heart cold and bitter and far from God. God will never stop loving you. The bible is clear about how there is Nothing that separates us from his Love. However we can sure grow apart from God because of our choosing to live in unforgiveness and bitterness.

Ask God to examine your heart today. Pray and worship your Lord. He will show you areas in your heart you need to forgive and show grace and love.

God showed us grace through Jesus.

We MUST show grace to people.

👉Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 👈

🧡 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

💙 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

🛑 So stop telling lies.

➡️ Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

😤 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.😡

🛑 If you are a thief, quit stealing. 💲

🙌 Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

🚫 Don’t use foul or abusive language.

💓 Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

🚫 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live.

🌈 Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

😏 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

👉 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. 👈

Ephesians 4:21-‬32 NLT

Be faithful with what you have. If you’re faithful with the little that you’re given you’ll be a ruler over much.

Why is it that when God gives us something to be faithful with;
whether it be our job, our faith in Jesus and sharing the gospel, in raising up our children, in our marriage, in our gifts, in living in complete honesty and transparency,
That we have a tendency to hide it and live fearfully with it. That we live in a way that no one even knows you have a walk with Jesus by your conduct and speech, or by not investing into raising our children and teaching them about the things of the Lord and teaching them education etc. How about your career? Being a faithful and deadicated worker, dependable.
How about your marriage? We are suppose to be faithful with what we are given. Marriage is more then just being “faithful”, it’s also laying your life down for the other person, eagerly waiting to be of service to eachother with a joyful heart. It’s putting in effort everyday, having those hard conversations, being committed no matter the circumstances, being truly transparent with each other. Transparency means we don’t have to be asked. People can be honest with their answers but living in transparency means nothing is hidden. It means you bring forth it all. All cards on the table. Maybe it’s your gifts. Have you been faithful in the gifts God has given you? Has God given you the gift of teaching and you’re just sitting on your gift squandering it?
Has God given you the gift of hospitality but you’re making excuses as to why you’re not inviting people over and loving on them the way Jesus loves? How about the gift of exhortation? Encouraging others. So many people need encouragement. You yourself probably need to be encouraged, however sometimes the best way for our needs to be met is by meeting others needs.

Whatever God has given you to be faithful in, don’t squander it because you are afraid or you have excuses. Be faithful because God is waiting to give you more then you can imagine you just have to prove to him you won’t waste it.

If my child earns $1 but then loses it will I give him a $100 to save? Absolutely not. I may give him some loose change next time. But if he faithfully puts it in his little bank and does what’s expected of him then I can trust him with a $5. Then a $10 and so on!

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his Lord’s money. After a long time the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ “But his Lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:14‭-‬30 NKJV

The lie that you love too much.

We are created in the image of God. In fact God created Jesus in the image of man to love unconditionally and deeply all of us people. Jesus loved so much that he layed his life down for us. That my friend is the definition of loving deeply or “too much”. If we are suppose to imitate Jesus in all our ways, that means we are suppose to love selflessly too.
Part of experiencing the depth of God’s love is by experiencing rejection and hurt. Jesus was rejected by many, accepted by few, and loved by fewer. Even those who loved Jesus denied knowing him and betrayed him.
If you want to talk about pain, Jesus felt the pain of rejection from those he loved and walked in life with. So stop believing the lie satan is feeding you that you love too much. That you should stop putting your heart out there for people to crush. Yes guard your heart, be wise. But you can still love deeply and recover. Jesus died and came back to life, he now lives inside us so that we truly can heal and recover from the pain of rejection.
Love covers a multitude of sins. Love always forgives. Love keeps no records of wrongs. Love never fails. You were created with a big heart. You will have troubles in this world but take heart, the same Jesus who lives inside of you has overcome this world. The victory has already been won! So keep on loving. Keep on forgiving. Keep on allowing Jesus to mend your wounds and heal your broken heart.

I don’t know who this is for but I do know God has placed this on my heart this morning to share.

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we  are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14‭-‬16 NKJV

Let us hold fast to what we believe. Let’s wrap it around our hearts. Our high priest is Jesus. And Jesus was tempted as we are in every possible scenario. And yet he still was without sin.
If we come to God humbly and boldly we will find mercy and grace. There isn’t one of us that doesn’t need the grace of Jesus. We all do. If Jesus experienced every single temptation and resisted each one without sinning and that same Jesus lives inside of us, then why do we find excuses to keep living in sin, or giving into temptation? Make a decision to follow Jesus all the way. Repentance is a complete 180 turn. When you repent you go from the direction you were going to the direction God wants you to go. Everytime you start heading the wrong way, repent and turn. We may not be perfect like Jesus but we have his Holy Spirit living inside of us. His discerning spirit. Stop grieving the holy spirit inside of you and start listening to him.
💓

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

I often enjoy reading about the proverbs 31 woman to see where I could improve.
Well you guys, this morning I had a revelation.

She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
Proverbs 31:15 NLT

Three things in this verse..
1. She gets up early to serve others.
2. She plans her day instead of letting it just happen to her.
3. She has help!!!! Yall I’ve read this chapter so many times but this stuck out to me. She has other women helping her accomplish her goals and plans for the day. Whether it was chores or watching her children while she “worked” outside the home.

She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.
Proverbs 31:24 NLT

She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
Proverbs 31:16 NLT

She sold to merchants.
She’s in realistate yall…
She is a good business woman!

18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.

She stays up late making good business transactions and making sure she is making profit.

21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.

She prepares for winter and for drought.

Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
Proverbs 31:19‭, ‬22 NLT

She is creative and helpful by adding to her home. Nowadays it might look like being creative and using your gift to make money so you can buy your best of the best bedspreads 😜

She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

Ladies, she takes care of herself. She doesn’t look bummy and depressed.

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
Proverbs 31:25 NLT

She isn’t worried about tomorrow. She is at peace and joyful with laughter.

When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.
Proverbs 31:26 NLT

Yall, she is a wise teacher. She speaks in kindness. She isn’t rude or prideful.

She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.
Proverbs 31:27 NLT

She always knows what’s going on in her home because she doesn’t zone out on her phone while her children destroy the house
… ok that interpretation may be far off but I’ll just add it here for me…  Haha.

She is a hard worker and is never lazy.

This is huge for me
…
I sometimes like to be lazy..  not even going to lie…

17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.

I encourage you to read the chapter of proverbs 31 for yourself and read a couple different translations to better understand it.

You notice it never said, she was a gossip and chatted about everything with all her lady friends… haha.

Fear is based off of lack of faith. When FAITH is present fear is absent.

Faith is what we need to believe that God is bigger, more powerful,  and is able.

I don’t know about you, but I never want to doubt God. Because lack of faith in who he is and what he is able to do, is in fact doubting him. I don’t want to be a doubting Thomas. I want to be believing Mary. I want to talk about why I found myself struggling with my faith. Not in the sense of believing in God, but more so in the way of believing who I am in Christ.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
I Peter 5:6‭-‬11 NKJV

Satan is referred to as a lion roaming seeking whom to devour. This is real y’all. Spiritual warfare is real! We have to keep ourselves full in the word of God so that we give no opportunity for Satan to devour us.

Yesterday in church my pastor hit it on the head. A lion seeks out the sheep (in the bible Jesus is our Shepard and we are referred as his flock and sheep) (you see a pattern? Satan is the lion?) Who is all by itself. Instead of attacking the herd of sheep he waits pacing back and forth hiding waiting for one of the sheep to wander off on their own without the others… that’s when the predictor (lion) jumps out to devour the sheep .

This is why we need the body of Christ. This is why we need each other to stay protected. Hebrews 10:24-25,
-And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.-

The body of Christ isn’t doing what it should be doing. We were made to uplift one other and go through our struggles together.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:9 NIV

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
I Peter 5:9 NKJV

God’s word says that we are all going through the struggles and afflictions. And yet we feel SO alone. That is a lie from Satan! Satan wants us to feel like we are the only ones who struggle with faith, have fear, get depressed or worries, argue with our spouses, lose our cool with our kids, have trouble trusting people in friendship.
But we all go through afflictions. We all have our baggage. They might look different from one another but we all have something!

We need each other. We won’t function properly without the body of Christ. We need to protect one another from Satan’s tactics. Don’t go at it alone. Trust someone to go through it with you in prayer and fasting! Know that God is with you so who can be against you!
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 NKJV

The reason I was struggling in my faith and my identity who I am in Christ was because even though I was going to “church”, I wasn’t truly gathering in assembly of Christ. I wasn’t opening up to other believers and loving and encouraging one another and growing together. It’s way too easy to just go about my own business and my own life and forsake fellowship with other Christians. When I say fellowship, I mean being 100% real. None of this throwing toys in the other room and shutting it pretending I have it all together. We need to have deep relationships with others, not just surface relationships. I feel like the “church has gotten soft. We’ve allowed hurt and unforgiveness to become the excuse as to why we don’t trust others, opening up to them, asking them for prayer in a struggle you’re having. Instead we are so filled with fear of what others will think of us if they know we need prayer for our parenting, our marriage, our friendships, our needs.

It’s ok to have needs y’all . We all have them.  Instead of living this picture perfect Instagram life, let’s live genuinely, authentically, and lovingly. However this is a two way street. If we open up with one another and put trust in eachother then we need to also keep each others confidences. None of this he said, she said, junk. We need to stop this gossipping and tearing one another down crap and love, encourage, and PRAY for each other instead.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18 KJV

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:18 NIV

Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.
Ephesians 6:18

Are you getting this yet?

We need each other to walk out this life of Holiness and righteousness. Will we always be holy and righteous? No! That’s why we need Jesus and each other to help one, to uplift each other. To PRAY for each other.

Let’s stop living mediocre lives! Let’s stop living a life of fear and of insecurity. Let’s live the life God has called us to, in Faith, Love, Trust, HOPE, and with each other.

Everyday life doesn’t look like someone’s Instagram news feed. It looks like a whole lot of laundry, dirty dishes, and meals to make. We only put our highlights on Instagram for the most part, and spare everyone of the negativity. In reality we all have daily tasks and chores to be done, between the kids fighting to eat their breakfast, spouses leaving their messes around the house, and me forgetting to put away leftovers, so now I must toss my hard work of cooking. We all have to deal with some kind of chaos at some point in our lives. Every day is not going to be spring break at the beach as it once was in highschool. The good news is that you are not alone. Everybody in adulthood has to work, whether its in the home, at home, or at a location. We all have responsibilities. We need to make sure that we are not comparing our lives, relationships, marriages, parenting styles, and friendships to others.

No good can come from comparing. I find if I compare I feel one of two ways, jealous or superior. Both which are sinful and distasteful. We all have a journey to take and not one single person’s will look the same as mine. So please stop comparing your routine daily life to someone’s highlight reel of their one vacaction to France, the Bahamas, or New York. They may have worked hard and pinched pennies for that trip, or they may have gone into debt over it, or it may have been paid for by someone else, or better yet, it may be none of your buisness how or why they went. When we stop wishing and wanting what others have, we then can start dreaming and planning toward what we want and already have. So find ONE thing that brings you joy in this day, and focus on that. Although vacations look like they bring us joy, its truly just temporary happiness. It is not lasting joy. Joy comes from the Lord. You don’t have to be rich and be able to buy whatever you want to be happy. Find joy in the simple things in life. Find a good book and enjoy reading it. Make a cup of coffee and turn on some music and enjoy it. Sit outside and listen to the birds chirping and enjoy it. Play with your kids and make them giggle, that brings me so much joy. Most of all, find Joy in Jesus. When I start getting housebound stir crazy with the kids I take them for a drive, most days I do not have a destination. So I say all this to simply remind myself and others that life isn’t suppose to always be easy and fun, its natural to get tired, bored, and feel ordinary. Its normal. When you start feeling these things do something that will pick your mood up, it doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. The truth of the matter is we need to learn to enjoy the very things we must do daily. I will turn on music, a preaching, or a positive speaker to listen to while I do dishes and pick up toys. I HATED cooking, but I have to do it so I started watching the cooking channel, and tried new recipes. I now have a few staple recipes I use weekly that I enjoy cooking because I like the taste of my cooking. It is really all about finding the good in the chore. Finding the joy in simplicity. Approaching each new day with a thankful heart. 

I say all this to encourage myself in all honesty. I STRUGGLE with being content and finding joy in the mess of motherhood. However, when I do, I can go on again for a long time before hitting my low point and needing to “find joy” again, so to speak. Remember that this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.