After much thought and prayer, I've decided that my word for 2016 is imperfect. I started striving for perfection at a young age. My mom tells about when I was learning to write. I would erase every letter that I deemed imperfect so many times that there would be holes in my paper. Perfectionism has affected every area of my life. It drove me to be a straight A student. (That ended in college, by the way!) It has caused tremendous amounts of stress as I tried to be the perfect daughter, sister, friend, student, teacher, wife, mother, housekeeper, Christian, and anything else that I can't think of at the moment. Perfectionism opened the door to fear and anxiety and depression in me.
It has only been in the last couple of years that I have truly realized that I will NEVER on this earth reach perfection. I'm human. That's not an excuse, it's reality. I will never be perfect at anything...and I'm grateful. If I could be perfect on my own, I would have no need for Jesus. It would be a lonely existence. God calls me to be the best Dawn that I can be, but no where in the Bible does He ask me to be perfect. He made me and He knows better than anyone my imperfections. He asks me to learn and to grow in my life on this earth...to become more like Jesus...but He never expects me to reach perfection until I see Him in heaven.
What a relief! I can let go of my own unrealistic expectations and be me. I can do my best to be like Jesus. I can be the best Dawn...wife, mom, friend, teacher, Christian, daughter, etc...that I can be while I follow Jesus and His example. I can let go of the expectation of a perfect life. I am the main character of my life, and therefore, it cannot be perfect! :)
I'm sure that Mary and Joseph did not think a stable (some think it was actually a cave) was the perfect place for Jesus to be born. I'm not sure I do either, but it was God's perfect plan for the beginning of Jesus life on earth. He sees time from the beginning to the end, and His plans are way beyond my comprehension. He knows the plans that He has for me, and they are plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
So I'm embracing the imperfect this year. Releasing myself to love life in spite of the imperfections. Accepting that things will go wrong, at least from my perspective. Believing that God works in ALL things for the good of those who love Him. Knowing that God's plan is not always my perfect plan, and His plan is ALWAYS better! Allowing God to wrap His arms around imperfect me and love me. Embracing the imperfect.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Believe
It should come as no surprise that there are words hanging on our Christmas tree...faith, joy, hope, and believe. That word believe jumped out at me this morning when I turned on the Christmas tree lights. This time of year can be filled with stress and anxiety, and I was in panic-mode when I got up. When I saw the word "believe" hanging on our beautiful tree, God whispered to my spirit, "Believe, it's simple, just believe!"
That's the bottom line of what God asks of us...believe in Him. Believe that He is who He says He is. Believe that He will do what He said He would do. Believe that His promises are true. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." God already did the work, we just have to BELIEVE!
I believe that He is my Savior, my Provider, my Healer, my Redeemer, my Father, my Friend, the Giver of all good things! I believe that He will meet my every need! I believe that He will complete the work He has started in me! I believe that He will fill me with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! I believe that Jesus came to the earth as a miraculous human and Son of God baby to set us free from our sins and make a way for us to have relationship with God! My heart is filled with gratitude! I believe!
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished! Luke 1:45
That's the bottom line of what God asks of us...believe in Him. Believe that He is who He says He is. Believe that He will do what He said He would do. Believe that His promises are true. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." God already did the work, we just have to BELIEVE!
I believe that He is my Savior, my Provider, my Healer, my Redeemer, my Father, my Friend, the Giver of all good things! I believe that He will meet my every need! I believe that He will complete the work He has started in me! I believe that He will fill me with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! I believe that Jesus came to the earth as a miraculous human and Son of God baby to set us free from our sins and make a way for us to have relationship with God! My heart is filled with gratitude! I believe!
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished! Luke 1:45
Sunday, December 6, 2015
escaping the anxiety trap
Philippians 4:6-8 says...Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. And then verse 19 of chapter 4 says...And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Anxiety has been a trap in my life. It only takes a small bit of bait for me to be drawn into it. Once I'm in, I get stuck there and overwhelming anxiety creeps in to every part of my life. It's a horrible place to be trapped! But, praise be to God, He made a way out! The escape route is found in Philippians 4, which has become one of my favorite passages. I was reading these verses this morning and I realized that they contain a list of things for me to do and they tell me how God will respond. Go back and read those verses again and then go on to the list.
My choices about anxiety are...
1. Do not be anxious. Straightforward and seemingly simple. I am learning to recognize the bait in the trap for what it is and not fall for it. Avoiding the trap is the best way to stay out of it!
2. Pray and give my needs to God. Nothing is too small or too big to give to Him. I am a problem solver and I am in the habit of trying to figure things out. That leads me straight into the trap of anxiety. I am learning to give everything to God immediately no matter the size of the problem so He can show me how to handle it.
3. Be grateful. There is always something for which to be thankful. Thinking about gratitude takes me to my next choice.
4. Think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. The longer my brain dwells on an issue, the bigger the problem, or hurt, or frustration. My thoughts take the bait and hold on tight to anxiety. It is no mistake that the Bible also tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. I can work myself into a frenzy just by allowing my thoughts to run wild.
God's response to my good choices...
1. He gives me peace that I cannot comprehend. There is no substitute for the peace of God, and there is no other way to receive it but by faith and grace.
2. He gives what I need to meet my needs. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He knows far better than I do what is best for me. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He can give infinitely. He is my Heavenly Father and He wants to take care of my needs even more than my earthly father does. He is a good, good Father!
I have good choices to make at any point in the process. When I see the bait or if I'm stuck in the trap, I can start at #1 do not be anxious. Move on to #2 pray and give my needs to God. #3 Be grateful! And #4 think on the things of God. The anxiety trap cannot hold me if I do things God's way!
Anxiety has been a trap in my life. It only takes a small bit of bait for me to be drawn into it. Once I'm in, I get stuck there and overwhelming anxiety creeps in to every part of my life. It's a horrible place to be trapped! But, praise be to God, He made a way out! The escape route is found in Philippians 4, which has become one of my favorite passages. I was reading these verses this morning and I realized that they contain a list of things for me to do and they tell me how God will respond. Go back and read those verses again and then go on to the list.
My choices about anxiety are...
1. Do not be anxious. Straightforward and seemingly simple. I am learning to recognize the bait in the trap for what it is and not fall for it. Avoiding the trap is the best way to stay out of it!
2. Pray and give my needs to God. Nothing is too small or too big to give to Him. I am a problem solver and I am in the habit of trying to figure things out. That leads me straight into the trap of anxiety. I am learning to give everything to God immediately no matter the size of the problem so He can show me how to handle it.
3. Be grateful. There is always something for which to be thankful. Thinking about gratitude takes me to my next choice.
4. Think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. The longer my brain dwells on an issue, the bigger the problem, or hurt, or frustration. My thoughts take the bait and hold on tight to anxiety. It is no mistake that the Bible also tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. I can work myself into a frenzy just by allowing my thoughts to run wild.
God's response to my good choices...
1. He gives me peace that I cannot comprehend. There is no substitute for the peace of God, and there is no other way to receive it but by faith and grace.
2. He gives what I need to meet my needs. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He knows far better than I do what is best for me. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He can give infinitely. He is my Heavenly Father and He wants to take care of my needs even more than my earthly father does. He is a good, good Father!
I have good choices to make at any point in the process. When I see the bait or if I'm stuck in the trap, I can start at #1 do not be anxious. Move on to #2 pray and give my needs to God. #3 Be grateful! And #4 think on the things of God. The anxiety trap cannot hold me if I do things God's way!
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