Life

Life is like driving down the road.

Sometimes, the path is straight. Sometimes, there are twists and turns.

Sometimes, you love the ride. Sometimes, you hate it.

Sometimes, you hit the gas and go full speed. Sometimes, you have to hit the brakes and stop.

Sometimes, you know the way. Sometimes, you need directions.

Sometimes, you can’t wait for the trip. Sometimes, you dread it.

Sometimes, it’s an easy trek. Sometimes, it’s a nightmarish commute.

Sometimes, you can make the pass and take the lead. Sometimes, you’re in a no passing zone and you have to follow.

Sometimes, the car drives like a dream. Sometimes, it breaks down.

Sometimes, you’re on cruise control. Sometimes, you’re white knuckling it just trying to stay on the road.

Sometimes, the destination is known. Sometimes, it isn’t.

No matter what, it’s a wild ride, this thing called life. Enjoy the journey.

What to Ask For?

Proverbs 8:11
Wisdom is worth much more than precious jewels or anything else you desire.

I’ll be honest, when I first started praying, I had no idea what I should be asking God for. Sometimes, I still need a little direction when it comes to talking with Him.

What about you?

Let me pass along this small piece of advice. Above all else, ask God for wisdom. Like the verse above says, it’s valuable. Really valuable.

I mean, think about it for a minute, and it makes sense. We need wisdom to make the right choices in life. We need wisdom to avoid making the wrong ones. Wisdom is where it all begins.

So, just wanted to put it out there if you’ve never known what to pray – or, even if you do. Seek wisdom.

God will take you where you need to go – it never hurts to ask him what the best way is to get there. 🙂

Have a great day!

I Don’t Like You

Those were the words I heard my seven-year-old son tell me someone had told him – after his older brother came into my room last night to let me know his little bro was sad and crying because of this.

It took me a good five minutes or so of asking him what was wrong and trying to let him know it was alright to talk about stuff like that, to get him to finally say that someone at school had in fact told him, ‘I don’t like you.’

Poor kid. I could tell he was struggling with it and it immediately made me think of how difficult in can be to deal with rejection or negative words said about you. That’s never a fun thing.

I asked him what led to this happening and he said when he went up to the kid to play with him at recess, that’s when the words were said. Turns out it had happened a couple of weeks ago but it was still bothering him. He’s a sensitive little fella, kinda like his Dad. Poor kid indeed…and knowing how I’d be dealing with it, I asked him if he was trying to figure out how to make the other kid like him. He said he was.

So I gave him the best fatherly advice I could think of (which probably wasn’t much, but I tried.) I told him, ‘Buddy…I’m sorry they said that to you. And you wanna know something? Unfortunately at different times and in different ways, people are going to tell you that throughout your life. But here’s the thing. Whenever someone tells you they don’t like you or puts you down like that – it’s because they wish they could be like you. It’s because they see something in you they don’t have. You’re a good kid and there’s no reason I could think of why anyone wouldn’t like you. So you forgive them for making you feel bad and hurting you, because that’s what Jesus did and it’s what God does for all of us whenever we mess things up. And you just keep smiling and keep being nice to them even if they’re not nice to you in return. God likes you and your family and the people who know you best like you, so don’t worry about making everyone like you because the truth is, not everyone will. But that’s ok. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with them but more importantly, there’s nothing wrong with you.’

By the time I’d finished rambling he was pretty sleepy, so I tucked him in and he went to sleep. Hopefully he felt at least a little better.

The only reason I’m posting this here is in case someone else out there might be struggling with rejection or the sting of harsh words that might have been said to you, either recently or perhaps a long time ago. It’s going to happen sometimes, it’s part of life. Just remember you are loved, you are wonderfully made, and you are perfectly likable – no matter what anyone who doesn’t think so or doesn’t stop long enough to realize might say 🙂

Have a great day, friends.

A Little Advice

Live fearlessly, love shamelessly, smile frequently, pray constantly, forgive endlessly.

A Place of Safety

Psalm 142:5

I pray to you, LORD! You are my place of safety, and you are my choice in the land of the living. Please answer my prayer. I am completely helpless.

What a gift we have in Jesus. A Savior who loves us, is merciful to us, and who provides us with a place of safety during our days spent here in this crazy world.

The last sentence of this verse is so true. I really am completely helpless without the LORD.

On the surface that sentence may look like it only applies to hard times or negative situations, but I interpret it differently. I realize the truth in those words more and more every day – on good days and not so good days. It’s a realization that humbles me on the good days and lifts me up on the not so good ones.

More than anything, I have found that trusting God keeps things balanced in life. I am so thankful for the peace that comes from every time He gives me the ability to acknowledge that I don’t have to carry all of life’s burdens. Granted, I’m guilty of not turning to God in every situation and guilty of trying to do it all sometimes (alright, a lot of times.) But the more I choose to believe and trust in what God promises, the better off I find myself to be.

It’s a work in progress…but the answer is always clear in the end. Now for the strength to be able to remember that my place of safety is always there.

In the past I would have considered stuff like this too personal to share. My attitude about that has (obviously) changed though, and I’d just like to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who have read all of this. Thanks for letting me share some of me with you.

What about you? Do you have a place of safety? Let’s talk about it. I’d love to hear from you. Click here https://positivelysecond.wordpress.com/feedback/ and send me a message, or just leave a comment below.

Have a great day everyone!