This is my story, this is my song.

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.

There is a battle for our hearts and minds.

The world tells us we are not good enough.  We are shamed and guilted by others.  Even those who love us are in the same battle.  They hurt us and we hurt them.  We manipulate, control and shame others to get what we want.  This is a sad state but it is the effects of a fallen world.  Sinful parents who love us dearly can and do fail us.  But not God.  Marriage partners, friends, even our own children we hurt and they hurt us.  At some point in our lives we all deal with false guilt, shame and a loss of our true identity.

We respond negatively to the negativity in our lives at times.  We all have been wounded by sinners and a fallen world.  It is a reason for our behavior and our negative beliefs but not an excuse to stay in these fallen conditions.  Jesus came to rescue us.  To heal us.  To renew our minds and show us His great love for us through His precious Son.

Satan will use these lies to tell us we are not enough.  We are to fear no evil for God is with us.  The doubt that Gods does not love us.  That we do not love God.  These lies can be used to beat us up mentally, especially those with mental illness.

God wants to deliver us from the bondage of sin and slavery.  The gospel is the answer.  Christ came to give us a new identity

We are loved by God

His love is placed within us

We are forgiven

God does not hold our sin against us ever

He delights in us.
God is never angry with us.
His very righteousness is ours.

There is nothing we can do, as Gods children, to make Him love us more or cause Him to love us less.

God does not leave us as orphans but chooses us to be His children.  We are in the very family of God. How astounding is this.   We are forever secure.  What higher honor is there in this world that to be dearly loved by the perfect Father, God Himself.  

 In a perfect world, God wants us in safe homes, safe families and safe friends.  This is not always the case.  It is important to know that we all are sinners but any abuse is wrong and should be avoided.  Our children need to always be safe.  We need to be with safe people that love and accept us.

 When God looks at us He sees the perfection of Jesus. We have His perfect obedience, His mind.  His desires become ours.  Even His surrender becomes ours.  We become His feet, His hands and His love for others.

 Our Father never grows weary.  He does not sleep.  He is always caring and loving for His children. He can deliver us from evil.  He can pull us out of our deepest pains and sorrows. We are loved as much as He loves His very own son Jesus.  He is never disappointed or discouraged.  He is never angry nor does He ever leave us.  He holds on to us.  Nothing, not us or any spiritual being can separate us from His love.  We are so secure and safe in Christ.  He is bringing us all to trust in Him alone as our Savior, Lord, Rescuer and Redeemer.  His loves to give us mercy and we never are lacking of His grace.

As we become more safe in Gods love... Remembering there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus our guilt and shame is swallowed up by His love and forgiveness.  We become more bold and loving. Our self centeredness fades away as we accept our true value and identity of who we are in Christ.   Our hearts begin to know, who we truly are and Gods great love for us in sending Jesus to shine through our broken lives and hearts.  Our false guilt and shame, we are all born with and that has been placed on our shoulders by this fallen world also fades and is swallowed up, as our true worth and value began to take hold.  We rest more in our true identity.  In our true worth.  In our Saviors work for us in the cross.  Loving others is a natural outpouring of Gods love, realized, in our lives.

Letting yourself go maybe difficult as it is for me.  Focusing on Jesus instead of our failures and our successes can be a scary thing.  This can be a spiraling down as we evaluate ourselves instead of interesting ourselves to the one who loves us.  Living life to the fullest is His glory and His desire to bring us to this freedom and love.

Our loving Father has a wonderful plan for our lives.  To rescue and redeem us through the precious blood of Jesus.  We forgive others and know we also need forgiveness from those we have hurt.  Reconciliation becomes possible.  Rest and peace of mind comes into the life of the redeemed.  Greater is He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it.  

This does not mean that life is perfect nor is our contentment in Jesus. We cannot always see what God is doing in our suffering but we can rest in the promise that it is always used for good.  

Once we taste that the Lord is Good, our hearts desire is for this life in the Spirit more and more.  This life of love and no condemnation.

The freedom of knowing you are a child of God and His goodness fills your heart more and more than the fear and the lies.  He has recused me and held on to me in my darkest times of despair.  He will you to.  His love never fails.  He is always for His child...

We are not alone.  We have a helper to help us with everything we need as a follower of Jesus. The beautiful Holy Spirit.   The Father is continually working to renew our minds.  Jesus is working in our hearts, in our circumstances and the relationships, even difficulties to bring us to a true trust in Him alone. We are a new creation.  Created in the very image of God.   Jesus is working out the Masters plan in our lives.  It is not always the life we would have chosen.  This is the part of picking up your cross and following Him.    Christ finished work for us on the cross is irreversible.  We cannot mess up Gods plan.  This may lead you into the valley of the shadow of death.  It did me,  but Jesus will never leave you nor leave you alone, ever.

There are many ways we try to feel safe in this unsafe world.  I have thought if I could just figure things out.  Know enough, understand enough, I would be safe.  There is no knowledge, addictions, relationships, fame, success, nothing of this world that is safe enough to rescue you.  We are going to be hurt.  We are going to fail.  We are going to experience fear and sin. We do not have to be controlled by anyone or any fear.  As we surrender, with Jesus surrender the pain may increase but the joy is sure to come.  It is in His timing not ours.  We can learn to live in the promises of God, as a beloved child of God.  Safe, Secure, and Loved.

It maybe that just when you think things are getting better your faith is tested and it may fail. But God's love never fails.  His promises are true.  There is no love greater and more faithful than Jesus and the Father through Christ in the precious Spirit.  So thinking you have got to hang on is good but the truth is... if you struggle and it seems the pain does not stop, it maybe that Jesus is the one that truly hangs on to you.  He is always working for our relationship with Him.  He brings us to a deeper, richer, more glorious place of His presence and who He is than ever before.  

It may seem like three steps forward and two backward at times, but remember your life, your maturity, you faith, even your relationship when tested, is all up to Him.  It is He who began a good work in you and He who will complete it.  You can go to Him with everything.  He will fight to keep you.  So may your fears, anger, doubt, unforgiveness and discontentment drive you to the loving arms of God.

He WILL see you through.