When A Hard Place Is The Right Place

Isaiah 43:2 NIV, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Have you ever found yourself in a very hard place in life, where you must endure difficulties that are beyond your control? You can’t change things, or take short cuts. There is no way out, all you can do is go through. You must keep persevering and trust God to sustain you. You must rely on Him to supply you with what you need along the way.

Even though there are things you just don’t understand, remember God is with you as you go through the deep waters, rushing rivers, and raging fires. He has you exactly where you are supposed to be. It’s a hard place, however it’s the right place, because God has anointed you for the road you are traveling. God sees your faithfulness, so don’t give up! Keep praying, keep hoping, keep believing, and keep expecting!

Photo by: Jake Colvin (from Salem, OR 🇺🇸)

God’s grace is always sufficient for the tough roads we must travel (2 Corinthians 12:9). No matter the nature of our problems, He is more than able to carry us through. Often times the crosses we must bear are part of our growth process. They mature us and enable us to fulfill the calling that God has on our lives.

James 1:4 NIV, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We can always trust God to take us to the next level at the right time. We don’t have to feel that He has forgotten about our needs, or that He has abandon us in the midst of our trials. God is with us in the hard places, working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Whenever we struggle, we can look back at our experiences and see how God used them to bring us to where we are today.

We can release fear, anxiety, and doubt, and instead we can receive His peace, strength, and love. He has a good plan for us, even in the hard places of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).

Wanna Know You Better!!

Thank you Mr. Holliman at A Happy Life for nominating me for this challenge. Check out Mr. Holliman’s blog for delicious, healthy recipe ideas and educational writings on how to work towards better health. 🥬🍅🌽🥑

This post by Mr. Holliman is one of my recent favorites because I eat a banana almost everyday: Awesome Health Benefits From Eating Bananas 🍌 🍌 🍌

STEPS:
1. Title the blog post as “Wanna know you better!!” ( try to make your post pictorial as this will make it look interesting)
2. Mention Riya’s blog (me) and the one who nominated you.
3. Copy all the questions and answer them one by one.
4. You may create your own questions for your targets (it will be fun).
5. Pass the game as a challenge to any of your favorite bloggers and mention them in your post.

QUESTIONS from Mr Holliman:
First, 10 briefly explain questions:


1. What really makes you angry? People who try to scam others and/or take advantage of others. 😩


2. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? I’d have to research to find out what would be a balanced meal that will give me the most nutrition since it will be my only meal for the rest of my life. Mr. Holliman probably has some healthy ideas! 🥗


3. What is your biggest fear? I think heights or cliffs. 😳


4. What has been your best moment this year? The year just started so the best is yet to come. 🎉


5. If You Could Live Anywhere In The World For A Year, Where Would It Be? I would have to think about it but it would definitely be outside of the U.S. I found this article to help me choose. Any suggestions? 🤷🏿‍♀️ 10 Best Places to Live Abroad for Americans


6. How do you relieve stress? Walking, prayer, and thinking things through. 🚶🏾‍♀️🙏🏿🤔


7. Would You Rather Go To Space Or To The Bottom Of The Ocean? They are both cold and dark but I choose space, because I don’t want to be in the bottom of the ocean with the scary deep sea creatures. 🐙


8. What’s your favorite season? Spring 💐


9. What’s your favorite sports? Baseball ⚾️ Go Yankees!


10. Did you like Riya’s blog ? Yes, and I enjoyed this poem she wrote for her mom: “For My Mom” ✍🏼

Now, additional this or that questions:
What would you prefer?
• Beach or mountains- mountains
• Ice cream or milkshakes-ice cream
• New York or Paris-Paris
• Pizza or Burger-pizza
• Summer or Winter-summer
• City or Village-village
• Spring or Autumn-spring
• Mathematics or Science-science
• Train or Aeroplane- Aeroplane

I’m nominating all of my followers. If you would like to participate in this challenge, feel free to do so, and have fun! 🥰

Psalm 118:24 ESV, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

A Thankful Heart

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I just love that no matter what, in all circumstances, we can be thankful. We can choose to look up to Jesus, and trust Him to supply our needs in even the most difficult times. Although thankfulness may not naturally be our first response in all circumstances, we can choose to be thankful anyway because God is in control. As we give God thanks, we can expect the Lord to fill our hearts with joy, and work in our lives as we honor His will above our own. A thankful heart allows us to see life from God’s perspective, even in trials. I was encouraged by this poem by Yonnie at YonnieInHisCare, “Be Thankful In Trouble”.

Have a blessed day and may God’s Spirit give you continued strength as you choose to live a life of thankfulness.

Photo by: VisionPic.net (from the Ukraine 🇺🇦)

Hope Even In Death

Psalm 116:15 NIV, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.”

It’s never easy to lose a loved one. Our hearts hurt when we no longer physically have the presence of someone we care about. Some years ago, I volunteered as a group facilitator at a grief support group for children and teenagers. These young people had lost parents, grandparents, or even siblings. As facilitators, they taught us about the stages of grief, but also stressed that everyone goes through these stages at a different pace. There are no set of rules etched in stone about how fast a person has to heal after they lose someone they love. You don’t just “get over it and move on”, healing takes time. Some days will be better than others. However, the good news is that God will provide comfort to our grieving hearts through His Holy Spirit as we experience losses here on Earth.

2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.”

Photo by: Daian Gan (from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 🇩🇴)

Psalm 116:15 shares with us God’s heart for the death of His children. He considers it precious to welcome us home. Even in death, He gives us hope. The short time we have here on Earth, is a forerunner to the grander things God has waiting for us in eternity. We must make the most of our time here, and leave a legacy that will point others toward Jesus Christ. When our work here is done, God will lovingly call us home. We can find joy in knowing we have an eternal purpose at home in heaven. I can’t even begin to imagine the ecstasy of His presence, and the magnificence of the place He is preparing for us. How special it is that He has an appointed time to welcome each of us home.

John 14:3 NLT, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Photo by: Brett Sayles (from Boise, Idaho 🇺🇸)

When faced with death, it can sometimes seem unfair, shocking, pointless and hard to understand. The pain and sadness it brings can seem unbearable. This year marks the tenth anniversary of my cousin Peggy’s death. She died in a car accident and yesterday would have been her birthday. Her death was a shock. However in God’s eyes there is always a purpose. He is sovereign over both life and death. It’s a precious moment when we close our eyes here, and open them to eternity in His presence.

The thought of taking my last breath and dying used to seem scary to me. But I’ve found that the closer I get to the Lord, the more I look forward to spending eternity with Him. What once was scary, now brings me joy. May God continue to bless you as you fulfill your purpose on Earth and work to build a legacy that points others toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Real Neat Blog Award

Thank you Mrs. Holliman at God’s Love for this award nomination. It’s my first time receiving this award! 🌼

Stop by Mrs. Holliman’s blog, God’s Love to receive inspiration, and encouragement to keep following Jesus. She has a heart to see souls come to know Jesus and experience His love. ❤️

Rules

1. Display the blog award logo in your blog.
2. Thank the blogger who nominated you. Do not forget to link to their blogging website.
3. Answer all the questions they have given you.
4. Nominate 7 to 10 bloggers of your choice.
5. Ask them 7 questions.

Mrs. Holliman’s Questions to me:


1. Do you like winter? It depends on where I’m living. Right now in the part of Virginia where I live, the winter’s are mild so I like them. In Florida there was no winter weather. In Michigan I disliked winter. It was bitter cold with ice and snow.


2. What is a Christmas tradition in your family? Having Christmas dinner and visiting one another.


3. When was the last time you ate at McDonalds? I think I’ve eaten there once over the last several months.


4. What is your favorite way to exercise? Walking and YouTube videos.


5. What is your usual bedtime? By 11pm when I have to go to work.


6. What was yesterday’s highlight for you? Attending church with my mom.


7. What is your favorite meat? Historically it was always chicken and fish but now I think it’s just fish.

My nominees are below. If you choose to participate please answer Mrs. Holliman’s questions. 😊💕

DanYah

Imali

Tammy

Renee

Ime

The Name Of Jesus

Philippians 2:9-11 NIV, “9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The name of Jesus is the name that saves. It is the name that is above every name. There is hope and victory in His name. We can call on the name of Jesus anytime of day or night. These verses are such a comfort. They bring joy in the midst of pain and struggle. Even if you are persecuted, or ridiculed for your faith, remain steadfast and know that a day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Meditate on this truth and let it continue to spur you on toward love and good deeds, as you serve Jesus Christ and continue to share His light and hope with those around you.

Photo by: Ben White (from Michigan 🇺🇸)

Acts 4:11-12 NIV, 11 Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Believing God For More

James 2:17 NKJV, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we also grow in our knowledge of His love for us. Knowing that He loves us, should cause us to love Him and want what He wants for our lives. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), so wanting what He wants will mean having to step out on faith and start believing Him for more.

Believing God for more will most likely be uncomfortable, because it often causes us to have to leave behind what is familiar in order to embrace the new thing God wants to do. It requires letting go of old thought patterns, old habits, certain activities or people that we are used to.

Embracing the new thing that God wants to do, may even cause us to experience rejection by people. However, rejection is a good thing when it positions us to experience the better things that God has planned for us. Simply living to please ourselves or others will get us nowhere. Continuously resisting the changes God allows to come our way, will not take us to higher levels in Christ.

Photo by: Luis Quintero (from Panama 🇵🇦)

Since we have entered into a new year, I know many of us are waiting in expectation for the great things that are ahead. With that, will come opportunities to learn to step out on faith, believe God for more, and take action. Whatever the more is that God has placed in your heart, don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from being obedient and taking action. Make your requests known before our all powerful God (Philippians 4:6). He is willing to give you what you need. Follow the little promptings the Holy Spirit gives you, because little things mean a lot on the journey to the bigger things He has in store.

God will strengthen your faith and take away any fears you may have as you believe Him for more. 2020 will only be a year of change, if we are willing to make the changes God requires of us.

If you would like prayer as you believe God for more, you can let me know in the comments or via email, I’m thankful to pray for you!

drawingclosertochrist@gmail.com