I Stand on the Rock.

I want you to know That I am not afraid. 
Not because I don't know how serious this is
Not because I don't believe in this situation.
Not because I am ignorant, or uneducated. 

I want you to know that I am not afraid.
Because, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells me this:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.(NKJV)

So, no matter what the world tells me I should feel, My God tells me an unchanging truth. That I have a spirit of Power and of a Sound Mind. 

I want you to know that I am not afraid.
I have my Faith wrapped tightly around my heart.
Because he says; 
Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand(NASB) Isaiah 41:10

I am not afraid, because I already gave up control of my life and placed my trust in The God who loves me, and fights FOR me! 

I am not afraid. I walk by Faith and not by sight. This does NOT mean, that I can't see, just that what I see does not control my steps. 

I.AM.NOT.AFRAID.

I feel fear try to creep in. Sneaky and heavy. I refuse to allow that in. My God has ALWAYS been there for me. I stand on that. I look back and remember all the times He has protected me when I thought I was all alone and lost. I look back at those answered prayers and beautiful details that he wove together for me. 

I am not afraid. I will enjoy every day that Jesus gives me. I will count trials as joy, because every trial I have lived through has made me stronger. Better. Full of Faith. 

Fear is a liar. Fear will tell you, that you can have control. Fear will tell you that this will only get worse. Fear tells you anger will make other people change. Fear will tell you that people are the enemy. Fear will tell you to yell louder, move faster, protect yourself. Fear will build on itself, it will tear you down. Fear will literally make you sick.

Faith reminds you that you God is in control. Faith reminds you that you have lived through darkness before, you have the light. Faith knows that only Love will speak truth to people. Faith reminds you to pray for the people around you and treat them with Love. Faith is quiet, Jesus goes before you, and he protects you. Faith allows you to see outside of yourself. Faith will bring you peace, and a sound mind. 

I pray that you find Faith in this situation. If you don't know how, please feel free to ask me. I would love to help you. You deserve to be free of Fear....

Ephesians 6:13-17
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (ESV)

Beauty in the Ashes.

Its not about the pain that pushed you to the edge.

Its not about the people who left you on the ledge. 

Its not about the darkness that clouded over sight. 

Its not about memories that feel like a blight. 

Its not about the bitterness that can often overtake

Its not about the smile that needed to be faked. 

Its not about resentment that eats at your soul

Its not about the emptiness when you crave to feel full. 

Its not about who owes you, or what you are owed. .

Its not about the sadness that leaves your heart cold. 

Its not about the anger that washes up in waves

Its not about the fear that traps you in a grave. 

Its about the choice you made, to walk another path

Its about the first step you took, never going back. 

It is about forgiveness, the start of letting go,

Its about a love that saves, and changes what you know. 

Its about healing. Its about Faith.

Its about finding and paving a new way. 

Its about finding joy and learning from the past. 

Its about changing and growing, at last........ 

This week has been a beautiful ( see also; painful) reminder to me of how far I have come. I find myself incredibly grateful, that the way your story begins does not doom the ending as well. That, even in real life, there are underdog stories and over-comers. I find that I am consumed with counting blessings hidden in the memories that were once blurred by pain, fear, shame and anger. Counting it as Joy, even though it still hurts. I am grateful that healing comes in layers. I can peel off one layer at a time and dive deeper into the wound and allow Jesus to knit it back together so that I can truly heal and GROW. It would be too much all at once, but over time, I can be thorough.  I was so stunted before I started to follow God. I couldn't grow while I was still suffocated by pain and surrounded by darkness. The change has been beautiful. (see also; painful). I have found a freedom I wish on all of you. I can see the people who hurt me through the eyes of a Lord who loves. I can see their brokenness and know that they too were stunted by pain and darkness. I can love without fear. I broke cycles. I broke chains. Instead of being weighed down by my past, I can see it as a refining fire that made me who I am today. I can look back, when I forget my strength, and remember what I walked through to get here. I can build others up with love, because I have found a love that overflows through me and I am never empty. I have no fear of the future, because I trust the Author of my life. He has always been there, waiting for me to come and be loved. It still moves me to tears to think of all he has done for me. Healing, grateful tears. 

Its not about what was or who you used to be. 

Its about the choices you make that set you FREE!

I pray you find healing that digs deep. I pray for you to find a love that fills every empty corner of your broken heart. I pray that you can see the beauty in your story through the hurts and mistakes. I pray that you can feel that weight lift from your body and you are set free! I pray for you to grow and change without fear of what others from your past think! I pray for you, and with you, because healing takes time and courage. 

Step out. Be bold. Make changes. Break cycles.

~Amber