“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NIV
Happy Monday! It’s a great time to share something good to brighten the day of those around you. My good news is I’ve almost completed another class. I should have it submitted by the end of the week. My other good news is my husband and I bought tickets to see the Newsboys and Mandisa at a nearby concert at the end of February. We are usually too busy to go out much. So, I’m excited. I look forward to hearing your good stories.
Have you ever felt you were facing too many obstacles, opponents or suffering in your life? Have you been entrusted with secrets that weigh you down? Well, you are not alone. Some secrets are not too big a deal and are short lived. Others are burdensome.
A few years ago a family member shared a secret with me that was very dramatic. I told my husband, but no one else for about three years. I needed someone to talk to, as did my husband. While it was a secret, it was also something obvious that we were being questioned about frequently. We were afraid to speak with anyone, even a counselor or minister, because if the news was leaked, suicide was a possibility. Another time I was entrusted with a family secret that put great stress and demands on me. While it is good to know what’s going on, secrets can destroy people. Ultimately, my heart was weighted down with the secret to the point that I unloaded without realizing what I was doing. I felt so guilty. It is for these reasons that I have decided to walk away from secrets. I also have decided to never burden others with secrets.
The good news, if you are experiencing this type of situation, is Jesus has already conquered all your opponents and worry. While He never said you wouldn’t have to suffer, He is bigger and more powerful than your suffering.
Trust in Him today and have a great Monday. May God bless you!
story of a supervisor who wouldn’t hire a past employee based on the woman previously taking a leave of absence. In this case, the woman had a dying parent, but was otherwise a good employee. Taking a leave of absence during a busy season can be hard to deal with, especially when the staff is small. However, if you put yourself in this employee’s situation, you might find she had no other choices. Remember your staff and coworkers are people too. They have families and sometimes illnesses. Let go of past situations and give people a chance.
mean one who is conceited and exalts or magnifies himself above others. This definition seems to meet at least some of the definitions of proud.
Are you having trouble forgiving someone? Do you find yourself facing the same old aggravating stuff with that person all the times? Have you thought to yourself, how many times do I have to put up with this mess? When Peter asked Jesus how many times, I feel pretty certain he wasn’t expected to be told 490 times. It makes me chuckle to think of this conversation taking place, because I know I’d being saying “What?”. Yet, how many 
times has God forgiven us? For me it has been more than 490 times. In fact, it’s been more that 4,900,000 times. It’s so nice to be loved and forgiven. It is important to treat others well, even when there is something that really aggravates you. It is equally important to forgive yourself.
