Another Christmas has past and another tragedy has struck. This Christmas Eve I lost my cousin Ryan (affectionately called RyRy) in a motorcycle accident. For new readers last Christmas Eve I experienced a miscarriage, so this last week of Dec has been rough. Losing loved ones can cause a shaking. But the Lord is the rock, the unshakable foundation I am found in. I am definitely sad but at the same time encouraged by God, by God’s constant love/ comfort.

Lessons of the Year To 2019

-Moving forward in a healthly way is acknowledging the past

-Chose to Draw close to God/Jesus/Holy Spirit because He promises to draw near to me if I do

Life’s purpose is found through exploration, you have to take risk

• Marriage: Patience is a must, forgive quickly
• Family: strive to be helpful, value the time you have with them, no day is promised
• Trust God through all life’s ups and downs
• God is faithful

Today I want to talk about the presence of God. What is this mysterious place? How can I find it? Should I want to be found there and if so why? I hope to give clarity on this topic.

When I think of the presence of God I think of the scripture that shares with us, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11) I find that God offers me joy and by definition in the midst of uncertainty; which is a relatable and continuous characteristic of life.

Things I have found in the presence of God include but are not limited to joy, refreshment for my mind, mood and attitude; and humility. The presence of God is wherever God is, and that’s everywhere. No it is not a geographical location but one that is intangible. We find it as we abide in Jesus. To abide means remain stable or fixed in a state, a love that abided with him all his days. 2 : to continue in a place : sojourn will abide in the house of the Lord. abide by. 1 : to conform to abide by the rules. 2 : to accept without objection : to acquiesce in will abide by your decision.

I want to just focus on the first 2 definitions; to be fixed in the state of love and to continue in a place. The word says “4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you……⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15: 4, 9-12) So here we learn to remain in love is to obey God and his commands; and specifically His command to love each other. Going back to our definition to abide; to continue in a place, that place is love and obedience. If we live by Jesus Christ commands we remain in His presence; we remain in Him.

Why would we want to be there in His presence? Well it is where you will find evidence of the existence of Jesus. Let me explain. God promised when he ascended to heaven to leave His Holy Spirit. As it is written [Jesus speaking] “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.” (John 15: 26) If you are seeking to know God, you sit in his presence. Also scripture tells us it is where we find rest for our spirits; “And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” ( Exodus 33:14)

When life is overwhelming run to the presence of God it is where you can recharge, reset, and refocus. Seek to Live a life in God’s presence; you will find peace and clarity of mind.

Remember we all can Keep Life’s Savor by living in the presence of God.

I like that song too LOL. This phrase may make you think of the Cha Cha Slide, but I am not talking about our limbo skills. I am talking about how low can life bring you down. Yes, depression. How can we shake it? Where is God’s place in my story with depression and thoughts of self-harm? Well the Lord is near to the brokenhearted.

The word says ” 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” (Psalm 34: 17-20)

God is close to us, We are Not alone.
It is true life brings trouble and God’s place is to be our Strength. How does that look practically. Well that means shifting our mindset and turning to operating in the Holy Spirit Not the flesh. It is an internal dialogue we must participate in to overcome; to re-establish who is the authority over our actions.

It is God who has authority, but God is a gentlemen, he will Not force himself. We must Continually surrender to Him.
God did not give us a spirit of Fear. I must stop fearing the future. I must stop telling myself the occurrences of my life are completely weighed on me but instead I am in a partnership, a partnership with God. I am nothing in myself but in my new Identity in Christ I have been given a spirit of Power, Love, and a sound mind. You mean God doesn’t want me to go crazy and crack under the unrealistic pressure the world puts on me? ( based on 2 Timothy 1:7)

*Where is a place I can hide when life is overwhelming?
We will tackle this in our next blog post. Also Thank you for being patient readers for my monthly content. I will be uploading bonus blog(s) this month as well.

What pieces make up me? Is it what others think of me? Must be my talents, what I offer to make others smile.
I have learned that every Identity has to have validation. Something has to make us confident. When I was young, I looked for every teacher to give me the thumbs up. I lived for any adults approval. My self- esteem was extremely low.
Their is story of a man who once was a football star but was injured. Where does he go from here? He wrapped who he, is ALL in what he does. Let’s imagine a Chocolate factory. It would be fair that the product’s components are fully known by the manufacture.Well God is the manufacture as the maker and we are the product. God knows the fullness of the ingredients, that make us, us. We must go to God for the instructions to reach our full potential and gain direction on where to go on this road called life. Winding and ever changing; is there anything steady? What can steady me, when my heart is beating too fast. Well Jesus said, ” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world give Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Jesus knows this Life is tough but he has overcome it ALL. (based on John 16:33)
Our savior is Here for us. Don’t lose hope in salvation. Could there be a way out?Now I have learned from then, if I look at myself based on the opinions of others instead of the facts from the maker; I end up striving. Trying to claw my way to peace and NEVER reach it.
Moral to all the stories are go to God for the ratification of your dreams and your make up. You are complex, you’re intricate, there are details that are yet to be known. Search for those answers in God. To know God is to understand yourself. We are made in the image of the maker.
So Remember to keep life Savory by finding your identity in Jesus Christ.

So many flavors , ummm which one will I choose. We have strawberry, chocolate, vanilla. You guys get the point life comes with choices. We all have options. My husband is famous for telling me when he sees me down in the dumps. Creeping into depression because I have once again set unrealistic expectations for myself and then failed to meet them. He tells me happiness is a choice. I never had thought of that. I thought emotions are like the weather it comes it goes sometimes it is rainy then other days sunshine and we can’t choose the weather. Well our emotions and weather do have being capricious in common. Their nature may be the same but the control system is on ourselves, that is the difference. I had to ask my self do I enjoy being sad and Desperado. Well I did, I know, weird. Depression is a cycle of thinking of yourself too much. The solution is to choose thinking outside of yourself. To ask the big questions who and how can I bless with anything, a smile, a hug, help. We all have love to give.So the next time your feeling low remember to keep Life’s savor and share the flavor of joy, the choice of joy with others.

Romans 8:16-18

Why did I think that Life was without trouble? When I was a girl I lived in drug infested neighborhood, so I stayed in the house the majority of my childhood. My main solace were fairy tales. I have a theory fairy tales breed fairy tales. I thought that Life was a fairy tale. But don’t fairy tales even have trouble. I guess I was soo invested in the fairy tale ending not the journey I missed the value of conflict, missed the value of problems and pain. December 24, 2018 I lost my baby, my miscarriage broke my spirit. I didn’t want to live anymore. And it hadn’t been the first loss or trauma I had felt. It wasn’t the first time I valued death over life. But still I somehow was surprised at loss, hurt, pain, problems. But those stories are for another time.Why did I think that Life was without trouble. When I was a girl I lived in drug infested neighborhood, so I stayed in the house the majority of my childhood. My main solace were fairy tales. I have a theory fairy tales breed fairy tales. I thought that Life was a fairy tale. But don’t fairy tales even have trouble?I guess I was too invested in the fairy tale ending but not the journey I missed the value of conflict, missed the value of problems and suffering (just as Christ suffered) so we may share in his glory.The trouble, the pain, problems, the trauma CAN Not compare with the glory that is to be revealed in us. Press on! Your purpose is in Life, you live in your purpose as you breathe. Every breath has reason don’t wait to understand Trust God. He has revealed his glory in suffer through the example of the cross.
Remember to keep Life’s savory trust that God is sweet. And wants to be sweet, yes good to you.