How to regain joy and peace

Several days have passed in a cloud of unknowing.

Mists of time where I have lost sense of God's presence.

Drifted away within a haze of pain, a plethora of painkillers and a fog of fatigue.

I've felt too weary to pray, to read, to converse, or be seen.

But God...

He held me closer than the sharp darts of pain.

He kept me safe when I failed to notice His Presence.

He reminded me of My great need of His grace.

He whispered words of comfort to my aching, frustrated heart.

This too shall pass. No pain is ever permanent or permanently as relentless as this.

No suffering could steal me away from His hands. He is just a breath, a prayer away.

He is ever close to the hurting, the weak, the weary, the discouraged and the needy.

And He reassured me His love for me wasn't based on my performance, effort, ability or the lack thereof. 

God loves us Just As We Are right now, and as we are continually changing into all He intends us to become.

As the fog of forgetfulness, pressure of persistent pain and cloak of weakness began to lift a little today, God also reminded me I still have a voice.

I still have a mission. I still have a word to share. I still have work to do for Him.

A way to encourage others going through tough times.

The key is to keep on listening, keep on trusting, keep on seeking after God's heart, rest where necessary and believe that words will flow when they should.

Now armed with a bit of Holy Spirit-given awareness, peace and energy, I am sharing words God whispered close to me in prayer over a week ago and brought to my remembrance today.

May they help, bless, encourage and reassure you too.

Prayer Whisper:'Regaining joy and peace'

“Don't be so hard on yourself, My child. I see your heart. I know you long to live differently and regain peace and joy. Your wanderings have shown you that seeking such things in the world is fruitless; you will only come up empty every time. The fleeting happiness it offers is rapidly replaced by the sour fruit of envy and comparison, disappointment, doubt and discouragement, sorrow and sadness. Full, true, lasting joy is only to be found in Me. I have an unstoppable flow running from My throne.

Come closer; lift your weary head and seek the light of My countenance. In My Presence is fullness of joy for ever more. Come bathe in My Love-light. Let it fill and flood your very being. There is nothing to be afraid of; there is no darkness here. I bring you hope and healing, and freedom from despair. Come freely; come frequently. Allow My Spirit to fill you to overflowing so that there is blessing to give out to others.

I long for your company, for you to share every aspect of your day and life with Me. There is always a warm welcome here, no matter what has transpired. I offer the mercy, forgiveness, cleansing and restoration you need to heal all your brokenness.

Lay your burdens at My feet and leave them there. Don't be tempted to pick them up again once you go about your day. I will take care of them, carry every single one and answer every need. Trust Me to look after each tiny detail of your life. Nothing is too small to bring to Me, not too heavy for Me to handle. I am your Burden-bearer and the lifter of your head. Release them all into My hands and be freed to live lightly and joyfully again”

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If you would like to be further encouraged in your walk of faith by similar 'Prayer Whispers' then click on the category over at poetryjoy.com to read more.

This post is part of my attempt to #writebraveandfree for #31days, though I am only joining in as health, energy and inspiration allow me to. If you're curious to know more, it all began here.. 

Letter to tuck in your pocket

Receiving hand-written letters in the mail is a rarity these days. 

When we are eagerly waiting to hear from a loved one, then it is even more special.

Words are devoured. Sentences savoured. Lines linger in our minds.

And we read them over and over again, unwilling to put them down or away.

So we tuck the letter in a secret place away from prying eyes, ready to return to at our leisure and enjoy it all over again.

Have you ever thought about God's word being like a personal letter to our souls?

We benefit from seeing it as such.

The Bible is His love letter to reassure, comfort, speak truth, grace and light into our darkness.

Words of affirmation, encouragement, help, healing, hope, forgiveness and mercy.

Words that change lives, restore, transform, teach, guide, give wisdom, strength and peace.

Who wouldn't want such a letter?

And as we make our journey of faith, God continues to pour forth words we can tuck away into our pockets, hearts and minds. 

They may be direct from the Bible as words seem to come alive for us as we read them. Or they may be words He whispers close any time when we are receptive or have paused specifically to listen to Him.

God's love and ability to express Himself are inexhaustible.

During this year, I've been greatly blessed by hearing personal words from God that have helped me tremendously. I sense they're not all meant for me alone.

Maybe my slow, tortoise-like life has equipped me to be still long enough to hear them, or maybe He has opened my ears to listen better to His voice than I could before.

I call them 'Prayer Whispers' and I'd like to share some with you here. They are words I have tucked into my Prayer Journal and my heart and mind.

Prayer Whisper:Change and renewal

"Change and renewal also require a mourning process. Until you can let go of the old ways of doing, thinking and believing, your arms and heart are too burdened and weighed down to receive the new.

It is a process of trust and faith. Relinquishing the old can make you feel empty, lost and confused because you cannot yet see the things I have in mind to replace what you have surrendered.

In the Divine Exchange I will pour more of Myself into you as you make space for me to do so. You won't be left empty-handed. Rather, you will be set free to receive and have an abundance to give out to others.

Listen to what My Spirit is saying to you. Heed My voice. My desire is to bless you, not to harm you, to give you hope and a future."

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Prayer Whisper:Living with challenging circumstances

"Take courage. Though your circumstances may not be as you want them to be, trust that I am working in and through them to produce fruit and a harvest of righteousness in your life.

To step away from the crowd and live differently can feel scary, but I never intended for you to follow everyone else. My plan for your life is individual and personal. It is uniquely tailored for what I want to accomplish in your life, who I desire to reach and impact by your example and testimony.

Though it can feel as if you are wearing clothes that don't fit or chafe you, trust that this is all part of My plan. In time you will begin to notice more and more how I am using the very things you fight against to shape you as my precious child.

The cracks and imperfections in your life enable the Light of my glory to shine all the brighter through them. Keep surrendering yourself and every aspect of your life to Me and it will become beautiful in the process."

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Prayer Whisper:When you are in a waiting period

"Great patience is needed in the waiting period. Though it may feel like a dark night of the soul where you cannot perceive any light, keep on trusting and believing that I am already acting on your behalf.

However long the night is, remember that joy comes in the morning. In due time you will experience the joy of needs and expectations met as you surrender them to My refining process.

My best work cannot be hurried. Impatience will spoil what I am achieving in you through the waiting process. Do not lose heart or become discouraged.

Seek My presence; rest in confident, child-like trust and faith; stay rooted and grounded in My Word and refreshed and enabled by My Spirit.

Continue to look for the glimmers of grace which remind you I am at work in your life.

My hand is never taken off you for a second.

I watch you as a mother hen broods over her chicks. Nothing escapes My attention either, so be wise how you act and react.

Allow Me to decide when things happen for you and how they happen.

I will always, always love and keep you safe."

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My hope and prayer is that these words will bless and encourage you as they did me when I first received them.

If you want to see more 'Prayer Whispers' on the blog then please let me know. They may become a feature here, or even find their way into a book one day!

Meanwhile, you may like to try reading 'Jesus Calling' by Sarah Young, or 'My Dear Child' by Colin Urquhart to see how God spoke personally to them. 

Or you could watch 'Father's Love Letter' DVD - a beautiful depiction of several Bible verses which speak of God's love for us.

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Linking here with the lovely Ruth Povey for the 'Letter to' series. This week's prompt is:'Letter to tuck in your pocket'. 

Over to you:

What letters/words do you treasure up in your heart?

How has God spoken in ways that have blessed and surprised you?

Remember

Being bold and brave again today as I join forces with Lisa-Jo Baker and take part in Five Minute Friday.

The challenge is to write for 5 minutes on a subject of her choosing, no backtracking, no editing, just letting it flow.

Before I tackle the subject of remembering I want to share how this is a very special day for me as I remember the arrival in the world of my youngest son. 

Please indulge me a moment while I say, "Happy Birthday, sweetheart" to him. 

Thank you!

OK. Here we go..start the clock...

'Remember'

Many of us find life very challenging as we fight through memories from our past. It helps us in general to remember good times instead of the bad.

Here I am remembering God's constant goodness to help us feel stronger in the present.

God says:

Before you were born I knew you

You are precious in My sight

You are deeply loved

Nothing is impossible for Me

I will never leave you or forsake you

Nothing can separate you from My love

I died to set you free from sin and shame

I cover your disgrace with a mantle of grace

You cannot hide from Me

I am with you always

My greatest desire is to be in relationship with you

I delight in showering blessings on you

You can have Love, Joy and Peace as you walk with Me

This is the day I have made, rejoice and be glad in it

Come to Me - I will satisfy all your needs

I fill your emptiness

I have a great plan for your life

Walk with Me in surrender and I will walk with you

Stop the clock..time's up!

Although I have been unable to give chapter and verse here, many of these 'God says' words are in His Word - the bible. It is our greatest resource for remembering how much God loves us and desires us to be in relationship with Him.

Sometimes, God asks us to forget:

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" ~ Isaiah 43: 18 - 19

When He is ready, He asks us to be prepared to move with Him. 

Maybe He is whispering to someone today, "Remember my goodness" or maybe He is urging someone, "This is a new day, a new time, a new thing I want to do in your life".

Whatever God may be saying to us, the important thing is to listen attentively, heed, obey and respond.

May you be blessed by His grace, comforted by His word, and at peace through His presence in the week ahead.

Linking here with Lisa-Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday

Do join in the challenge!

Life's a beach

Christmas (and compassion?) wrapped away with the decorations.

Baubles, bells and blessings boxed up.

Merry-making turns to risk-taking.

Trying out the new for size.

Away with the glove-comfort fit of the old.

Seize the day, seize the moment, seize the....

Holiday brochures?

Ah, now you're talking.

Could do with a break.

All that socialising, magazine and TV-glossed perfection

that leaves us sickened with self-comparison, wearied by the smugness 

of lives lived out before us - our own paling into insignificance, such paltry offerings

redeemable by escaping these sullied shores

where life and weather drear the soul.

Let's make life a beach - not a bore or a chore

If only life was like this beach:

Easy and leisurely.

Nothing to spoil the view.

No sharp stones or pebbles.

Throw in the company of our loved ones, an endless supply of food and drink and who wouldn't want to be there?

Most of us have: 
At least a ripple or two of irritation going on.

Some stones on the path.

Large rocks looming up to obscure our view.

Some of us may have waves of worries, be drowning in debt, experiencing deserts of difficulties or feeling lost and alone amidst the forests of frustration.

An astute reader may wonder at all the watery references that have slipped into this blog of late.

I have been feeling a bit 'Out of my Depth' recently as I seem to be led to speak about the dark, difficult and painful path of life.

Life can feel overwhelming and far from 'beachy-peachy' for many of us, especially in this season, as we plaster on a smile to hide our heartache.

When it feels like the whole world is intent on rejoicing and celebrating, we can feel:

Out of sync, cast adrift on a raft of misery, depression, loss, grief, sickness - or just plain struggle to keep afloat. 

The title of this post could also be taken to mean 'Life's a bitch' as it's considered to be a kinder way of putting it. That may be an apt description of someone's life right now. Especially when celebrating a new year is the last thing you feel like doing.

Some may be experiencing or remembering literal floods and tsunami. Precious things are lost and life feels very precarious indeed. When life uproots us from our bearings we long for 'Ordinary' again and the reassurance it brings. Bring back familiar. Bring back life as we knew it.

As you read the poem below, please bear in mind these words of reassurance:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you..Since you are honoured and precious in my sight, and because I love you.." ~ Isaiah 43:1- 4 (edited version)

Tsunami

Darkness threatens to engulf me

in its stealthy shadows

as I hit rock-bottom once more -

crying a river of tears,

an unending stream

of desolation and despair

Sinews wrap round like seaweed

refusing to be peeled away

I'm drowning, floundering,

kicking at the shackles

yet they remain like limpets -

imprisoning, suffocating, life-draining

Need to let go of all hopes and dreams,

all the frustrated longings 

of my broken heart..broken life

Slipstream of desires

falling through my fingers

though I cling on tenaciously

I'm out of my depth in this place

as the waves and waters break,

crashing resoundingly on the shore

of Safe Landings

Perhaps I can reach it

if I surrender everything?

A heaving, seething, tumultuous tide of life

has battered and flattened me

Weakly I gasp, head barely afloat,

crushed, exhausted and spent,

resources all gone -

I lay weeping ... at Your feet.

©JoyLenton2012

"The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the Lord on high is mighty" ~ Psalm 93:3-4

These verses remind us Who is in control - God is our Rock, Refuge, Safe Harbour, Shelter and High Tower at all times. He stands firm and holds us. Lyrics below are from 'Like the Angels'©2005ThankyouMusic ~ Brenton Brown

"When I am sinking down, when I am lost at sea
No solace to be found, no ground beneath my feet
I turn to You as I go down, I reach for You through roaring waves
My only hope is in Your arms, my only prayer is that You'd save me.

Cause You make me soar like angels
You let me walk on the water
You let me run with white horses
Jesus, my strength when all is gone
(You are my strength when all is gone)

When I am all alone, no land is in my sight
All others lost from view, and comes the darkening night
I reach for You as I go down, I look to You through roaring waves
My only hope is in Your arms, my only prayer is that You'd save me"

To hear Brenton Brown's song 'Like the Angels' Click on the link. Full lyrics are there too.

This is a period for recognising that not everyone feels safe, encouraged, blessed or hopeful. Jesus came specifically to heal the broken hearted and restore what was lost:

"..the Lord has anointed me to preach good new to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.." ~ Isaiah 61:1

Wherever you are at right now, no matter what you may be going through, remember that God cares, He loves you and desires to protect and keep you safe through all the storms of life. All He asks is that you turn to Him and rest in His loving embrace so that He can hold you close and give you all you need to live as an Overcomer. Then you will be able to echo the words of the psalmist:

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust" ~ Psalm 91:1-2

"When I said, "My foot is slipping", your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." ~ Psalm 94:18-19 

Pause to ponder:

As we begin this New Year,will you allow the tides of life to sweep you up and leave you bruised and battered?

Maybe hide the pain - try to ignore it in some way?

Or will you seek help,support,and the hope and strength that only God can give us?

I'd love you to share your thoughts in the comments below.