Lesson 12: God is the only place we find true freedom

For most of my life I've known the importance of having God involved in my everyday existence. It's not been until recently that I've started to take note of the difference between the days that I invite Him to be a part of my day and the days that I ignore or refuse His presence in my day. Someone asked me this past week why I would refuse to let Him in my day if those days result in so much joy and peace. When she put it that way, it made me think a little harder about why I don't always let Him in. Do I enjoy being miserable? That seems a little odd...

Part of recovering from depression is relearning what a normal day is supposed to look and feel like - it's strange to someone like me to have all joy and roses everyday! But that doesn't mean it's wrong to have all good days!! That's just one more part of God's blessing of abundant life on His people! On the days where I ask God to join me, be my strength and my stronghold through whatever the day brings, and use me in whatever ways He desires, those days are the ones that stick out in my memory as being the most meaningful and profitable. The ones where I focus on myself and my pain, or look only to my own strength are the ones that hold their place in my bad memories, the times that are dragged up and thrown in my face when the Devil is trying to get me down.

This concept goes for anyone - not just those who are dealing with depression or other attacks - literally for everyday living. I am making it my goal to be able to say that I can recognize where God has been involved in every part of my day and consciously invite Him to walk through it with me, whatever it may have in store. My first thought when I get out of bed should be thanking God that I am able to do so, and my last one before going to sleep should be thanking Him for the ways He used my life that day, and all of them in between should be asking for His help and thanking Him for His strength at all times. He does say to "pray continually" and that's exactly what we should be doing!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

Memory Joggers

Well, as most of you know, I am spending my summer working in the University Center here at UW-River Falls. With this job comes A LOT of down time and that means I have to find things do to do keep me busy. The thing is, I don't like busy work. In fact, I hate it! So, to cure my boredom and be productive at a relatively unproductive job, I decided to continue a project I had started last Christmas: filling my house with the Word of God!

This is something I started as a way of helping a friend find encouragement in the scriptures, and it has proven to be an incredible thing for me as well. Most of the verses I have are on peace because most often I find myself worried, stressed, or anxious. I know this is one of my weaknesses and a way that often leads my heart and mind away from God at the times when I need Him the most.

My friend and I started making these cards (see photos below) from verses that we found encouraging during our quiet times. Most of them are nice and short so they are a quick read when we see them. I have mine posted all over my house: on my bedroom door, next to the lightswitches, on the mirror, etc. so I literally see them everywhere I go. It is impossible for me to see them without it at least snapping my memory, and after awhile you can recite them in your head without even looking at them!

When I picked back up with making new verse cards last week, I felt very driven to do mine a little differently this time. God reminded me of the power I felt it hearing an English speaker recite memory verses in Spanish while I was on my spring break mission trip to Colorado Springs in March. So this time around I wrote the verses in English on one side and in Spanish on the other. For now I have the English side posted around my house, but after I have the verses memorized in English, I will flip them over and begin memorizing them in Spanish too.

There is something very powerful in scripture memory - just like Joshua 1:8 tells us,  "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Since starting my scripture memory I am finding myself keeping it on my lips all the time and hearing it first in my heart at times that I used to hear the anxious thoughts first. What a blessing it is to be immersed in the Word of God all the time!

Isaiah 26:3 is posted on my bedroom door. This verse has been my mainstay for the past year and is the first verse I memorized in Spanish.