Time flies by fast, so make sure you live everyday of your life to the fullest! Don't worry about the things you can't control....I am continuously reminded of the power of prayer. It can move mountains, cause the moon to stand still, bring the dead back to life, part the Red Sea, and calm the hungry lion. Keep praying even though you may not see "immediate results," that doesn't mean He is not listening to you!!! He is! Jesus has a plan, purpose, and an amazing plan for your life if you will just seek after Him...He will reveal it!! :) So be encouraged to day! He wants you to "cast your cares upon Him!" We can't carry all of this "luggage" alone...

He IS.

I’m learning that GOD IS.

When He said that His name is IAM….apparently... He meant it.

He is in the present.

Now.

Not tomorrow.

He is with me...traveling today. The present. His GIFT.

I'm learning about how Jesus never fails no matter how many times I don't trust him. Especially in regards to support raising for China, I'm having trouble trusting and I had like 2 breakdowns the other day. I'm learning to let go and spend time with him and let him help me to live one day at a time. The Lord has told me that it is okay to plan my life, but I need to be okay with Him changin’ up my plans with His when it is needed. I can’t rely on my own self sufficiency. I want to fall back into the arms of grace.

I want to be thankful and content for what He IS providing right now rather than waiting for my problems to go completely away before I can give Him my grateful heartfelt praise.

I struggle with worry.

Jesus talk about this in Matthew 6:25-34 when He reminds me, “Do not worry.” Don’t worry about the basic needs of life--- food, clothing, shelter --- and don’t worry about tomorrow. This is such necessary life-giving truth to me, because I get caught up in being anxious and letting my thoughts run away with me.

Matthew 6:25-34

Do Not Worry

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[b]?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I think that worry is a symptom of a bigger problem. Sometimes it’s a lack of gratitude for the way God has cared for me in the past. Or perhaps it’s a lack of faith that God is really trustworthy. Or it might be a refusal to depend on God rather than myself.

I don’t want to let my worries hold me back from what God is trying to teach me….I want to bring my anxious thoughts to Him because I know He cares about every little detail of my life.

Philippians 4:6

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

TRUTH: God is in control of all things. HE IS THE CREATOR! He is the PROVIDER! HE IS

TRUTH: If God can provide clothes for the lilies, and give you every breath you take, God can provide all the money I need to go to China.

I wanted to copy/paste the prayer that one of my friends prayed for me while I was dealing with these anxious thoughts. Thanks so much Danielle, I am in awe of your heart. LoVe.

Daddy, I lOve you so much. Thank you so much for your love and grace that has been showed by what you have done on the cross. Thank you that you are in control of everything and that we are in your hands. Thank you that we are always called to depend on you, knowing that your plan is better and greater than ours. I come before you, lifting up your daughter Kristina to you. Thank you so much for putting her in my life. Thank you that you are using her to encourage other brothers and sisters. Thank you that you use your children to help us fall more in love with you. Thank you that you allow your children to help each other grow through weaknesses and strengths. Daddy, I lift her to you to trust in your goodness, to trust in her Creator. I pray that you give her confidence in you knowing that you will provide for her every need and desire. Daddy, you know her every thought and desire. I beg you to hear her deepest desires and to fulfill them for your name's sake. I ask that you reveal to her quickly that you will provide the money for China. Move in the people you desire to glorify your name through supporting her to glorify your name. Daddy, let her be content in you. Let her be satisfied where you have her life and not to envy things that you have not given her yet. Give her patient knowing that your time is perfect. Give her wisdom knowing that the beginning of wisdom is fear and knowledge of you. Daddy, continue to move in her to trust in you and to have faith of a mustard seed to move your great mountains that you have created. Make her strong in you knowing that you are her God, her Creator, her Father, her Lover, her Husband, her Best friend, her Comforter, Provider, and the King of Kings. I lOve you so much. Amen!!!!

I am so glad that I’m not alone. Anxious thoughts crowd in during the most inconvenient times. I’m glad that I have brothers/sisters in Christ who don’t condemn me for my struggles but lift me up and listen.

I’m just His kid learning how to trust.