Before...

There are things that happen in all of our lives for better or worse that make us stop and KNOW we need to pray. There are times when we feel like the only thing we CAN do is pray. I took maybe twenty or so steps this morning before I literally dropped to my knees on my front porch and told God this: Help me help them, help me help me, be with us all, and I REALLY need to get rid of some kittens. Thing is, though, that God was already doing what I asked Him to do before I said a word. He was there waaaaaaaay before I stopped and talked to Him. He was already helping me and them, but I just felt like saying those words aloud to God - I figure even if He can't make the kittens miraculously disappear that He got a chuckle out of my plea...

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that yes, we do need to pray because our relationship with God is strengthened that way and He needs to hear from us what is on our hearts so that we learn to always trust Him, but I feel like His answer to me this morning was, "Quit worrying, Malinda. Life isn't easy and you're just learning that. I'll help you. Just lean on Me."

I forget to let go of my burdens and worries and let Jesus have them. Not all of the time, but the big ones are hard to let go of. I just have to keep remembering that even though I do ok, God does better. He is already there - before I pray and before I even know I'm gonna need to talk to Him - He is there...

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Malinda

A Blinding Light

When I wrote the post below, I had no idea that my weekend would involve such a troubled person. As I was going through the weekend, I forgot that I had written the post. Go figure. But I would like to say a few things. Not to glorify myself, but to glorify God and His ability to be a light for us in every situation.

I did not write this person off. I prayed for her. SO MUCH. I got over my anger and hurt because it was NOT about ME. I laid my confusion and indignation down and picked up understanding and patience and LOVE. Her thorns were sharp and poisonous and I could have responded with thorns of my own. It would have been easy. I almost did. I thought about it and it made me feel so dark and awful inside that I felt hopeless. I feel that God put her feelings inside me so that I could understand that if I responded with my own thorns, some of that darkness and hopelessness would stay inside of me forever.

So I prayed that God would hold her and love her and give her the light that she needed to blossom. I prayed that God would give me the strength and light that I needed to overcome my anger and GOD DID. I prayed for God to help me love her and to truly forgive her and GOD DID. Never have I felt such peace. God troubled my heart for this person and I hurt for her. I want her so badly to blossom in God's light. Everyone deserves NO LESS than that.

Please pray for this person. Please love her in your heart with the light of God. Know that in God, ALL things are POSSIBLE and that if you ask God to help you, you will be more than helped. You will be washed in light. Such light that you will be blinded to anger and hurt. Blinded to indignation and pride. All you will be able to see is the hurt of the person and the compassion that God bestows upon you so that you can TRULY love.

And the neatest thing is... that THEN you can shine your own light and JUST BELIEVE. And before you know it, the person you thought the most unlikely to prune your branches was the person God sent to do just that.

I believe!!
So much love,
Malinda

Potential

When I think about people a lot of times, I think about their potential. You meet them and see only who they are at that moment. Then you start to get to know a person. They share things about themselves and you share back and before you know it a person has blossomed before your very eyes.

Once you commit to fertilizing a friendship things often get sticky. Sometimes the people you thought would prune your branches only ever want you to prune theirs. Sometimes their are thorns (like the Thorn Tree from You Know Where). But a person always has the ability to blossom if you foster that within them.

Sometimes it is easy to write people off because they are mean or rude or just so angry and upset inside that they can't be happy. I forget that it is easier to pray for someone than to just leave them to the elements. And when you start praying beautiful things start happening. Seeds are planted and new seeds sown. Cycles are broken and different cyles are started and sometimes all it takes is YOU.

I'll be gone for a few days and unable to blog, but I'll be back!

Pray for someone over the next few days. Pray that they will find the sun and blossom.

Love and more love,

Malinda