Hearts and Minds Set Free

There are times when just walking out the door to face the world seems like the hardest thing I have ever done. This last Monday morning was like that for me. It seemed impossible that anything could make me okay. I got out the door and got into my car to go to work with heaviness all over me. It was then that I got clear in my focus because I remembered there is a deep reservior inside of me where my Lord lives. I can go hide in there with Him and face the world together, but first I have to quit looking at my circumstances, quit putting any attention on anything else but the reality that He is living inside of me. The more I look at my day or what I have to do, the less strength that I have, but when I turn my awareness to Him living inside of me and off of what could be out there waiting for me, everything clears up and my strength returns. He is deep inside me and I can stop and turn my attention there and stay connected with Him all through my day. Him and me together. Thi...

If I have allowed someone to treat me in a way that I shouldn't have, a way that is negative and/or abusive, and maybe I have allowed this behavior many times in my life, but now I see it, now I am aware of it, and I say to myself, "I will never allow myself to be treated this way again." It seems like a good thing to me to say this, but is it really? Another negative is just going to the other side of the negative spectrum, but it is so easy to get into that trap. Protecting ourselves in our minds can become a fortress of bitterness and fear. It builds up a wall against us and others, and we make ourselves the protector. Really, we aren't strong enough to do that! No one can protect themselves from future hurts. No one is big enough, if even they think they are. Recently I went through this very thing. I allowed myself to be talked to in a way that I should not be talked to. Most of my life I would have ignored it, stuffed it or worse act like it didn'...