Life Lessons

Sometimes the most significant lessons in life take almost a lifetime to learn. This I know because half of my life is behind me now and I'm still learning. I'm still learning big and small lessons. And this is what I know for sure and I think you know this too: "we mustn't let our age or the length of time it takes to learn to discourage us." I've always believed that life is about love but it's also about learning and growing, and evolving, a journey filled with discovery and becoming every bit of the person God created us to be. It's a process, a life-long process, not a destination. Sometimes we have to remember and remind ourselves that God doesn't expect perfection. He never has. Did you know that? And He doesn't get hung up on our mistakes or our imperfections, big or small. He knows that we are perfectly imperfect and He loves us anyway. He loves us for exactly who we are. His love for us is like no other and it is truly the greatest love story your heart will ever experience. Some of us, including me sometimes need to remember that forgiving ourselves is necessary work and just as important as the grace God extends to us. Beloved, as long as we have breath in us, the teaching goes on and the lessons are learned. So never stop learning. Never stop growing. Be you. Be-YOU-ti-ful.

Love and more love to you, 

xx, Ruthie

P.S. God's love for you never changes. Never. It's vast and lovely, extraordinary and amazing. What I know for you sure: He will never finish loving you. May His love draw you near today.

If we had coffee today I’d tell you: Failure is not determined by what you lost.

Failure is not determined by what you lost. When you lose, its an opportunity to keep on keeping on, to push through, to set your eyes on the prize. Be wise. Aim high. Nothing is impossible when you align your desires with Gods desire for you. Absolutely nothing.

Love is a decision

There are a thousand different ways to show love to someone you care about. Whatever you choose and however you choose, be genuine and be sincere. As I get older, I find that I become more and more reflective. I reflect and ponder so many things about life and people and what I'm learning and I realize with each passing day that today is all we've got. No matter what is happening around me, I want to make today count and if I want it to count, it starts with me. I want to embrace what I have today and make the most of what I have, right here, right now because tomorrow is never promised.

Love is an action word. It's a verb meant to be demonstrative. So be demonstrative with your love because anybody can say I love you but real love, authentic love and a genuine concern for a person is about showing up and loving people the way God calls us to love. Love is about being others-oriented and self-less. 

It's easy to love someone whose company is easy, but to love someone at their worst, well that's love. You love that person because it's a decision you've made. Love I've learned really is a decision. You can decide today to love the way God calls you to love. And for many, loving people isn't easy but what I've learned is that it's easier to love others when you realize how much God loves you. When you're full of God's love, love comes pouring out of you. 

During my spiritual journey I've learned that God calls us to do two things in life: to love Him and to love people. Being a doer is what makes the difference so lets really show up and love people. Let's be a difference maker and show up and show those we love and care about with our affection today.

May the light of life shine on you always.

xx, Ruthie

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins, it forgives and disregards the offenses of others. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

Slow

It's taken me a l-o-n-g while to learn that listening and observing are practices that serve me well. Slowly, very slowly, I'm learning to embrace and love the acquired skill and practice of really listening with great regularity and I have to say, I'm discovering alot along the way. Slow is the new speed for 2013. It's not a speed I'm use to at all, but I'm learning to adapt and I love what it's teaching me.  

If we had coffee today I’d tell you: It’s okay to live outside of your comfort zone.

When God removes you from your comfort zone, you will discover that depending on yourself is no longer enough. You will quickly learn to depend on God because you will have discovered that it’s the only way to get through and survive living outside of your comfort zone.

I’m learning that when God allows you to live outside of your comfort zone, He’s creating an atmosphere for you to grow. He is stretching you because He is preparing you for promotion, a new level but He will not allow you to be promoted unless you’re ready, unless you’re equipped, unless you are mature enough and prepared for the journey before you. 

So don’t become discouraged or give up when you feel stretched and challenged or when things aren’t unfolding as you hoped they would. Trust that God still loves you and that He is for you and with you. He has not forsaken you. Believe that He is in it, and that He is doing a good thing in you. When you are living outside of your comfort zone, remember that that is the place where He prepares you for your destiny, a destiny that will amaze you and surprise you if you will just stay the course and trust Him.

Until next time, 

xx, Ruthie

Prayer

Sometimes prayer is talking to God, sometimes it's listening and sometimes it's a combination of both. Whatever it is, however often you do it, just do it because prayer changes things specifically when we pray according to God's will. You may not see things change right away, but don't let that discourage you because in the spiritual realm, things are changing. Give God time.

Until next time, keep praying.

xx, Ruthie

Trusting God

I don’t have everything and I don’t know everything and every day I'm convinced that I still have more questions than answers. I have a very curious personality and I love discovery and I love research. I think I like this because it's how I'm wired. I'm an answer kind of girl. I love answers. I love knowing. I love learning. I love being informed. Not having answers to all of life's questions I’ve learned through the years is okay. But I wasn't always okay with that. In the past it use to bother me a lot. In fact it made me feel quite barmy because HELLO ... as a woman, I just wanted to know. Can anyone relate??? But through the years, I’ve learned that it's okay to have more questions than answers and I've learned to trust God more and more. Today, I trust Him with everything. 

Trusting God isn't always easy because sometimes there are many voices that you must silence so you can first enter into and develop an ongoing relationship with the One and only living God. You must learn to listen for His voice, to trust Him alone.

To say you trust God when life is going well is easy but to say and to practice that you trust God when life is difficult is a completely different story. Trusting God can feel intimidating when your mountain or your giant is facing you right smack in the face. And it's especially daunting when you don't know God's Word or His promises for you. And beloved reader, there are so many beautiful promises in the Bible to read and remember. Oh how I wish all people knew them. Trusting God is a process of hearing God's Word, reading God's Word, and believing God's word. It also includes opening yourself up to God in conversation, through prayer. And like every healthy relationship you invest in, it grows more intimate with time. 

Half of my life has already been lived and already I can tell that I have a pretty long history of God's faithfulness in my life. One of the benefits of journaling is that I can go back and re-read old journal entries to remember God's faithfulness and how He brought me through a difficult season in my past. That has been an incredibly helpful exercise that increases my faith in Him when I'm going through difficulty. 

What I've learned about trust is this: You can only trust someone when you really get to know them and only when you feel comfortable enough with them. But here's the caveat and a pearl: Even when you feel like you can trust someone, man is capable of letting you down but God will NEVER let you down. God never disappoints and He only desires and provides you with His very best. 

Through the years I have invested time and energy learning about God and getting to know Him and His character through Jesus Christ. I've come to learn that He can in fact be trusted. Trusting God is a life long activity. For me, it's includes surrender and asking God to take my worry and replace it with rest. It's about surrendering fear and asking Him to replace it with peace. And through the years, I've actually uttered the words: "Okay God, I'm tired of doing it my way. My way isn't working. Let's do it Your way. If You lead me and guide me, I will follow." I've learned that God desires the very best for us but He will never force Himself or His way on us. We must choose Him and His ways. The choice is ours. And because God is our Abba Father, He knows best. 

For forty five years, God has provided for my every need. Notice that I didn't say my every "want." Everything I have needed, God has provided. When I think about how my life started and where I am today, I feel rich, rich in every sense of that word. Rich is all encompassing and it's not just about money or things. I'm so thankful for His goodness. God has always been there for me and He has always been more than enough. Through an active prayer life, I'm learning that God's answers are always right on time. Sometimes God answers yes, sometimes He answers no and sometimes He says be still and trust Me. Waiting hasn't and isn’t always easy but I’ve learned that His answers are always timely, just and best. I've learned that I can't always see what He sees but what He sees and what He desires for us is good and it is He who I trust. I want what He wants for my life. I want to live at the very center of His will and I want to become every bit of the woman He created me to be. 

Sometimes when I think about how much God loves us, it overwhelms me. Have you ever experienced that? When I sit quietly and ponder this, I am filled with so many wonderful emotions and so much gratitude. Today was one of those days where I sat and pondered His love for me and it overwhelmed me. Today my spirit feels a deep sense of gratitude for who He is and for what He is doing in my life. I can’t always see it, but my spirit senses it. Have you ever felt that?

Through the years I have also learned that nobody could ever really love us unconditionally. Sure, people try but only God can love unconditionally. And nothing you could ever do or say or have ever said or done or didn't say or do could EVER make God stop loving you. Ever. Please re-read that last sentence as often as you need to. I've learned that man does in fact desire to love unconditionally but he is not capable because he is not God. Man is human. God is not. Human beings often stop loving because of deep hurts or disappointment or fear but God never stops loving you. Never. Only God can love unconditionally. Oh that He knows us and still loves us amazes me. That God hears the cries of our hearts and responds so tenderly moves me to tears.

Today, I’m thankful, so thankful for God and to God. I’m thankful in the midst of where I am and who I am. I'm thankful that He is faithful and that I can trust Him. Last week Wednesday, my Pastor's wife, Grace was teaching and within the first five minutes of teaching she said the words: "Trust God alone." I can't remember what else she said that evening only that she said to trust God alone. That was my take away. That was my word from God. It is He who I trust and I'm trusting Him alone. 

God you know me and you love me anyway. Thank you for your unconditional love. My cup runneth over …   

Until next time,

Ruthie

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever. ~ Psalm 136:1

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.        ~ Proverbs 3:5

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." ~ Psalm 31:14

O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. ~ Psalm 84:12

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud,  to those who turn aside to false gods. ~ Psalm 40:4

Legacy

Today's thought for the day ... 

It’s never too late and it’s never too early to think about the kind of legacy you want to leave behind. ~Ruthie

Give God time

Sometimes when we're going through difficulty, we need to remember that we must be patient in our afflictions. Beloved, if you're experiencing a storm, a difficulty or a difficult season, give God time. Give God time because Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that He makes ALL things beautiful in His time. I've learned through the years that His time table is not our time table. Timing is everything. Sometimes we think we know the right time but God's time is always right and He's always right on time. Isaiah 55:8 says, "His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways." We must trust His ways over our ways. His ways are better so don't grow weary in waiting or in your difficult season. God knows what He's doing so don't get discouraged and don't lose hope. Difficult seasons happen. They happen to the best of us but they eventually pass. Dear one, keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep declaring God's promises over your life, and your circumstance and over the lives of others. I know it's hard sometimes, especially when you don't see anything changing but don't give up! He knows what you're feeling. He knows your heart. He knows your desires. He knows your every wish and your every dream. He knows you intimately beloved. He knows you better than your best friend, your parents or your spouse. He really does. And He see's you and He hears you. Don't believe for a minute that He doesn't. He knows your every thought and every word you speak even before you speak it. 

What ever you're going through, what ever you're feeling, it's not over. It's not over until God says it's over. Here's what I've learned through the years: If God is in it, there is no limit in the blessings He will pour out, no limit. So if He hasn't whispered that it's over, you be patient. You hang tight. Keep praying. Keep believing because He's working things out. (Romans 8:28) You have to believe that. So don't give up, don't throw in the towel because you might be "feeling" weary. Remember, life isn't based on "feelings." Feelings come and go. Life is based on truth and the truth is: God is for you and He loves you and He wants to bless you, so give God time.

Until next time, hope fully!

xx, Ruthie

My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the LORD. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. ~Isaiah 55:8

He makes ALL things beautiful in His time. ~Ecclesiastes 3:11

God causes EVERYTHING to work together, for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. ~Romans 8:28

Trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you. ~1 Peter 4:19

Today

Today is Friday and for most of us, it’s the end of the work week. Today as we know it, will never come again.

There's a song on the radio that commands my attention every time I hear it. And lately, they've been playing this song alot on KLOVE, the radio station I love listening to. I'm not sure who the artist is or what the name of the song is. The lyrics in the song that stand out to me the most are: "I want to live like there's no tomorrow, love like I'm on borrowed time." Wow! ... What a powerful statement. I can so relate because that's exactly how I want to live my life. I'm not always successful at living like there's no tomorrow but at the very heart of who I am, I want all my moments to count. 

The other morning as I was walking into my my office building, I ran into a colleague of mine who asked me how I was doing. And he didn't just ask in a casual manner to be polite. He really wanted to know how I was doing because he asked the question twice. As we stood there, we got to chatting for a bit before we headed over to our respective offices and during our conversation, he shared with me that as he gets older, he's realizing how important it is to appreciate what we have and to make life count. I can't tell you how refreshing it was to hear that. This colleague of mine has an extraordinary spirit. He's probably one of the most affable people I know. Everybody who knows him, loves him! He e-mails me periodically or stops by to check in on me, to make sure I'm doing okay. I love that about him. He's just a very kind man with a very caring heart for people. And I think to myself, what if we were all like him? 

I share these things with you because I want to encourage you to think and to live differently. We should all aspire to be a blessing to others, to be a friend, to encourage and to empower, not just today but every day. We should take the time to check in on our friends and our family members, taking the time to care, to love, to serve and to pray. We should make that phone call, write that letter, send that e-mail, plan that visit or host that dinner party we keep putting off. Let's do something or many things to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people who cross our paths, the people in our communities and with our family. 

Each of us is equipped and each of us has the power to make a positive difference in life, every day. Our words and our attitudes and our actions carry extraordinary power. 

Together, let's decide today to tap into that power and to do something extra nice for someone. That someone could be a stranger, a friend or a family member. Maybe today, you'll decide that it will be many people. And if that’s what you decide, I applaud you! That’s a great attitude! After all, the day is still young, it’s not too late. It's never too late. 

When you speak to people today, slow down. Don’t be in such a hurry. Let your words breathe life into them. And when people speak to you, listen carefully and attentively. Let’s remember that people matter, people over things matter.

Let’s remember that our words have incredible power. Our words have the power to heal or to wound so let’s choose words that heal, that build people up, that promote goodness, wellness and kindness. Let’s choose words that leave people feeling blessed, loved and valued.

My friends, tomorrow is never promised. Today is all we have. What we have is right here and right now. 

So .... how are you going to spend the next 24 hours?

What kinds of things will you do and say to make a difference, not just today but every day?

Until next time, 

xx, Ruthie

p.s. I just researched the artist and the name of the song that I mentioned in this post. The artist is Jason Gray and the name of the song is called: Good to be Alive. It's a good tune and it inspires me in really good ways. :o) Hope it inspires you too. Be well ... 

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness I've learned is something we all have to do in life and sometimes we have to do it more times than we can remember. Nobody gets through life unscathed. At some point, you have either hurt someone or someone or many someone's have hurt you or disappointed you. What I’m learning about forgiveness is this: Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different. It is what it is. It makes no sense to keep remembering the offense. If you choose to dwell on the offense, you're living "stuck," stuck in your past. And I can assure you that the offender doesn't think about the thing they did or said to hurt you nearly as much or at all so why live like a prisoner when you have the power to live differently? Forgiveness is about letting go, and liberating yourself. If you want to live the “freedom” life that God desires for you, you must release yourself from your past hurts. You must stop living in the past and begin living in the present and keep on keeping on.

I'm not trying to minimize how hard it is to forgive. Believe me; I know how difficult it can be, especially when wounds are fresh. Forgiveness is hard work, really hard work sometimes. Forgiveness I've learned doesn't mean that you condone what was done to you. It also doesn't mean that the person who hurt you has to be a part of your life either. Sadly, sometimes we have to set healthy boundaries and decide that some people just cannot be part of our lives or part of our inner circle. Sometimes this is temporary and sometimes it must be permanent. If you have to make this decision, don’t feel guilty about it especially if you have to do this with a specific family member. You must remember that you are not their teacher or their advisor. You must allow God to be God. Let God deal with the people who hurt you. That's God's job, not yours. I've learned that hurt people hurt people so let God deal with their hurts. When I remember that hurt people hurt people, I find that compassion rises up in me. The best thing you can do for those who offend you, who hurt you, who disappoint you, is to pray for them. Yes, pray. It took me many years and re-reading and listening to God's word and sermons on the topic of forgiveness to be able to pray for those who have hurt me. I'm here to tell you that yes, it's hard but it's also possible. The Bible tells us in James 1:22 to be doers of God's Word. So when you're ready, pray for their healing. Pray that God will bless them with godly wisdom, pray that God makes them whole. If it's important to you and you want the relationship restored, ask God to restore your relationship. This I know is alot easier said than done but if you ask God to help you pray for those who have hurt you, He will help you in this area. But it begins with a decision. You sit in the driver seat of life and you are the one that must decide that you want to honor God and pray for those who have hurt you even when you don't "feel" like it. We can't live our lives guided by our feelings because our feelings are constantly changing. We must live our lives based on what is right, and true and honorable. When my wounds are fresh and I'm praying for those who have hurt me, I pray as a decision and most of the time, I find that I cry alot as I pray for them because the wound is still so fresh but over time, the tears end and I find myself feeling stronger and I'm able to pray bold and confident prayers praying for their very best. I pray God's Word over them and their lives. And in my heart, I know this pleases God when I finally get to this place. And truth be told, it makes me feel really good inside too, like I'm growing and maturing and becoming the woman God calls me to be. 

Forgiveness I’ve learned is a heart matter. Sometimes we forgive people face to face through a meeting (meeting with them) or we call the offender and share with them that we've forgiven them but sometimes, it’s necessary and safe and totally "okay" to stay away from the person who caused you pain or who violated you and forgive them in your heart without having any contact with them. The offender need not be present nor be in the know. Forgiveness is less about the offender and more about you and your healing and restoration. Forgiveness does not require an apology. Apologies are nice when sincere and they help us during the healing process but it's not necessary to receive an apology to forgive. We forgive to set ourselves free. 

The other thing I’ve learned about forgiveness is that God not only forgives us but He heals us and restores us. I love God for so-o many reasons but I love Him for how He has healed me and restored me through the years. Nobody could ever heal us or restore us like God. He is our REAL Healer, our only Healer. And let's face it, healing takes time, lots of time for many of us so please give God time and be a willing vessel and allow Him to heal you and make you whole again. We must give God time. My pastor continues to remind us of this lately and it's such a blessing to me EVERY TIME I hear him say those words. Often times, we miss God's blessings because we don't wait on God, because we don't give God time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God makes ALL things beautiful in His time. Isn't this an encouraging verse??? I just love it! This is a verse that God placed on my heart several months ago, and I find it so very interesting that my pastor also recites this one often too. Sometimes, I think God inspires my pastor to write sermons/messages just for me because I've lost count on how many times I've walked away from church saying: "Wow! ... That message was right on time and spoke specifically to my circumstance." Only God! So mark this verse (Ecclesiastes 3:11) on your heart so you don't forget it and so you don't lose hope and please, please give God time. In fact, I love this verse so much that I printed the words and framed this verse in a 4X6 inch picture frame. The picture frame sits in my master bedroom as a tangible reminder so I never forget to keep waiting on God, to wait for His best. 

Sometimes the hardest person in life to forgive is yourself. Have you ever experienced this? I know I have. Many times. Too many to remember how many times. If you fall into this category, allow me to remind you that you deserve to let yourself off the hook. If you have prayed and talked to God and asked God to forgive you, then guess what? He forgave you! And you MUST do the same for yourself. You must forgive yourself. 

I love what the Bible has to say in Jeremiah 31:34. It says that God will forgive our wickedness and He will never again "remember" our sins. Isn't that amazing??? This means that when God forgives us, He remembers our sin no more, like EVER! And we need to do the same for ourselves. If the memory surfaces, choose a different thought and remind yourself that God has already forgiven you. When the hurtful memory surfaces, it's the enemies way of trying to keep you down. Sometimes I find that I have to say: Shut up enemy! In this context the enemy here is the devil, the dark spirit that works and whispers to you in your thoughts to keep you away from living your best life. The enemy loves to attack your thought life and that is why the battle is always in our minds. But fortunately for us, we have every thing we need to change the way we think. It's our job to renew our minds. When the enemy comes at you whispering terrible things, tell the enemy that God has already forgiven you and that you have already forgiven yourself and command the enemy to leave, in the name of Jesus! You can say, "In the name of Jesus, I command you to leave NOW!"  

Dear ones, did you know that God calls you to live an abundant life filled with emotional freedom from guilt and unforgiveness? He does and it says so in the Bible. So decide today to free yourself if you’ve been struggling in this area and forgive yourself. You deserve it and God desires this for you. And I want this for you too. 

If you’re struggling with forgiving someone else, allow me to remind you that forgiveness is a choice. Did you catch that? It's a choice. Forgiveness is not based on a feeling. If you wait for the day when you’re going to “feel” like forgiving someone, the day may never come. Forgiveness is an act of obedience to a holy God and when we choose to forgive, God ALWAYS meets us in the pain and releases us from the bondage of unforgiveness. He also releases us and frees us from all the ugly feelings connected to unforgiveness. In the process, He tenderizes our hearts and eventually our hearts no longer feel hurt over what ever it was that caused us to feel hurt in the first place. 

In Matthew 6:14-15 is says: "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Wow! This is a powerful verse!  This is one of the many verses that inspires me, motivates me and helps me to choose to forgive. It's not always an easy process, but it's always worth it because forgiveness brings peace into your life. Living with peace is nothing short of AMAZING!!! And it's not that kind of peace you experience from worldly experiences. It's a God peace. God's peace it says in the Bible surpasses human understanding. It's super sweet my friends. 

So in summation, forgiveness is necessary and important work and it's one of the best gifts you can give to yourself and others too. The pay off is: freedom, peace, and wholeness. You will feel better about yourself, the situation and where you stand in your relationship with God and others. Unforgiveness keeps you from experiencing God's best and all the beautiful blessings He desires for you. When you refuse to forgive, you open the doors to bitterness. But when you choose forgiveness, you open yourself up to peace and harmony in your life. 

Until next time, if you're in a season where you have an opportunity to forgive someone or yourself, I hope and pray that you will choose to forgive. It's worth it and you will be glad you did. 

Blessings, 

Ruthie

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

Unforgiveness in your heart will hurt you more than anyone else. ~ Joyce Meyer

Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.  ~ Hannah More 

When you forgive, you in no way change the past but you sure do change the future.  ~ Bernard Meltzer

You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well. ~ Lewis B. Smedes 

Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again. ~ Max Lucado

Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner! ~ Max Lucado

Slow Me Down, Lord

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace. Give me, amidst the day's confusion, the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of singing streams that live in my memory.

Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep. Teach me the art of taking "minute vacations"... slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me of the fable of the hare and the tortoise; that the race is not always to the swift; that there is more to life than measuring its speed.

Let me look up at the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew slowly and well. Inspire me to send my own roots down deep into the soil of life's endearing values ... that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny.

Slow me down, Lord.

         

{Wilferd Arlan Peterson}

Unconditional Love

Today is Mother's Day and as I pondered what I've learned about motherhood, I realized that I have both learned and discovered many things about life, love, God and myself through out this journey. One of the most beautiful things I learned through out my journey as a mother is unconditional love. And motherhood has helped me understand "clearly" God's 'unconditional' love for us. 

No matter what, I love my son unconditionally, period. And no matter what, God loves us unconditionally, period.

When I was a rebellious teenager, my mother reminded me that I was and am a person of value and a person of great worth, no matter what I've done because God does not make junk. What a blessing to have a mother share those words with me. I have never forgotten them. 

We are not defined by our poor decisions. We are valuable simply because we exist and because we were created by a holy God who loves us "unconditionally." 

Dear ones, Love is the greatest gift of all. 

Thank you mommy for loving me unconditionally! Thank you for your wise words, they have served me well. And thank you Michael for being patient with me and forgiving me when I didn't always get it right. I will always love you more.

My thoughts on the energy we produce

I’ve come to learn in recent years that while we are spiritual beings doing life in human bodies, we are also energy and the energy we produce is directly related to how we think and what we believe. How we think and what we believe is directly related to our happiness and joy or lack there of. What we think, how we think and what we believe has everything to do with how we spend our time. It has everything to do with what you feed your mind with. I’ve also learned that we are all individually responsible for the energy we bring into our relationships, our homes, our conversations, the workplace and the spaces we occupy. In this last sentence it is permissible to replace the word energy with attitude for it applies as well.

I’ve learned that joy is energy and incredibly palpable, wouldn't you agree? I super love that feeling and I love being around people who are joy-filled. Joy is a sense of utter contentment with life. Contentment and joy is internal and independent of circumstances. I’ve also learned that negative energy is incredibly palpable too. Negative energy I've learned is often toxic, suffocating and draining. Have you ever been in an environment or around a person who emits this type of energy? Makes you want to run for this hills, right? Negative energy stems from wounds that have manifested their way into deep rooted anger, bitterness and resentment. It also stems from a need to control and an unhealthy way of thinking and living.

Stop for a minute right here and ask yourself today: 1.) What kind of energy am I producing and why? 2.) What kind of energy am I permitting to enter into my inner circle and why?

If it’s not positive, ask yourself what steps you can take to change the energy you're producing. Remember, you have the power to change the energy you produce and it begins with tapping into the Source, God. Everything is possible with and for God. If negative energy (chronic negative people) has made its way into your inner circle, it's time to set some healthy boundaries. 

If you’re energy is producing joy and promoting joy, thank God for that gift and that blessing, it’s no small thing and it’s something to be thankful for. The people I know who are joy-filled are those who have deep gratitude for God, life and living. Their lives are not perfect but they do life and lean on the One who is perfect. And that's the secret, that's what makes the difference. These joy-filled people have less-than-rosy pasts and experiences and stories filled with disappointments, struggles and pain. Life wasn’t always easy and sometimes it’s still not easy but they chose and choose better not bitter and they choose to invite God into their lives and into their hearts. They learned that joy is internal and not based on circumstances.

So ask yourself again: What kind of energy am I producing?  What kind of energy am I permitting to enter into my inner circle?

Until next time,

xx, Ruthie

p.s. Beloved reader, if you’re in a place of emotional healing, bless your little heart. Take all the time you need to heal emotionally. I’m sure reading this today wasn't easy. Emotional healing is hard work, messy for sure and rarely easy but it’s so worth it so keep going. Don't give up. Healing and moving on is a process, a process of time and surrender. It takes many little steps and it takes patience, courage, self-care, a healthy support network of trusted people and it also requires you to invite our true Healer into the process. So hang in there, the future is promising and it will get better. You must choose to believe that even if you can't see it or feel it yet. 

For I am the LORD who heals you. ~ Exodus 15:26

Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, just as you are progressing spiritually. ~ 3 John 1:2

What your heart needs to know

When you walk through the storms of life, hold your head up high and do not be afraid because the God who fashioned you in your mothers womb, the God who loves you endlessly, walks before you and beside you and behind you. How wonderful is that?! So walk courageously and confidently in the knowledge that you are not alone. You are never alone and you never will be.

Because He over came, you can and will over come too.

What your heart needs to know is this: You are loved. You are beautiful. You matter and you are never alone. Please mark these words on the tablet of your heart dear one. 

Blessings to you and yours ….

Until next time,

xx, Ruthie

p.s. When I wrote these words, I had the heart of many of you in mind. I hope these words comfort you, encourage you and bless you in immeasurable ways. Below you will find a song posted on youtube that I thought was quite fitting for this post. The artist is Jason Gray and the title of the song is called: Remind me who I am. Sometimes we get a little lost in our pain or our discouragement or in our storm and we forget who we belong to (we belong to God, and God is for us, not against us) and we forget that we are loved and that we matter. Sweetness ... you are so loved and you do matter to Him. Don't believe the lie that you are not. God bless you ...

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. ~1 Peter 5:7

LOVE

Today's Reflection:

Fall in love every single day, with your first cup of coffee, the sun, yourself, your creator, your partner, life itself. Whatever it is, who ever it is, love, because love is grand and an incredible gift.

The words above were birthed today after some quiet time of reflection as I was drinking my first cup of coffee. I hope today has been good to you. As always, thanks for stopping by to read and to connect. Happy weekend ... xx, Ruthie

Unspoken words

The memory of yesterday lives on as beautifully as it started as I recall days gone by. I still remember every detail that makes him beautiful to me. The first day was one of the best days, the best of many. It was the most magical day of the year, perfect and indelible in every way. 
A chance encounter developed into a deep connection, a connection neither of us expected and on so many levels. Tenderness, sweet kisses, amazing conversations and moments that connected two hearts and two souls together are all unforgettable. His eyes were amazing and his smile ... well they lit up the room, every single time. I miss those beautiful eyes and how they gazed into mine. And I miss how breathtaking it was every single time his fingers softly traced the lines on my face. Was he trying to memorize me? Did he know the end was near? Or was it the beginning? It still makes me cry when I think about how amazing those moments were. They were beautiful, tender, truly unforgettable and yet I forgave his mistakes and gave him reasons and a history for breaking my heart. I thought I knew him, but I now realize I barely knew him. And now I see everything and understand every thing. And even when he broke my heart, I still remembered the reason why I loved him in the first place.

Inspired by: What I didn't say.