Strength and Peace

I have a book called One Year of Hope by Nancy Guthrie. It has wonderful one page reminders of the bigger picture in life beyond the diets, love handles, self-images, etc. The short prayer at the end of the page I read today is:

Master Designer, I've wasted too much time and energy looking in the mirror agonizing over my own reflection instead of feeling the pain of a hurting world around me and doing something about it. Make me a masterpiece that displays your beauty and demonstrates your love.

I pray everyday to inspire others to have confidence and love for themselves. I pray to spend my time helping others instead of wallowing in my own self doubts. We all know if we are eating what we should be eating and exercising, then we should let all the negative thoughts go. My ultimate goal is to be healthy and confident. Growing up my mom would always ask me if God makes mistakes. Of course I would say no. She would then tell me I am his creation and should remember the same one who created the stars in the sky created me. This powerful message is something I already discuss with my daughter. A couple more quotes that bring me strength and a sense of peace are:

 If you say there’s no hope, you’re listening to the father of lies (John 8:44). You’ve encountered the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)—the one who’s determined to keep you a failure, to defeat you on every front he can. The only way you will bring him down, the only way you’ll extinguish those fiery arrows that will impale you on the stake of continuous defeat until you’re consumed in its flames of destruction is through the Word. His Word is truth, and it alone can sanctify you, set you apart for victory. You may think there is no recovery from your failure. But my friend, if you have God, you have a future—and not a dismal one.  (Kay Arthur)

When fitted with the armor of God, we will not be blindsided by the fiery darts of the Enemy. Past failures lose their power, for they have been dealt with. Present thoughts will not overrun me, for I am in command of my thoughts and I make the final decision on what I believe. The opinions of others do not bombard me, for I have decided to believe what God says about who I am—regardless of what I or anyone else thinks. (Dennis Jernigan)