As I clipped through my morning walk, accusations of failure threatened my joy despite the beautiful day and my blessings.

The accusations were my own thoughts running through my head. You know the ones. There the ones the Enemy likes to use to distract us and stop us from our purposes.

Parenting is hard. I’ve made so many mistakes. We missed an award ceremony this week. Despite my initial push to attend, I relented to my high school senior son’s choice not to go. And he missed receiving a big award. Why didn’t I make him go?

I’ve shunned away from making my children do anything ever since my daughter lost the carrot I made her eat. (It came back up with the rest of her dinner.) It’s so hard to know when to force your kids to do something. My kids are almost grown and out of the house, yet I still struggle with parenting!

Writing is hard. Working through the copy edits of my first book/Bible study has been challenging. I feel I’m back in college with my English professor who seemed to question every other sentence–though it’s not that bad. I know it makes it better, but the battle is great in my heart.

How many of us actually feel qualified to handle what God has placed in our lives?

I’m thinking that most of us don’t feel qualified.

But on returning from my walk today, I found a blog post written by Tai East about God being enough. I needed to hear her words:

But what happens when GOD calls us to do something that is so much greater than we feel we have the ability to accomplish? What happens in those moments when we’re seeking HIS provision, but can’t necessarily feel HIS PRESENCE or hear HIS voice?

The answer is, whether we can hear HIS voice or feel HIM with us or not— HE’S always there. And we simply have to know and trust that what ever HE asks of us or wherever HE’S leading us, HE’S already prepared the way. (Exodus 23:20 NIV- See, I AM sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.) ~A Spirit Kissed Soul

He is enough. He has enough. All the resources in the universe.

After reading Tai’s post, I read the “Bite of Bread”, this week’s reading plan. It was just what I needed. God’s timing is always perfect.

 

What a promise. On a day when I felt totally incapable of doing the jobs in front of me, the purposes for this season, I opened my Bible to hear God say, “I’ve got this.” He continued . . .

“Take your eyes off your problems and insufficiency and put them on me, because I’m the Redeemer, and I’m the Provider, and I will give you just what you need.”

How I needed to hear those words. If my mind stayed focused on the problems, disappointments, and failures I’d not move forward.

So, rather than going to work, I went to the beach.

Despite deadlines looming and weddings and graduations, I took a break to fill up with Him so I could return to my work a few hours later.

If you are surrounded by problems or stuck in the mud of insufficiency, take a break. Read all the Bite of Bread reading plan this week and Tai’s blog post (you can click on the links in the paragraphs above), journal your needs and fears, and go to your favorite place to meet God.

Eyes on Him.

Will you pray with me? I’ve got your hand.

“Dear Lord, hallelujah! We glory in your sufficiency, abundance, ability, and faithful presence. You are with us. You’ve promised that you are able to give us more than enough, overflowing grace, so that at all times we will have all that we need not only to do the work you’ve given us, our purposes, but to do it well–according to your grace and riches not our talent or wisdom. Keep our eyes on you. In Jesus’s name. Amen.”

Penny for your thoughts:

Where do you go to feel God’s presence?

The Winner of listen, learn, love: How to Dramatically Improve Your Relationships in 30 Days or Less! 

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway: Sonja, Debbie, Kathy, Karen, Sandy, Carol, Annette, Jan, Diane, Venus, Lily, Joyce, Denise, Janice, Cathy, and Tai.

The name I drew out of the basket was. . . Tai East! Congrats Tai!

 

Much grace!

 

Share with a friend who needs encouragement.

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[Photo Attribution of featured image of two old men: By Tiago Ribeiro from Braga, Portugal (Day 294/365 – Friendship) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons]