give GOD a chance

A child once asked, “What does God do all day?” If the answer to that question depended on how much we allow God to do in our individual lives, some of us would have to reply, “Not much!” In difficult situations, it’s easy to say we trust God and yet try to handle things ourselves without turning to Him and His Word. This is masked unbelief. Although God is constantly working, He allows us to set a limit on the degree of work He does on our behalf. We see this truth demonstrated in Mark 6 when Jesus tried to do mighty things in His hometown. Because the people saw Him merely as a carpenter’s son and not as God’s Son, they limited what He could do for them (v.5). So Jesus moved on to other towns. During my younger years, I tried hard to be a strong Christian, seldom revealing my weaknesses. Then, through a rock-bottom experience, I made this dynamic discovery: Strong Christians are those who unashamedly admit their weaknesses and draw on Christ’s power. The more I learned to depend on God, the more opportunity this gave Him to be active in my life. Now, whenever I face a daunting task, I say, “Joanie and Jesus can do it!” So can you and Jesus. I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; Never let me fall; I am trusting Thee forever, And for all. —Havergal

give GOD a chance

A child once asked, “What does God do all day?” If the answer to that question depended on how much we allow God to do in our individual lives, some of us would have to reply, “Not much!” In difficult situations, it’s easy to say we trust God and yet try to handle things ourselves without turning to Him and His Word. This is masked unbelief. Although God is constantly working, He allows us to set a limit on the degree of work He does on our behalf. We see this truth demonstrated in Mark 6 when Jesus tried to do mighty things in His hometown. Because the people saw Him merely as a carpenter’s son and not as God’s Son, they limited what He could do for them (v.5). So Jesus moved on to other towns. During my younger years, I tried hard to be a strong Christian, seldom revealing my weaknesses. Then, through a rock-bottom experience, I made this dynamic discovery: Strong Christians are those who unashamedly admit their weaknesses and draw on Christ’s power. The more I learned to depend on God, the more opportunity this gave Him to be active in my life. Now, whenever I face a daunting task, I say, “Joanie and Jesus can do it!” So can you and Jesus. I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; Never let me fall; I am trusting Thee forever, And for all. —Havergal

give GOD a chance

A child once asked, “What does God do all day?” If the answer to that question depended on how much we allow God to do in our individual lives, some of us would have to reply, “Not much!” In difficult situations, it’s easy to say we trust God and yet try to handle things ourselves without turning to Him and His Word. This is masked unbelief. Although God is constantly working, He allows us to set a limit on the degree of work He does on our behalf. We see this truth demonstrated in Mark 6 when Jesus tried to do mighty things in His hometown. Because the people saw Him merely as a carpenter’s son and not as God’s Son, they limited what He could do for them (v.5). So Jesus moved on to other towns. During my younger years, I tried hard to be a strong Christian, seldom revealing my weaknesses. Then, through a rock-bottom experience, I made this dynamic discovery: Strong Christians are those who unashamedly admit their weaknesses and draw on Christ’s power. The more I learned to depend on God, the more opportunity this gave Him to be active in my life. Now, whenever I face a daunting task, I say, “Joanie and Jesus can do it!” So can you and Jesus. I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; Never let me fall; I am trusting Thee forever, And for all. —Havergal

adversity quotes

Quotes About Adversity 1 Adversity Quotes and Quotes About Problems and Trouble! When you’re up against the hounds of hell, never underestimate a trip to Starbucks. – Joi @ Self Help Daily’s Creed, Motto, Way of Life, Words to Live By, Doctrine, Dogma… Not every bad break is negative in the long term; not every problem is a bona fide injustice; and not every injustice is major when juxtaposed against the millions of injustices that occur daily throughout the world. – Robert J. Ringer Quote, “Getting What You Want” Crises force our attention on the disorder in our thinking and can save us as we teeter on the brink of an even greater disaster. – David McNally Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. – Mary Tyler Moore Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know of no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater their power to harm us. – Voltaire If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience. – Robert Fulghum In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these. – Paul Harvey The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. – Dolly Parton Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. – Psalm 34: 19 Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. – M. Kathleen Casey I have learned there is a gift wrapped inside of every adversity and, if you have faith and hope, you can lose everything and still survive. – Sandi Bachom Count the garden by the flowers, never by the leaves that fall. Count your life with smiles and not the tears that roll. – Author Unknown Problems are the price you pay for progress. – Branch Rickey We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. – Winston Churchill Problems are only opportunities with thorns on them. – Hugh Miller, “Snow on the Wind” Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. – Victor Hugo There are times in everyone’s life when something constructive is born out of adversity… when things seem so bad that you’ve got to grab your fate by the shoulders and shake it. – Author Unknown You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best you have to give. – Eleanor Roosevelt Talking about your grievances merely adds to those grievances. Give recognition only to what you desire. – Thomas Dreier Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees. – J. Willard Marriott Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes, and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. – Francis Bacon The darkest hour has only sixty minutes. – Morris Mandel There are two things that one must get used to or one will find life unendurable: the damages of time and injustices of men. – Nicolas Chamfort God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them. – John Aughey Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight. – Josh Billings We look before and after, And pine for what is not; Our sincerest laughter With some pain is fraught; Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought. – Percy Bysshe Shelley Quote, “Ode to a Sky Lark” Rock bottom is good solid ground, and a dead end street is just a place to turn around. – Buddy Buie and J.R. Cobb, from the song, “Rock Bottom” Despair is anger with no place to go. – Mignon McLaughlin,”The Neurotic’s Notebook” To have become a deeper man is the privilege of those who have suffered. – Oscar Wilde Problems are messages. – Shakti Gawain Bygone troubles are good to tell. – Yiddish Proverb In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. – Oscar Wilde, Lady Windemere’s Fan Mishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or the handle. – James Russell Lowell, “Cambridge Thirty Years Ago” I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and it isn’t of much value. Life hasn’t revealed its beauty to them. – Boris Pasternak Everybody ought to do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice. – William James You gotta play the hand that’s dealt you. There may be pain in that hand, but you play it. And I’ve played it. – James Brady We have no right to ask when a sorrow comes, “Why did this happen to me?” Unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way. – Philip E. Bernstein The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter. – Unknown A problem is a chance for you to do your best. – Duke Ellington Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. – William Ellery Channing Sometimes it’s worse to win a fight than to lose. – Billie Holiday Nothing prevents happiness like the memory of happiness. – André Gide Quote, “L’immoraliste” Every evil is some good spelt backwards, and in it the wise know how to read Wisdom. – Coventry Patmore You’ll never find a better sparring partner than adversity. – Walt Schmidt Have the courage to face a difficulty lest it kick you harder than you bargained for. – Stanislaus I, Maxims When life kicks you, make it kick you forward. – Unknown Adversity enhances this tale we call life. – Ever Garrison Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. – Albert Einstein There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them. – Phyllis Battome Accept challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. – George S. Patton Adventure is worthwhile. -Amelia Earhart Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. – Joshua J. Marine When life kicks you, don’t let it kick you over. – Kay Yow I had a lover’s quarrel with the world. – Robert Frost Quote, “The Lesson for Today”

Quotes About Discouragement

Disappointments will come and go, but discouragement is a choice that you make. – Dr. Charles Stanley Do not be discouraged if your plans do not succeed the first time. No one learns to walk by taking only one step. – Catherine Pulsifer Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. – Dale Carnegie Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged. – Thomas Edison Defeat should never be a source of discouragement but rather a fresh stimulus. – Robert South It is only after an unknown number of unrecorded labors, after a host of noble hearts have succumbed in discouragement, convinced that their cause is lost; it is only then that cause triumphs. – Madame Guizot Never, never, never quit! – Winston Churchill In spite of everything I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing. – Vincent Van Gogh Nobody else can make us discouraged; it is a choice that we alone make when facing disappointments. – Dr. Charles Stanley What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement. – Napoleon Hill Discouragement is not the absence of adequacy but the absence of courage. – Neal A. Maxwell Don’t accept discouragement, keep going! Less stress will result by not allowing discouragement to be your attitude! – Catherine Pulsifer Seeds of discouragement will not grow in the thankful heart. – Anonymous Trouble has no necessary connection with discouragement. Discouragement has a germ of its own, as different from trouble as arthritis is different from a stiff joint. – F. Scott Fitzgerald Every great work, every great accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision, and often just before the big achievement comes apparent failure and discouragement. – Florence Scovel Shenn Any man can work when every stroke of his hands brings down the fruit rattling from the tree … but to labor in season and out of season, under every discouragement… that requires a heroism which is transcendent. – Henry Ward Beecher The most essential factor is persistence – the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. – James Whitcomb Riley (Discouragement) Can be temporary–or it can destroy our life. The choice is ours. If we refuse to deal with discouragement head-on, we are opening the door for it to completely dominate our life. – Dr. Charles Stanley Good work habits help develop an internal toughness and a self-confident attitude that will sustain you through every adversity and temporary discouragement. – Paul J. Fleyer Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed. – Abraham Lincoln

consistency

It’s easy to go running once. It isn’t even that hard to go running for an entire month. What’s really difficult is going running, day after day, for years. It’s easy to start something; it’s much harder to consistently finish it. Many people think consistency is a matter of willpower. That the people who exercise every day, always save a percentage of their income. Or those who manages to upkeep a blog for years have a special ability to endure. I completely disagree. I think consistency has little to do with willpower and I want to use this article to explain why. How I Became Consistent I’m not perfectly consistent in my life. But, for the important things, I have been pretty good at showing up. I’ve exercised 4-5 times per week, nearly every week for the last four years. I’ve maintained a vegetarian diet and kept detailed records of my spending for almost as long. I also just finished writing my 724th article for my own website, which has had regular updates every week for more than three years. Not always was I as consistent. I was a starter—good at starting projects, bad at sustaining them. I would hop between obsessions, starting a new project or pursuit, and giving it up as soon as I got bored. I think a lot of people are like how I used to be—great starters, lousy finishers. But gradually, I became consistent, and I think you can too. The problem isn’t your willpower, just the approach you are taking to new goals and projects. The Power of Consistency Before I start talking about how to be consistent, I think it’s important to clarify why I believe consistency is important to start with. Many people associate consistency with boredom and a lack of initiative. People have told me earnestly that if something isn’t improving after a few weeks or months, you need to change it. If that’s your attitude, consistency will be difficult. Consistency is about working on a larger timescale than weeks and months. A consistent person doesn’t care that their weight loss plan isn’t working after three weeks, or that their website isn’t earning six figures after three months. A consistent person looks at the longer time horizon, where the little hiccups of progress are smoothed out over the next years and decades. Consistency works because while continually starting has short-term momentum, it doesn’t build anything. Doing the same thing every day eventually snowballs into tremendous progress because it doesn’t stop. What’s the best way to be in shape? Exercise, for five years. What’s the best way to launch an online business? Practice running one for a decade. What’s the best approach to enhance your social life? Put yourself outside your comfort zone, every day, for years. Sustainability Instead of Speed The reason I struggled with consistency was that I cared more about speed than sustainability. In other words, I worked on my goals to achieve the maximum progress I thought was possible in the shortest amount of time. Aim to read a book every day. Set the deadline for a six-month project in eight weeks. More, faster, sooner. The reason it’s easy to go for a day or a month but not ten years is that the two time frames require completely different mindsets. To do something for a day or a month, you need to put a lot of effort into it. To do something every day for a year, you need the opposite, you need to have the activity require less effort so it doesn’t exhaust you. When I started my business, I was working on a software program. I had created an intense deadline which was incredibly difficult to achieve. So difficult that, near the end of it, I was completely burnt out. At the time, I thought I was doing what was best for my new business, working extremely hard. But after three years and dozens of projects, I realized I had things backwards. Sure, hard work is important, it is always going to be important. But if I can’t sustain that hard work, it isn’t worth it. Setting an impossible deadline and crushing myself to meet it meant I was useless for a few months afterward. If I had planned ahead, set the project in a sustainable way, I wouldn’t have lost that time. If you’re going to start running, aim to run every day, just for a little bit. Don’t aim to break personal records on every single run, just aim to run. When you tweak your expectations slightly, it becomes far easier to continue for the long haul. Show Up Every Day, Not Once in Awhile This lesson might sound redundant, but it’s often missed. Many people try to be consistent by doing something irregularly. I suppose, technically, if you ran six days per month, every month for a decade, that would be consistent. But I know very few people who can pull that kind of schedule off. Surprisingly, doing something every day or nearly every day is far easier to sustain than doing it once in awhile. If you want to be consistent with a new habit, run it every day uninterrupted for a month. Make it an irreplaceable part of your life, not an afterthought you do occasionally. Sometimes you can’t do something every day. But you can at least make it work on a fixed schedule. Once per week, every week, I sit down and record all my expenses into a spreadsheet. I don’t bother with it every day, but I do it on a regular enough schedule that it is part of my life. t’s easy to go running once. It isn’t even that hard to go running for an entire month. What’s really difficult is going running, day after day, for years. It’s easy to start something; it’s much harder to consistently finish it. Many people think consistency is a matter of willpower. That the people who exercise every day, always save a percentage of their income. Or those who manages to upkeep a blog for years have a special ability to endure. I completely disagree. I think consistency has little to do with willpower and I want to use this article to explain why. How I Became Consistent I’m not perfectly consistent in my life. But, for the important things, I have been pretty good at showing up. I’ve exercised 4-5 times per week, nearly every week for the last four years. I’ve maintained a vegetarian diet and kept detailed records of my spending for almost as long. I also just finished writing my 724th article for my own website, which has had regular updates every week for more than three years. Not always was I as consistent. I was a starter—good at starting projects, bad at sustaining them. I would hop between obsessions, starting a new project or pursuit, and giving it up as soon as I got bored. I think a lot of people are like how I used to be—great starters, lousy finishers. But gradually, I became consistent, and I think you can too. The problem isn’t your willpower, just the approach you are taking to new goals and projects. The Power of Consistency Before I start talking about how to be consistent, I think it’s important to clarify why I believe consistency is important to start with. Many people associate consistency with boredom and a lack of initiative. People have told me earnestly that if something isn’t improving after a few weeks or months, you need to change it. If that’s your attitude, consistency will be difficult. Consistency is about working on a larger timescale than weeks and months. A consistent person doesn’t care that their weight loss plan isn’t working after three weeks, or that their website isn’t earning six figures after three months. A consistent person looks at the longer time horizon, where the little hiccups of progress are smoothed out over the next years and decades. Consistency works because while continually starting has short-term momentum, it doesn’t build anything. Doing the same thing every day eventually snowballs into tremendous progress because it doesn’t stop. What’s the best way to be in shape? Exercise, for five years. What’s the best way to launch an online business? Practice running one for a decade. What’s the best approach to enhance your social life? Put yourself outside your comfort zone, every day, for years. Sustainability Instead of Speed The reason I struggled with consistency was that I cared more about speed than sustainability. In other words, I worked on my goals to achieve the maximum progress I thought was possible in the shortest amount of time. Aim to read a book every day. Set the deadline for a six-month project in eight weeks. More, faster, sooner. The reason it’s easy to go for a day or a month but not ten years is that the two time frames require completely different mindsets. To do something for a day or a month, you need to put a lot of effort into it. To do something every day for a year, you need the opposite, you need to have the activity require less effort so it doesn’t exhaust you. When I started my business, I was working on a software program. I had created an intense deadline which was incredibly difficult to achieve. So difficult that, near the end of it, I was completely burnt out. At the time, I thought I was doing what was best for my new business, working extremely hard. But after three years and dozens of projects, I realized I had things backwards. Sure, hard work is important, it is always going to be important. But if I can’t sustain that hard work, it isn’t worth it. Setting an impossible deadline and crushing myself to meet it meant I was useless for a few months afterward. If I had planned ahead, set the project in a sustainable way, I wouldn’t have lost that time. If you’re going to start running, aim to run every day, just for a little bit. Don’t aim to break personal records on every single run, just aim to run. When you tweak your expectations slightly, it becomes far easier to continue for the long haul. Show Up Every Day, Not Once in Awhile This lesson might sound redundant, but it’s often missed. Many people try to be consistent by doing something irregularly. I suppose, technically, if you ran six days per month, every month for a decade, that would be consistent. But I know very few people who can pull that kind of schedule off. Surprisingly, doing something every day or nearly every day is far easier to sustain than doing it once in awhile. If you want to be consistent with a new habit, run it every day uninterrupted for a month. Make it an irreplaceable part of your life, not an afterthought you do occasionally. Sometimes you can’t do something every day. But you can at least make it work on a fixed schedule. Once per week, every week, I sit down and record all my expenses into a spreadsheet. I don’t bother with it every day, but I do it on a regular enough schedule that it is part of my life. t’s easy to go running once. It isn’t even that hard to go running for an entire month. What’s really difficult is going running, day after day, for years. It’s easy to start something; it’s much harder to consistently finish it. Many people think consistency is a matter of willpower. That the people who exercise every day, always save a percentage of their income. Or those who manages to upkeep a blog for years have a special ability to endure. I completely disagree. I think consistency has little to do with willpower and I want to use this article to explain why. How I Became Consistent I’m not perfectly consistent in my life. But, for the important things, I have been pretty good at showing up. I’ve exercised 4-5 times per week, nearly every week for the last four years. I’ve maintained a vegetarian diet and kept detailed records of my spending for almost as long. I also just finished writing my 724th article for my own website, which has had regular updates every week for more than three years. Not always was I as consistent. I was a starter—good at starting projects, bad at sustaining them. I would hop between obsessions, starting a new project or pursuit, and giving it up as soon as I got bored. I think a lot of people are like how I used to be—great starters, lousy finishers. But gradually, I became consistent, and I think you can too. The problem isn’t your willpower, just the approach you are taking to new goals and projects. The Power of Consistency Before I start talking about how to be consistent, I think it’s important to clarify why I believe consistency is important to start with. Many people associate consistency with boredom and a lack of initiative. People have told me earnestly that if something isn’t improving after a few weeks or months, you need to change it. If that’s your attitude, consistency will be difficult. Consistency is about working on a larger timescale than weeks and months. A consistent person doesn’t care that their weight loss plan isn’t working after three weeks, or that their website isn’t earning six figures after three months. A consistent person looks at the longer time horizon, where the little hiccups of progress are smoothed out over the next years and decades. Consistency works because while continually starting has short-term momentum, it doesn’t build anything. Doing the same thing every day eventually snowballs into tremendous progress because it doesn’t stop. What’s the best way to be in shape? Exercise, for five years. What’s the best way to launch an online business? Practice running one for a decade. What’s the best approach to enhance your social life? Put yourself outside your comfort zone, every day, for years. Sustainability Instead of Speed The reason I struggled with consistency was that I cared more about speed than sustainability. In other words, I worked on my goals to achieve the maximum progress I thought was possible in the shortest amount of time. Aim to read a book every day. Set the deadline for a six-month project in eight weeks. More, faster, sooner. The reason it’s easy to go for a day or a month but not ten years is that the two time frames require completely different mindsets. To do something for a day or a month, you need to put a lot of effort into it. To do something every day for a year, you need the opposite, you need to have the activity require less effort so it doesn’t exhaust you. When I started my business, I was working on a software program. I had created an intense deadline which was incredibly difficult to achieve. So difficult that, near the end of it, I was completely burnt out. At the time, I thought I was doing what was best for my new business, working extremely hard. But after three years and dozens of projects, I realized I had things backwards. Sure, hard work is important, it is always going to be important. But if I can’t sustain that hard work, it isn’t worth it. Setting an impossible deadline and crushing myself to meet it meant I was useless for a few months afterward. If I had planned ahead, set the project in a sustainable way, I wouldn’t have lost that time. If you’re going to start running, aim to run every day, just for a little bit. Don’t aim to break personal records on every single run, just aim to run. When you tweak your expectations slightly, it becomes far easier to continue for the long haul. Show Up Every Day, Not Once in Awhile This lesson might sound redundant, but it’s often missed. Many people try to be consistent by doing something irregularly. I suppose, technically, if you ran six days per month, every month for a decade, that would be consistent. But I know very few people who can pull that kind of schedule off. Surprisingly, doing something every day or nearly every day is far easier to sustain than doing it once in awhile. If you want to be consistent with a new habit, run it every day uninterrupted for a month. Make it an irreplaceable part of your life, not an afterthought you do occasionally. Sometimes you can’t do something every day. But you can at least make it work on a fixed schedule. Once per week, every week, I sit down and record all my expenses into a spreadsheet. I don’t bother with it every day, but I do it on a regular enough schedule that it is part of my life.

Quotes About Character

Quotes About Character Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Science without humanity Knowledge without character Politics without principle Commerce without morality Worship without sacrifice.” ― Mahatma Gandhi tags: character, commerce, conscience, happiness, humanity, knowledge, money, morality, pleasure, politics, principle, sacrifice, science, sin, sins, wealth, work, worship 7,460 people liked it like Charlotte Brontë “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre tags: character, empowerment, flaws, freedom, gender, identity, image, independence, integrity, realism, self-awareness, self-determination, women 2,922 people liked it like Maya Angelou “Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” ― Maya Angelou tags: character, consistency, courage, determination, essence, ethos, fortitude, goodness, inspiration, life-lessons, persistence, resolve, self-reliance, strength, virtue, virtues 2,804 people liked it like Abigail Van Buren “The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back.” ― Abigail Van Buren tags: character, life, wisdom 2,404 people liked it like Abraham Lincoln “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” ― Abraham Lincoln tags: adversity, character, power 1,740 people liked it like Albert Einstein “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters” ― Albert Einstein tags: character, honesty, integrity 1,235 people liked it like Maya Angelou “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” ― Maya Angelou tags: adversity, character, failure, perseverance 1,144 people liked it like Cassandra Clare “When you find a man you wish to marry, Tessa, remember this: You will know what kind of man he is not by the things he says, but by the things he does.” ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel tags: character, deeds 1,083 people liked it like Nicholas Sparks “In the end you should always do the right thing even if it's hard.” ― Nicholas Sparks, The Last Song tags: character, inspirational, integrity, nobility 1,041 people liked it like Cassandra Clare “Whatever you are physically...male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside.” ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel tags: character, clockwork-angel, jem-carstairs, lamp, light, soul, warrior 935 people liked it like Charlotte Brontë “I am not an angel,' I asserted; 'and I will not be one till I die: I will be myself. Mr. Rochester, you must neither expect nor exact anything celestial of me - for you will not get it, any more than I shall get it of you: which I do not at all anticipate.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre tags: character, empowerment, flaws, freedom, gender, ideal-woman, identity, image, independence, integrity, love, men, realism, romance, self-awareness, self-determination, women 934 people liked it like John Wooden “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” ― John Wooden tags: advice-for-daily-living, character, inspirational, self-image 720 people liked it like Helen Keller “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” ― Helen Keller tags: character 706 people liked it like Jane Austen “I have faults enough, but they are not, I hope, of understanding. My temper I dare not vouch for. It is, I believe, too little yielding— certainly too little for the convenience of the world. I cannot forget the follies and vices of other so soon as I ought, nor their offenses against myself. My feelings are not puffed about with every attempt to move them. My temper would perhaps be called resentful. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever.” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice tags: character, flaws, mr-darcy, pride-and-prejudice, temper 618 people liked it like Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. tags: character, dream, inspirational, prejudice, race 600 people liked it like Mark Twain “It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” ― Mark Twain tags: bravery, character, courage, moral-courage 598 people liked it like George Washington “It is better to be alone than in bad company.” ― George Washington tags: character, honor, reputation 540 people liked it like Charles Chaplin “A man's true character comes out when he's drunk.” ― Charles Chaplin tags: character, drunk, humor, people, truth 518 people liked it like Paul McCartney “You can judge a man's true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.” ― Paul McCartney tags: animals, beatles, character, man, vegetarianism 517 people liked it like Diane Setterfield “All morning I struggled with the sensation of stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another. Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes -- characters even -- caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you.” ― Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale tags: books, character, characters, ideas, impact, reading 483 people liked it like Cornelia Funke “Which of us has not felt that the character we are reading in the printed page is more real than the person standing beside us?” ― Cornelia Funke tags: books, character, cornelia-funke, existentialism, words, writers, writing 481 people liked it like Abraham Lincoln “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.” ― Abraham Lincoln tags: appearances, character, simile, substance 481 people liked it like A.A. Milne “What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.” ― A.A. Milne tags: character, food, potatoes 439 people liked it like Michael Ondaatje “We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves. I wish for all this to be marked on by body when I am dead. I believe in such cartography - to be marked by nature, not just to label ourselves on a map like the names of rich men and women on buildings. We are communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamous in our taste or experience.” ― Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient tags: character, death, experience, relationships 434 people liked it like Anaïs Nin “What we call our destiny is truly our character and that character can be altered. The knowledge that we are responsible for our actions and attitudes does not need to be discouraging, because it also means that we are free to change this destiny. One is not in bondage to the past, which has shaped our feelings, to race, inheritance, background. All this can be altered if we have the courage to examine how it formed us. We can alter the chemistry provided we have the courage to dissect the elements.” ― Anaïs Nin, The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 1: 1931-1934 tags: character, courage, destiny, empowerment, responsibility, self-control, self-improvement 393 people liked it like Jarod Kintz “I want to be the kind of person that kind people like and want to be like.” ― Jarod Kintz, At even one penny, this book would be overpriced. In fact, free is too expensive, because you'd still waste time by reading it. tags: admiration, admire, aspiration, aspire, character, desire, friendship, kindness, people, personality 379 people liked it like Theodore Roosevelt “To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” ― Theodore Roosevelt tags: character, education, morality 347 people liked it like John Burroughs “One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: ‘To rise above little things’.” ― John Burroughs tags: character, hope, motivational 344 people liked it like W. Somerset Maugham “When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.” ― W. Somerset Maugham tags: character, friendship 332 people liked it like Terry Goodkind “I'm afraid that we all make mistakes. One of the things that defines our character is how we handle mistakes. If we lie about having made a mistake, then it can't be corrected and it festers. On the other hand, if we give up just because we made a mistake, even a big mistake, none of us would get far in life.” ― Terry Goodkind, Confessor

Personality test

Personality tests are used to determine your type of personality, your values, interests and your skills. They can be used to simply assess what type of person you are or, more specifically, to determine your aptitude for a certain type of occupation or career. Personality tests range from the five-minute Color Quiz which is supposed to determine your personality type by the colors you select, to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator which is one of the top-rated personality tests that helps assess your personality type and helps to explore career options. There are a variety of tests that measure your intelligence or aptitude, inventory your skills and assess your ability to succeed in a career. Aptitude Tests Aptitude tests measure your ability to acquire a skill or do a particular type of work. These are the type of tests employers typically use to screen candidates for employment. Self Assessment and Aptitude Tests are available online and, in many cases, are free. Tests are available on just about every topic. There are tests to determine whether you have an aptitude for sales or for firefighting, for example. You can even take a Circus Aptitude Test to find out if you should run away and join the circus! Career Tests Career Tests are used to provide an indication of which jobs match your personality type and which careers you have an aptitude for. You can take a quick test online and get immediate result or take more extensive (and professional) tests to determine which careers might interest you. Intelligence (IQ) Tests Intelligence tests measure your intellectual functioning, or in plain language, how smart you are. They are designed to measure an individual's mental skills. A person's intelligent quotient (IQ) is a measure of intelligence derived from the results of specially designed tests. The quotient is determined by dividing an individual's mental age by his chronological age and multiplying the result by 100. Inventories Inventories are checklists that you can use to identify factors which you relate to - and which you don't. They measure how your interests match those of other people employed in certain occupations. Career inventories, like the Strong Interest Inventory, provide a summary of your interest areas and the occupations that match your interests. Personality Tests Personality tests and other psychological tests measure your personal characteristics, your emotional makeup and your stability. They are often used by trained career counselors as a tool in the self-assessment part of the career planning process. Some of these tests can be personally interpreted online, others need a counselor to interpret them. Use our directory of Online Personality Tests to get a sense of what type of personality you have. Just for Fun Take a break from the serious stuff and try some fun quizzes. You can measure your stress level, decide if you are burned out, assess how healthy you are or discover how you feel about love! It's important to note that none of these tests will provide you with a definite answer on what you should do with your life. Rather, you should use them as a tool to generate informed guesses and see them as one part of your overall career planning. More Resources Career Personality Tests Taking a career personality test is a little like playing "what do you want to be when you grow up?" with a twist. The twist is that personality tests can give you ideas about what you should do rather than you simply pondering what you want to do. Here are career tests you can take online and information on how they work.

DETERMINATION!

I would like to break this winning formula down into "easy to chew" bite-sized chunks. In doing so, we will look at four smaller nuggets of truth. The first nugget is: "THE ROAD TO SUCCESS," the second is: "HARD WORK," the third: "DETERMINATION," and the fourth nugget worthy of a closer look is: "PERSONAL SACRIFICE." For our conclusion, I will ask, "Who will answer this call?" Let us get started with the first nugget of truth, "THE ROAD TO SUCCESS." The road to success starts within a heart that wants to be the best at something--a heart, mind, and soul that does not want to be ordinary, but extraordinary. These words of hope come from the roots of our country's heritage where ordinary people, who have a dream, work hard to achieve. Let these words of truth breathe life into the core of your bones. Winners never look for the easy way out. They simply look at the impossible, and say to themselves to set their heart upon this lofty dream and chase after it with their whole heart. The road to success is narrow, and many will miss it because the road to failure is broad and easy. Plant your feet firmly upon the rock of your desire to become the best. It is easy to fail; do not work hard, and do not have a dream--that is all it takes. However, that is all right, because somewhere out there is an ordinary person hoping that is exactly what you are doing--nothing. Yes, the road to an average, mediocre life is easy, but for those who have a dream, the road to success is another story. Count the cost before you start down this road; for in a month, or in a year will you still be fighting to become the best? Oh, but the road to success is filled with life, happiness, and sweet, sweet victory! Are you ready to travel down this road to success no matter what the price? Learn to enjoy the journey and be committed to the long haul to achieve your heart's desire. Let us now turn to the second nugget of truth, "HARD WORK." It will take hard work on the part of anyone who wants to be the best. How much work will it take? That depends on your final goal, or the greatness of your dream. If you want to be the best, then you are going to have to do more than others do. Kobe Bryant, in the off season, shoots 2000 times a day. Are you willing to work that hard to be the best? Any ordinary person can stay ordinary, but those who will work hard, doing a daily routine, will become extraordinary people. Ordinary people do not just wake up one day with large, strong arms or legs; they use hard work to build their muscles. There is no secret here and definitely no short cuts. No one is born looking like Mr. Universe. Do you want to be bigger, stronger, and faster? You must buy into this daily work ethic. You must learn to carry this method of success into every realm of your daily existence. If you will learn to reflect a spirit of excellence in everything you do, the hard work will become second nature to you. Make a name for yourself by being the best at everything you set your mind to master. Become a daily learner, a daily reader, and educate yourself in the area that you want to be the best. "HARD WORK;" there is no easy way to accomplish what no other has done. "HARD WORK" built America. "HARD WORK" is one element which will help you achieve your greatest dreams. The problem with our human nature is that we want everything right now. We have become a "microwave society." We want success the same way; we want it right now and we want it the easy way. Sorry, wrong answer. If you buy into this type of method for success, then you are the one who probably buys lottery tickets, hoping for your millions. The odds of that happening are stacked against you; those people make a lot of money from those tickets. There is nothing that pays off better than good old fashioned HARD WORK! A farmer goes out and works hard to plant his crop. He waters it, weeds it, and even fertilizes his field. His, "HARD WORK" will pay off at harvest time. If the farmer did not water, weed, and fertilize his crop, it would yield very little. If the athlete will not plant a crop of "HARD WORK" he, too, will yield nothing for his effort. All of this takes time; the farmers, as well as the athletes, earn great rewards from their continual effort. With "HARD WORK," you can expect to get bigger, stronger, and faster. Let us chew for a while on the next nugget of success, "DETERMINATION." Another word that fits this section is tenacity. Never give up your dreams. Set your mind, soul, and heart upon doing everything necessary to become your best. Notice I said, "Your best;" learn how to become the best you are capable of. "DETERMINATION" means that you look at yourself and make no excuses. As you find your weak areas, attack them to better yourself. One of my weak areas of life was reading. I gave up all my excuses and started reading everything in the area of my interest; now I love to read. One might have very weak arms; get over it and get busy correcting the problem area. Are you out of shape? Get over it and be determined to change that problem. Do you have problems in Math? Get over it, ask for help, and learn. Never let your emotions have the best of you. Control your emotions and do whatever it takes to be the best. A young man won a gold metal in the Olympics on the pistol rage using his right hand. He went home after the competition a winner, but he had a dream to win a second gold metal in four years. While at work, his right hand was crushed by machinery to the point surgeons had to amputate his shooting hand. Our young man was "DETERMINED," and left himself no excuses. Our athlete went to work, developed his left hand, went back to the following Olympics, and won his second gold metal. This, my reader is "DETERMINATION" to the extreme. He did not have a right hand. What is your excuse? Another high school student lost his leg, yet he plays on the line for his team. What is your excuse? I had a friend who had polio in his legs, making them both useless; however, he was on our wrestling team at my school. He would crawl after his opponents, then he would pin them. He became a wrestler for a college team. Do you have DETERMINATION? "PERSONAL SACRIFICE" is next on our agenda on which to meditate. What will it take to become the best? This section is really all about making daily choices to stay on the narrow road to success. Instead of another video game to exercise your thumbs, buy equipment, which will help you become the best. I am sure that Kobe Bryant bought a basketball instead of video games. I am sure the man who lost his hand wanted to give up and quit, but instead went out and bought a left-handed gun. Instead of doing what you want to, do what is necessary to become the best. I wanted to become a better athlete at one point in my life, so I set a daily routine and stuck with it, even when I did not feel like it. I asked my father to build me a goal post in our back yard. I would go to the neighbors and kick from their back yard, day in and day out. I won the kicking position that year on the varsity squad. This is "PERSONAL SACRIFICE." Make the right choices about your diet, your sleeping habits, and your friends (yes, even your friends.) Place around you people who will help you achieve your dreams. Spending time with those who do drugs and want to get in trouble will carry you far away from your dreams. After working with youth for over 22 years, I see those who have no vision or plan for their lives perish. However, those who will make the plans and make the personal sacrifices necessary to succeed, go on in life to be successful. I started to speak life into the world of an eighth grader on the road to destruction using drugs. Since then, she has become a highly successful artist, graduating from an art college with honors. There was a freshman, though once devastated by her parents' separation, has now become an elementary school teacher. My daughter, Leia, set aside her love life until she reached her goal of becoming a registered nurse. Keep your focus on the prize. Set your dream, your goal in front of you, and then stay focused on it. My daughter will graduate from college this May, and at the age of 22 is willing to think about her love life and place someone in her life with the same type of dreams. "Who will answer this call?" Those who dare to be the best and are positive will answer the call. Those who answer the call are not afraid of trying to become someone special, someone important, and someone successful. It is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried. Those will answer who want their life to mean something and want to be remembered for their achievements. "Who will answer this call?" There is a call going out to all. Will you step up and answer the call to be someone of excellence? Will you, can you, or are you going to step on to the road which leads to success? It does not matter where you step on to that road; it only matters that you step on to it, and are determined to never get off the road once you are there. "Who will answer this call?" Few people answer this call. Will you be the one that will overcome all obstacles in your way as you travel long and hard down this narrow road? It does not matter if others will answer this call; what matters are your own deep convictions. Will you answer this call of life? One additional benefit is others may follow if you show them the way through your example. I have answered this call in my life to be the best I was created to be. I have been on this road since 1981, and have led many down the same road. Enjoy life by enjoying the process of success. Enjoy those around you as you see them progress down the same road. Rejoice with them as they rejoice with you in the triumph of overcoming all the odds to become the best you can be. Coach Duane Lee Bemis M.Ed.

stop doubting

Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.Scripture: "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, Who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39). I really hate what I do sometimes. I get so frustrated with stupid things I've said or done, or mistakes I've made. It's taken me a long time to learn how to ignore my mistakes and embarrassments that I've brought upon myself. Anger Towards Yourself Many years ago, I accidentally upset one of my dear aunties; what I said almost made her cry! I hate upsetting people, and I would never intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I love. So can you imagine how angry I was with myself? For literally years, I would kick myself when I thought of that incident, despite the fact that my aunt herself had easily forgiven me when I apologized for my blunder.What about you? Do you know how to forgive and let go of resentment toward yourself? Or do you hold on to anger against yourself that’s hindering your relationships with God and with others? No More Righteous Than God God doesn’t want His people to hold things against each other nor against themselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Anyone” includes yourself! The Lord has forgiven you. If you are holding something against yourself, remember: you are not more righteous than God. Since He can forgive you, you can surely forgive yourself. God's Forgiveness St. John the Beloved explained, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). He wants us to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). We want to imitate God in His graciousness and mercy, and He promised that He “will forgive their wickedness, and [He] will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:34). Like I said, the incident when I upset my aunt was a long time ago. Since then, God has taught me to be more like Him in forgetting sins. He showed me that I was clinging to disgust with myself for far too long, and I’ve learned to let go of self-resentment instead. I thank Him that I can’t recall any more recent incidents in which I’ve frustrated myself to the point of resentment. And actually, the next time I made my aunt almost cry, I didn’t want to forget, because it was with joy at my wedding! Prayer, Care and Share Jesus * The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus * Scripture: Romans 8:37-39 Is there a self condemning tape recorder playing in your mind about bad things you have done or are still doing today? We’re often our own worst judges. Sometimes things that have happened are really bad. For example: •You were involved in a serious accident. •You were involved in a war and had to do things for your country you wish were not necessary. •You consistently behaved badly (alcohol or drugs) and damaged relationships. •You lost your temper and your promising career. •You committed a crime and had to reap the consequences. Living under the blame of such incidents will keep you far from God. Many times we ask God's forgiveness, but do not forgive ourselves. In Scripture, God says that nothing in creation can separate us, as believers, from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). This Prayer Letter is a call for you to forgive yourself for the terrible things you have done or were involved in by accident. Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, You know the bad things I've done and for which I still blame myself. I know and thank You that You were there with me, and that because I am Your child, nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. I ask and thank you for your forgiveness. I also choose to forgive myself and to step into this new freedom You give me, in the Name of Jesus, Amen." The Prayer, Care & Share Jesus guide is a reminder that it is very important to clear out anything standing between you and the Lord, so that you, in total joy, can: •Pray for blessings on people and places wherever you go; •Build relationships with people who need Jesus in their life; •Care for those with needs around you and •Then share Jesus with them as the Holy Spirit leads you. Tell us how it is going Please tell us how you feel as you start to serve the Lord by living out the helpful steps in the Prayer, Care and Share Jesus guide as described above. Also tell us if you have stepped into freedom today from that self blame game of the enemy.