Day 930 of Giving Thanks - Guest Writer, Donna Wright

 “FAILURE!” 
by Donna Wright

“The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” ~Psalm 9:9  (New International Version)

At one point in life, I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed, face buried in a towel, rocking back and forth while weeping under an emotional avalanche of failure. The weight of it swept over my mind, choked out my breath, and pulled me down into a dark, murky depression like a huge anvil plunging in water.

Past successes seemed insignificant. Diehard dedication faded to perpetual imperfections. It didn’t matter how far I had come in life or how hard I fought to regain myself on this journey. That ugly feeling of failure pounded it’s judgmental gavel against my emotions until it broke core of my self-confidence.  It seemed impossible to fight.

Yet, I STOOD my ground then and STAND my ground today.  The feeling of “failure” is an attack that stems directly from YEARS of being called “FAILURE!”.

I am not a FAILURE.  I am a daughter of Christ!  I am a royal diadem in His crown. I am a treasure to the heart of Jesus. He has my name engraved in the palms of His hands!

I’m fighting to WIN this battle. God is my confidence! God has made my life a success! He is the HEALER of my heart and emotions! I will push forward in prayer. I will read scriptures out loud to myself. I will speak LIFE to all those places where the enemy has spoken death. This is a battle and God IS MY CHAMPION! I’m on the winning side!

FAILURE is a LIE. It is a stronghold that the enemy has cast onto many lives. WE ARE NOT FAILURES! God’s power IS GREATER than the lies of the enemy, stronger than the lies of abusive people, and bigger than the lies we tell ourselves.  GOD IS OUR STRONGHOLD.

Jesus has the authority to break off the feeling of failure from your life. Lift your soul to Jesus and let the power of His Spirit fill your wounded heart with VICTORY and SELF-CONFIDENCE!

"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them." ~Psalm 12:5 (New International Version)

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.” ~Jeremiah 30:17 (New International Version)

Donna is a survivor of over two decades of domestic abuse and acts as a mentor and friend to those living in or coming out of abusive situations.  She currently volunteers for Servant’s Heart Christian Ministries’ domestic abuse support page called, “Haven of Hope”.



© 2011 Donna Wright

Day 569 of Giving Thanks

I am grateful for the times when “getting quiet” come easily, and I am as grateful, if not more grateful for the times when it does not. For it is those times that the effort to be still and “get quiet” bring forth a beautiful time with my Lord. This morning, in the silence of an empty house, it was one of the easy times. In my moments this morning, I relayed to Him…

“Thank You for a restful night. Thank You that You will be with me today, all day - in every task, every moment. Let me be mindful of those around me. May I remember to pray, instead of getting frustrated or angry. May I honor You through my walk to day.”

Today was a good day. My evening was spent running errands, store to store, and finally I was home - ready to be overwhelmed with the Lord and to be still and quiet.

There is so much noise today, and “getting quiet” has been an enormous challenge and I so look forward to shutting the light, and in the quiet before I go to sleep, I will “get quiet”. As I sit here, there is a playoff basketball game going on downstairs and I can hear cheering, bullhorns, buzzers and the announcer, yet I have no idea what is going on… Isn’t our life just like that at times?

We have all this “noise” going on around us, so much so, that we cannot focus on any one thing, not to mention the right thing, and “getting quiet” is nearly impossible; nearly, I said. Nearly, just about, almost, not quite… the possibility is to exchange the noise from chaos to calm - worship music or some kind of instrumental - and sink in and seek Him. Perfect!

When I find myself in “noise” and unable to “get quiet”; the solution is grabbing my iPod and plugging in to something that will soothe my heart, redirect my mind and lift my soul?

In my new quiet, I make the noise that pleases the Lord. I talk to Him, I bring my concerns to Him, I praise Him for all of my moments, I thank Him, I pray for others and all the while, I inquire about my future and ask for direction and clarity.

Tonight, Lord, as I embark on some new territory of the mind, changing my thoughts, improving my imagination about the desires of my heart, as I implore the Holy Spirit to bring all of this coherently to my heavenly Father, I am again, encouraged.

“O SING to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation for Him.The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness has He openly shown in the sight of the nations.He has [earnestly] remembered His mercy and loving-kindness, His truth and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have witnessed the salvation of our God.Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the voice of melody.With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, the world, and those who dwell in it!Let the rivers clap their hands; together let the hills sing for joyBefore the Lord, for He is coming to judge [and rule] the earth; with righteousness will He judge [and rule] the world, and the peoples with equity.” ~Psalm 98 (Amplified Bible)

 
After “getting quiet”, this time and every time, I am always reminded of all the promises of the Lord. I am so thankful for the desire to “get quiet”.