Lord Help Me Believe!

Caleb's faith was so amazing. He was full of faith when he and the other men went to spy out the promised land. He returned with a positive report. "Let us go up at once and possess it", he said. "For we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13: 30). Because he believed God, he was allowed to enter the promised land.

Image from minsmash.com

Now in Joshua 14, he went to Joshua to ask for the land that was promised him. He spoke so confidently as well, saying how he is as strong now as he was then (at the time he had gone to spy out the land). He's now 85 and he was 40 years old then.

But what is more is the fact that his faith was unchanged. Even though the land he was claiming wasn't free from troubles, he said he still believed that he could conquer it because the Lord was with him. "Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced. If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said" (Joshua 14: 12).

When the Lord says it, it shall be so. But it can only be so if you're willing to believe it.

Lord help me believe!

Sadly, I haven't been believing for much; and I realized this recently. There's a level of vulnerability that comes with believing. What if I believe and I don't get what I want? What if I have to wait for long?

I've asked God to help me not let fear keep me from believing. And I encouraged myself by saying, "Don't bury your dreams because you're too scared to believe them, that they'll come to pass. Bring them back to the forefront of your mind".

Do you have some dreams that you've buried? If you've buried your dreams, it's time to dig 'em up!

Acceptance

I must accept and love myself as I am. I must accept my life the way it is. I must stop fighting and trying to figure out things or even to change stuff, and just accept things.

I am miserable and not living in peace and that is not right. And it happens with me trying to figure out and change things. Me trying to figure out why I feel so sick in the mornings. Me trying to figure out what to do. Me trying to figure out whether I should stay or go.

There are things that are out of our control, and that can be frustrating. But what if I can just go with the flow and work on what I can? Sometimes I feel so sick when I stand before the class. I still have to smile and pretend like everything is OK. But what if I don't pretend? What if I can just accept that I am not well and be true to what I'm feeling?

Perhaps it is due to the fact that in this job you're always expected to show a happy face. You're always expected to smile. And then you can't even really say what you feel. Your language ability can only cover the basics. How would I say, "you know I'm not feeling well, I feel dizzy, I feel weak."

I only felt encouraged one day after finishing my classes despite how I was feeling, when I thought to myself that, "you know, I've always had a problem with anxiety. I get sweaty hands if I'm doing some sort of business transaction or sometimes even during a class. So maybe this is just me. Thankfully, I've still been able to get things done. I still do well."

You know how the Bible says, His strength is made perfect in our weakness? Well, the more I think about what I've been able to accomplish and how far I've come despite some stuff, is the more I'm able to appreciate God's presence and power in my life. I just see how He's been helping me and encouraging me and blessing me. He's held my hand through it all. Thank You, Daddy.

So, yep this is me. I am a shy girl who is usually hidden behind the scenes, who usually prefers to be by herself. I don't usually make friends that easily nor do I have a large number of followers. I get anxious when I go out to work. But it's OK. I'm the beloved daughter of Jesus Christ.

I know that there are people everywhere who have to put on a brave, happy face even when they are secretly hurting and feeling pain. God sees you. You might not be able to change your situation. It might help to accept what is, acknowledge and be thankful of how far you've come despite the difficulties, and hope for better days. I do hope to not have anxious mornings, and sometimes I don't! But in the meantime, I want to stop beating up on myself and just embrace whatever comes while giving thanks.

Acceptance makes me less afraid of trying something new. I know that I can still move forward even if my anxious feelings are still there.

My God Sees Ahead

The Lord always makes a way available beforehand. 

In Luke 22, the Passover was to be held. The disciples were wondering where they would have it. Jesus told them that when they went into the city they'd see a certain man. They were to ask the man about a room for the Passover. Jesus said the man would show them a large, furnished room. When they went, it was as Jesus had said. 

God knows that we will have various needs and He has already made the way available. When it's the appointed time, you'll be led right to it. It's either already prepared or it's being prepared. 

Imagine if the disciples had asked Him and He had said, "I have no idea. What shall we do?" Or, "We'll have to look into that". He didn't even say, "Ah, let me think". No. He just had an immediate answer. 

And so the song says, "What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer." He knows the thing that we need, and exactly where we need to go to find it. 

Psalm 35: Hope for the Persecuted, the Poor and the Needy

My mother used to make us say Psalm 35 and Psalm 91 almost every night. I know them both by heart now. LOL

Psalm 35 is a pretty powerful Psalm. If someone has wronged you, I mean like really wronged you, would you pray and say, "Let them be cofounded and put to shame that seek after my soul... Let them be as chaff before the wind and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery and let the angel of the Lord persecute them"? It's no wonder maybe we don't experience victory like we ought to. We don't know what's in the Word and so we don't know how to pray. 

There are times when we meet some exceptionally wicked people in our pathway. Remember Haman in the Bible? See how he hated Mordecai and the Jews and wanted them dead? Can you perhaps think of someone who has tried hard to get rid of you, lie on you or whatever the case might be? When I think of what happened to Haman in the end, I can see how some of what is written in the Psalm were fulfilled in his life. Destruction did come upon him unawares; and the net that he had hid caught him; and into the destruction he fell! Go and read the book of Esther in the Bible if you don't know the story. See how wickedness is repaid. 

The verse in Psalm 35 I found myself reflecting on the most though is this, "Lord who is like unto thee, which deliveredst the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?" v. 10. When you have no strength or power of your own, the Lord becomes your strength and fights for you! It is a fact that the poor and needy are usually the ones to be used and abused and oppressed. But God sees it. He sees it and He will deliver. 

Psalm 35 is a nice Psalm to visit if you're in a place where you're being afflicted. Pray it if you're bold enough to do so! 

All Things Together For My Good

Hi! I've not written a post in quite a while now. How have you been?

I've been a bit preoccupied with my new coffee business - networking and the like. I have a business page now. I've also created a group where persons can interact with me and others, learn more about the products and learn how to start their own coffee business. It has been an interesting experience and I've been learning a lot of things. 

The new school year has already begun. The new school year in Japan begins in April. With the start of each school year, I have to face new sets of challenges. New beginnings are like that right? Each year I am placed in new schools. I have new relationships to form as I meet new teachers and students. There are changes everywhere. 

As I thought about the many changes, I gave thanks for the fact that God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. When everything and everyone around me changes, He remains constant and true. Though people around me come and go, He is always there!

Honestly, sometimes I wish that I didn't have to move around so much. It would be untrue to say that it's easy. But God has given me the strength to do it. I've been doing it for the past six years! God has been good to me! 

There have been many challenges, many annoyances and bad experiences. There are times I've cried and felt bitter and angry. But God. But God! 

I am being filled with new hope everyday - hope for a bright future. No experience is ever wasted you know. Everything is working together for my good. 

Yes. Not everything is good but God is good. He will bring it all together for my good. Yay! 

Please visit my business page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rhikeyttahibaato

Also, if you're thinking about starting your own coffee business, you're welcome to join my group and learn more - https://www.facebook.com/groups/myglobcoffeebus/

Be blessed!

** Images taken from the internet.

Wait Out Your Wilderness

Do you find yourself in a wilderness every now and then?

I mean do you find yourself in an undesirable situation every now and then? What is your usual reaction to such situations? Do you complain? Do you get angry and frustrated? Do you quit?

Did you realize that at some point in time we all must encounter a wilderness? And did you know that how long you stay there is largely dependent on your attitude? Someone has used the phrase, "praise and get raised; complain and remain". You can praise your way out of a negative situation and get raised up out of it. Or you can complain away and remain where you are, and remain there longer than is necessary. 

God took the Israelites out of Egypt to take them to a place of unbelievably great things. A journey that was supposed to take a few days took them many, many years. If you read the account for yourself, you'll see how they complained, rebelled and spoke negatively. In fact, the very negative words they spoke came to pass! Do you realize how much power the words you speak have? 

No one likes to experience discomfort. But sometimes these are the experiences that God uses to teach us, to try us and to do us good in the ultimate end. We must be willing to wait out these wildernesses, and try to do it with a positive attitude. 

Don't Settle

When you're out in the public's eye, you're going to have to expect criticism. When you're destined for something big, it's going to mean going against the norm. 'Normal' just will not cut it if you're going to do extraordinary things. And 'normal' people won't get it. 

Only those who are themselves destined for the extraordinary will get it. They'll understand your outside-the-box thinking, reasoning and action. They'll be the ones to encourage you. 

But you know what, if God has called you out from among them (the normal and ordinary), you will live an unfulfilled life if you do not respond to that call. You'll get up wondering everyday, 'what if'. 

So listen to me: stop wondering and start doing. Go out and do what's been on your heart to do. Go out and make that difference. Go out and become that great thing that God has called you to be! 

Don't settle when you know God is calling you higher. Don't settle because you're afraid of losing friends.