Journal

 Yesterday I had to go to Wal-Mart for a few items. Needless to say it is not my favorite place to go. Way too many people for my comfort zone but when I was checking out I couldn't help but notice the contrast in the checker we had and the one beside her. The other checker was not smiling and appeared to really be having a rough day but the lady we had was smiling and I commented on her pleasantness and God used her to really tug at me heartstrings. She saw her job as a ministry to be a blessing. She said "you never know what people have going on in their life and she chose to be a blessing instead of a curse" WOW!!! If we all could remember that with our family and friends and our jobs. The key word was "she chose". We do have a choice. God please help us to see beyond our own problems and be a blessing to those we come in contact with. In Jesus Name

This was in my "Word for Today"  I hope it will encourage any who have a need. This morning it blessed my heart so! We are not to trust or feelings. God gave them to us but they will deceive us at times. Our trust in God's truth will bring us peace. He is faithful. He is not a man to lie nor the son of man to change His mind.

5 Keys to recovering from loss:
1. Process your grief. Emotions like fear, anger, worry, depression, resentment, helplessness and grief are normal. It's no good to stuff them or deny they exist. God created us to feel; He doesn't expect us to act happy when were grieving." Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted" Matt. 5:4 Be honest with God. " Pour out your heart before Him"  and He will comfort you.
2. Accept help. Its a mistake to isolate yourself in the aftermath of tragedy. We all need the encouragement and the support of others. We're called to carry one another's burdens. Gal.6:2
3. Choose the right response. When you choose bitterness, you hurt yourself and shut the door on happiness because you can't be happy and be bitter at the same time. during some recent California wildfires there were victims who said, " We've lost everything and we're sad, but we'll work together as a family and rebuild." Others said,  "my life is over!  I can't go on...I'll never recover." You can choose to believe you're on your own, or that God's with you and bounce back.
4. Know your joy comes from God. There's no correlation between your circumstances and your joy. Joy comes from within; it's based on whom you trust, not what you see and feel.
5. concentrate on what you've left, not on what you've lost. Make a list of the good things in your life, and thank God for what you still have. It's impossible to be grateful and hopeless at the same time.