Growth Within

Rom. 4:13 “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

After yesterday’s post I found myself thinking of how much I have grown as a woman not only with marriage but as a woman in general; a full fledged spiritual woman. I’m no longer the woman that I used to be and every day I wake to outstretch my arms and strive to reach for the Son and grow a little bit more.

I read something this morning after I had already posted my growth post of yesterday and it really touched me. I DO have friends that share the Light from within them; thanks Debbie! I need to share it with you, my readers, as I think you’ll see why it is such a positive and heartwarming post; and with Billy Graham ministries, you can’t go wrong.

Nine ways to GROW in your faith, so inspirational!

Love – It sounds simple enough but I see so many struggle with this one because they are too busy balancing hate with love. To love God with your whole mind, body and soul there is no room to hate.

Joy – This one is a hard one too. How can you feel joy when there is so much wrong going on? Simply put, if you focus on all the wrongs you will NEVER allow joy to live in your spirit, hence there is no room for God to grow the seeds He’s planting.

Peace – Peace is not a political term. Not everything has political connotations, as some are mislead to believe. People are so focused on what is politically correct and what is not they lose the chance to actually acquire peace within their souls. They are missing out on a stillness that fills their souls with joy and love and thus missing out on peace completely.

Patience – I see so many intolerant people, I assume they are all anxious-filled to be wasting so much time and energy. Anxious people are not filled with peace and to me, if you’re not filled with peace, you don’t carry joy (or carry it falsely) and that means you sincerely don’t know love.

Kindness - Philippians 2:3-4 says, “count others more significant than yourselves” and “look to the interests of others.” This one really says a lot to the human race! Just like love and hate don’t walk hand in hand, neither does kindness and hate. If you are filled with kindness toward your fellow man, you don’t allow room for the hatred of your fellow man to seep in and shape who you are.

Goodness - God calls us to have true, right and pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8) God does not call us to hate or think negatively. Again, you’re playing the balancing act (and an act is just what it is) when you can place goodness and hate on the same path. Goodness is a part of loving your enemy as you LOVE yourself. If you hate your neighbor then you must also hate yourself.

Faithfulness – Faith-full-ness. Get it? You’re full of your faith and guided by the hand of God. By letting the dark one rule your thoughts and mind, you are not being pulled by the light of God. Being led down a thoughtless path of hate is not being full of God. Faithfulness is your commitment to the one and only Creator.

Gentleness – I really liked this one from Billy Graham: Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Build others up, don’t tear them down. Believe the best, don’t assume the worst. Distance yourself from harmful gossip.

This one really struck a nerve, in a good way. It helped me to see that I’m on the right path.

Self-control – Controlling the temptation. Another one that is harder than it sounds. So many fall into the pit and don’t even TRY to control it, they just let their crummy thoughts win.

Allow me to say if you can harness all of the eight above, you will have learned the art of self-control and how to utilize it throughout your life, in every aspect!

I have learned a lot as I grow from a young woman to a kinder, gentler, mature woman that it is only by the grace of God do I grow in love and plant the seeds that will refurbish the planet in the Light of the Son!

When people ask, “How do you sleep eight hours a night? Don’t you have any thoughts?”

My reply is simple, “Yes, I place them in God’s hands and find peace.” Know this friends, where there is peace there is rest.

Go with God and you can’t go wrong!