Lately I’ve been pondering the messages that the world gives us regarding happiness. At least in our society. Happiness? Linked to things. Stuff. Accumulation of goods. The phrase, “…if I only had….xyz…then I’d be happy.”
: All you need is lots … more … stuff!
You really, really ought to!
How could I afford not to?
: Happiness waits at the Stuff-Mart!
All you need is lots … more … stuff.
(from Veggie Tale’s Madame Blueberry.)
vs.
Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as RUBBISH, in order that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8
Truth? Our Lord is OLD. He’s been here FOREVER. And He’ll be here FOREVER more. All that stuff? gone. But Him? ETERNAL.
For me, it’s a daily struggle to keep the Lord in the forefront. It’s work. A commitment. He’s number one. Start your day with Him, live your day for Him, and end your day with Him. Then all the things will slowly lose their pull, and true happiness, true contentment will begin to regain it’s ground. And that comes from HIM.
23 comments
Love your post, Momma. Thank you. 🙂
Love you.
Hannah
Hi Rachel,
It’s been so long since we have connected but your writing still touches my heart and speaks to my soul. You are so good at being honest about the struggle but always circling back around to Jesus. I love you!!
Hannah’s sweet!
I’d always want to try a new curriculum because I didn’t feel qualified to teach and hoped if I’d just find the right books I could make sure that the kids were really being taught everything they needed to know…now I now they’re just going to forget everything anyway so it really doesn’t matter, does it?
As we head into the Lenten season may our thoughts be on what Christ has done so that we have the hope of Heaven. Praying.
Luke 18:31-33 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
Prayer Bears
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So yesterday when I pulled up your site the specially written words didn’t show up so was wondering what I was missing. Today they just appeared! Interesting.
Know that I’m praying!
I Peter 1:6-9 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Prayer Bears
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Stopping by to let you know I’m still praying!
I Peter 1:18-21 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Prayer Bears
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Praying right now!
I Peter 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Prayer Bears
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Continuing to lift up prayer!
Psalm 71:1-3 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
Prayer Bears
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Praying for you in Seattle!
Psalm 71:5-8; For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
Prayer Bears
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Always praying!
Psalm 71:14-16: But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
Prayer Bears
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Know that I’m praying!
Psalms 27:1, 4-5 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?…One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Prayer Bears
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Continuing to pray in Seattle!
Psalms 27:7-9 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Prayer Bears
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Praying!
Psalms 27:13-14: I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Prayer Bears
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Know that you’re always in my thoughts and prayers!
Psalms 28:6-7 Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Prayer Bears
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Lifting up prayers!
Psalms 28:8-9 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.
Prayer Bears
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The Lord will always be there with you! And I’m here praying!
Romans 8:31-32 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Prayer Bears
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Praying right now!
Psalm 40:1-4a: I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust,
Prayer Bears
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Know that you’re always in my thoughts and prayers!
Psalm 32:6-8 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found : surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go : I will guide thee with mine eye.
Prayer Bears
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Know that the Lord is always with you, wrapping His loving arms around you and holding on tight!
Psalms 18:2-6 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Prayer Bears
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Still here lifting up prayers!
Psalms 18:30-32 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Prayer Bears
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Praying!
Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.
Prayer Bears
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Hope these words bring you comfort! Praying!
Isaiah 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Prayer Bears
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Am here praying for your family!
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Prayer Bears
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What words of comfort! Praying!
John 14:1-4: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Prayer Bears
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