I Have A Teenager!

13 years ago Kevin and I witnessed a miracle. Dalton Joseph Southam was born on March 24, 1998 at 3:06 a.m. I will not ever forget the thought that kept running through my mind which was, "In this world, I have a son." Even though I was well aware I was pregnant and already a Mom, seeing him for the first time filled me with emotions that are hard to describe. I knew that I would love him no matter what, and guard him with my life. It is so amazing to watch him growing up.

I know this is hard to believe, but he looked like me when he was first born, though that very quickly went away! As you can see in the photo, he is a splitting image of his Dad and still is today. I feel very blessed that I was able to be a stay at home mom with him, but yet I get a little freaked out sometimes when I think back and can't remember everyday we spent together. I can still hear my Mom telling me how fast the time goes and thinking to myself, yeah right. But it's true! It seems like it was only a minute ago he was calling me mommy, then mom, and now I'm mom-o! Even if I can't remember every single day, I know that I have enjoyed every stage with him.

When Dalton was almost two, friends would warn me of "the terrible two's" and now I hear them talk about the "not so fun" teenage years. I don't pay any attention to that. I am happy to say that Dalton did not have "the terrible two's", plus I am not worrying about raising a teenager. Kevin and I have and continue to do our best to sow good seeds in his life. We continually thank God for the wisdom He has given to us already in parenting, and pray for Him to keep pouring it upon us. I have always remembered Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." We may not be perfect, but I know God is faithful to His word and as we do the best we can to raise Dalton with Godly principles, I know He will do the rest.

Happy Birthday Day Dalton! Mom-O loves you lots and lots!!

Have a great day everyone and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

Give As You Have Received

My last blog was about receiving God's grace and forgiveness, and recognizing that it is a gift because we don't deserve it. While that is true, I felt it necessary to point out that just as we received, and continue to receive this undeserving gift, we must also remember to give it to others. God takes this very seriously; In fact, there is a story in the Bible where Jesus speaks about this very subject when Peter asks Him how many times he should forgive others. His response is in Matthew 18:21-35,

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven." Jesus continued by saying, "Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents (millions of dollars) was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him and said, 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii (a few dollars). He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from the heart."

When I read this, I was amazed at how quickly the servant in the story forgot the mercy and forgiveness he was shown. It says that right after he left his master's presence he punished his servant for the very same thing he was guilty of, and even though this servant begged for mercy, he threw him in prison!

If someone comes to you asking for forgiveness, in my opinion, give it to them. I believe we look at the severity of what someone has done, and then decide whether or not they deserve our compassion. But who are we to decide that when our sin is no different then theirs? I think we should always be willing to extend the same kindness we have been shown, remembering that because of God's unmerited favor, we aren't getting what we really deserve.

I personally understand that there are people who intentionally hurt us, and don't seem to care for whatever reason. While I am not trying to say that we should just overlook bad behavior, I am not going to join them in their misery by having an "eye for an eye" attitude, or live my life with a chip on my shoulder because of someone's bad attitude toward me. I would rather let their consequences be up to God, and do what He wants me to do, which is to show the same compassion, grace, love and mercy that He has given to me. It's not easy and almost impossible to do if you keep your focus on the circumstance or the person who has wronged you, but if you keep your eyes on Him who loved you enough to not even spare His own Son, then all things are possible. Thanks be to God for His never ending love!

Have a great day everyone and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

The Gift Of Grace

Grace is my favorite word. I believe it's because I have come to understand that grace is God showing us His greatest favor, when we deserve His greatest punishment. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -not by works, so that no one can boast." How wonderful it is to know that we are loved and have found favor in the sight of our Creator. We aren't perfect and He knows it, but out of love His grace is given to us every day and is available to all.

While it seems everyone should be excited about this truth, I know of so many hurting people that have such a hard time receiving grace because they don't feel they are worthy of it. It's usually because of guilt from something in the past and wrong choices that were made. Then the negative thoughts of "You messed up beyond repair" and "You're not good enough to go back to God after what you have done", rings in their ears and keeps them discouraged. I understand, as I have been there, but fortunately I have found that my relationship with God is not that fragile. It's not a "mess up once and done" kind of deal. I say many times that you are no shock to God, and it's true. He knew you before you were born and all of the choices you would make and are going to make, yet He still decided you were worth it and sent Jesus to the cross so you could receive salvation. If you are someone that is living in condemnation over things you can't go back and change, you need to know that you can always go back to God. God corrects those whom He loves, not condemns.

There is a difference between correction and condemnation. I use my son as an example when I am speaking on this subject. As a parent, I correct Dalton when he makes a mistake because I want him to understand why the choice he made was wrong. I take the time to do this because I love him and want him to realize that I am trying to protect him from consequences that could cause him pain and tribulation if he does not heed my advice. Sometimes a punishment is necessary depending on what he has done, but I don't tell him that he's worthless because of the bad thing he did, or that since he has messed up quite a few times he is no longer welcome in my presence. I couldn't imagine ever saying those words to him! He's my son and I love him no matter what mistakes he has made, or will ever make. That's exactly how it is with God, our Father. He loves us far more than we love our children, spouses, family, and friends, so why would He turn away from us? The answer is He wouldn't; however, when we choose not to seek Him, we are the ones turning away. As a good parent, He will correct us by making us aware of what we did, but guilt and condemnation are not of God. I believe this is a direct hit from the Enemy to keep us depressed and sad so that we don't make progress in our spiritual walk. If you think about it, when we are feeling guilty we aren't being very productive. You can't move forward when looking back, nor can you be a blessing to others when you keep thinking of yourself and how bad you feel. This doesn't mean that we take sin lightly, in my opinion it means that we recognize what we did wrong, confess it to God with genuine repentance, and then move on in faith knowing that we are forgiven.

Furthermore, when guilt tries to come against you, don't forget who you are in Christ. The Enemy wants you to believe lies like you're not good enough, or that you are too far down for God to reach you, but you can fight back with the truth of scripture. Scripture is a spiritual weapon against the Enemy. Tell yourself that you are dearly loved and have value in God's eyes, you have been made the righteousness of God through Christ, and that He who is in you is great than he who is in the world. You'll find that condemnation will have no place in your life when you begin to speak what God says about you!

Have a great day everyone and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

His Mercy Is New Everyday!

As 2010 ends I, like every year, start to think of resolutions I want to make. For many years my resolutions would always start with me reflecting on the past year, and thinking about the things that I should have done, or could have done better, and then telling myself that this year will be the year for a new beginning. I would hear the old cliche, "New Year, New You" and it made me somehow feel better about starting new, as if I now had permission to forgive myself for wrong choices, and even to let go of past offenses. In fact, I actually hear this same resolution of starting new from many people, and while I think it's great to make resolutions and set goals for yourself as I myself still do, I believe it's important for us to remember that we as God's children, have the freedom to begin new everyday. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." How awesome to know that God loves us enough to give us His gift of mercy every morning, and that our new beginnings are not dependent upon a new year!

As you make your resolutions, don't be discouraged as I have already, when you slip up and make a mistake. God knows our hearts, and He is fully aware that we need His mercy daily, or else He wouldn't have made the verse in Lamentations known to us.

I would love to hear your resolutions! Please feel free to share them by commenting below. Happy New Year everyone, and remember to walk in love and speak in peace!

Love,
Anita

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

I absolutely love Christmas! It is by far my favorite holiday because this day is when our Savior came into the world and gave us hope. There is something so special about the feeling of Christmas that no one, whether Christian or not, can deny. People seem noticeably kinder, happier and more generous around this time of the year than any other, and whether they know it or not, they are showing the heart of Jesus. I know there are some who let the busyness of Christmas get to them, and I myself have been guilty of that, but I made it a point this year to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. While I do love shopping and wrapping presents, I know the gift we received when Jesus was born outweighs anything we will ever open up on Christmas morning.

To fully understand the love God had, and still has, for us to send His Son into this world for you and me is beyond my comprehension. In Philippians 2:6-8 the Bible says, "Who(Jesus), being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (used to His own advantage), but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!" It's very clear here that Jesus began sacrificing for us before His crucifixion. This to me, is what Christmas is all about - God showing His love to the world by giving us a Savior.

As you continue to enjoy the Christmas season, let's not forget that sharing the good news of Jesus is something we can give to others everyday. Merry Christmas everyone and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

Let Us Give Thanks To God!

As I think about Thanksgiving, I naturally start to think of all the things I am thankful for. Sometimes it was easy for me to say thank you and Amen, but years ago, when I realized that I am desperate every second of the day,and it's God who holds my every moment in His hand, being thankful took on a whole new meaning for me. I understood I didn't earn or deserve anything I have. These blessings in my life were all freely given to me daily by God's grace made possible through Christ. I didn't do enough of good works, and I couldn't buy them because the value of my relationship with Christ, my family, our health, happiness, and safety is priceless. I just simply received what God does best, which is taking delight in blessing His children.

For many years now I have made it a habit to thank God first for all that He has done in my life, what He is currently doing, and for the things He will continue to do. I purposely do this before I ask Him for something because I don't want to take anything for granted, and because I believe it honors God when we recognize His goodness. God is our Father and for those of you that are parents, I am sure you love it when your children come to you and thank you for something you have done for them. I know I love it when Dalton comes up to me and says thank you. Not only does it make me feel appreciated, but it also makes me want to continue giving to him because of his thankful heart. I believe this works the same way for us when we go to God and express our thankfulness.

Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. I love this because to me, this is saying to ask God for what you want, but first come to Him with the attitude of being thankful. Today as you reflect on all that you are thankful for, let's not forget that God makes these things possible for us every day.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

Speak Life!

I was shopping a few weeks ago at a new store that recently opened, and as I was browsing around, I happened to notice a lady that was near by. We were both looking at the same item, and I smiled and said hello. We got to chatting a bit, and she began to tell me how her husband is sick with various illnesses, and cancer was one of them. She explained that it doesn't look very good. I told her how sorry I was to hear of this, and how I will pray that all goes well. What really amazed me was her response. She looked at me so cheerfully and said, "I am going to be thankful for the good times we had together." I thought how awesome it was for this lady to choose to look on the bright side of a situation that may possibly result in the death of her husband.

Her attitude was a reminder to me of how we need to speak life to our circumstances no matter how mild or extreme they may be. I understand how hard that can be, especially when you're upset. There was an issue I had to deal with 2 weeks ago, and I didn't feel like being positive because this particular issue was not going to go my way. I was frustrated and I wanted to say negative things, but I began to realize that some of the things I wanted to say were completely out of anger and not what I really meant. Before I said another word, I stopped and thought about how it honors God when we speak in faith, especially during the times of turmoil. What better way to show God how we trust Him when we can praise Him in the midst of our troubles. That's what I chose to do this time - again, not that it was easy. I can clearly remember tears filling my eyes as I decided to go against how I was feeling by choosing to speak in faith. I started by speaking out loud what I knew was true according to God's Word, the scriptures I know and claim for my life. It's great if you have scriptures that you can speak out loud, but even something simple like saying, "I may be hurting and struggling right now, but I am not always going to be because I will get through this" is fine. Something that simple can begin to change your whole outlook because when you speak positive you are actually beginning to change your mind, even if you don't feel anything at first. I can honestly say that after that night, I was not tormented again with negativity for that particular issue. My feelings caught up with what I was saying, and I felt completely free from the bondage of anger.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. I firmly believe that our words have power, and that we can avoid emotional meltdowns by speaking positive. I have met people that will go through hardships and they say,"Oh, well that's my luck so no wonder this happened to me." I think to myself you can't be serious! What can one do with an attitude like that? These people set themselves up for disappointments because they already subliminally decided that nothing good can ever happen to them. Then there are those, like the lady I met, that speaks life. She is fully aware that she may lose her husband and instead of being bitter, she is choosing to see the good by reflecting on the blessings she has been given so far. I am sure she has her moments of grief, and rightfully so, but what a wonderful outlook she has. It's actually contagious because her attitude spoke to me, and now it's speaking to all of you reading this. I'm sure there are many of you going through difficult situations that you simply can't see the good in, but here again you have the choice to speak life, no matter what it is. As believer's, when we praise God and say that our steps are ordered by the Lord, and that all things work together for good to those that love God, we need to believe that in the good times and the bad.

I also believe that there are many people who shy away from being positive because they feel they are being unrealistic. There is a difference between being positive and being unrealistic, and it's important not to get out of balance with this. For example, if I have a cold and it's obvious that I am not well, I would look foolish if I said I wasn't sick. What I could say is that yes I am under the weather, but I believe that I will get better. Being positive doesn't mean that you are oblivious to reality, or that you don't feel the hurt, it's acknowledging the situation in its entirety and choosing to believe that you will be okay no matter the outcome. I would rather be positive and hope for the best, then negative and depressed over an outcome I don't even know of yet. Even if the result isn't what we want, let's not forget that we have a God who is bigger than anything we are facing today or will ever face in our lifetime, and He takes care of us. Let's choose to believe together that God's best is for us.

Have a great day everyone and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

Transformation

Since the beginning of the year, Kevin and I have had the privilege of being table leaders at the Alpha course offered at our church. For those of you not familiar with Alpha, it is a 10 week program held once a week and designed to help people explore the Christian faith. We have a speaker and afterward a discussion time for all at our table to share their beliefs and ask questions. Those at our table come from all different backgrounds and life situations. Many we see are either searching for something more, want a new direction in life, or are simply broken due to the result of past hurts from others or their own decisions. In addition to our weekly meeting, there is a weekend away known as the Alpha Retreat. When I decided to write about this incredible, life changing experience, the only word that kept coming to my mind was transformation. One of the definitions of transformation is change in appearance or character. I have to say that Kevin and I experienced that very thing this past weekend while on the retreat. Lives of many people were transformed in such a powerful way that you just knew the restoration, that only God can give, was upon them. We have truly been blessed by all of the people we have met so far at Alpha, and what a joyous moment it is to witness healing, whether physical or emotional, in those that didn't think it was possible to be whole again. Truth is, God gives hope to the hopeless. He makes all things new, and meets us right where we are at. He doesn't ask where we've been, but by His amazing grace, He lovingly embraces us as we choose to begin a new journey with Him.

This also brings to mind that transformation isn't just for those that are beginning their new life with God, but for us as believers in our daily walk. I think that same desire to change for the better still needs to be just as strong after we decide to follow Christ. After all, we want our light to shine so others can see the love of Christ in us. Sometimes depending on the situation, that's not always easy; however, 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." As ambassadors we have a responsibility to continue to walk out the faith we claim to have. Although we are not expected to be perfect, we do need to at least make a conscious effort. I don't know about you, but I for one have areas that I need to constantly work at in my life. For many of us it's changes like patience while standing in line, with our kids, or our spouses. Other areas may be with controlling our tempers, or extending forgiveness. No matter what it is, we should continually want to grow spiritually. Change isn't always easy, but definitely worth it and humbling, when you see others want to live better because of your example.

To any of our friends from Alpha that are reading this blog, I want you to know how much Kevin and I love you. May God continue to bless you abundantly in all areas of your life.

Have a great day everyone, and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

Refuse to be Defeated!

I say refuse to be defeated because did you know it's a choice? When life happens and you're faced with a circumstance you don't like, whether brought on by a bad choice or something you had no control of, living in defeat is not your only option. Your circumstance does not control your happiness, you do. I am convinced that no matter what you are dealing with, there can be something positive right in the midst of your troubles, if you choose to see it. I speak from experience because had I not decided to look for the good in those times when I honestly didn't know how I was going to make it through the day, I wouldn't be able to tell you that there is victory when you dare take a chance to look for something positive instead of convincing yourself that you're hopeless. No one is a hopeless case, especially for those of us that know we belong to Christ. We have a God that is more powerful than any issue we are facing today or will ever face in our lifetime. Depending on what you are going through, the good may not be clear to you right away. I can understand that, especially those days when I felt as though I couldn't function because of the fear, worry, panic cycle I was on. I didn't see how anything good was in that, but looking back I can see the good because it was during that time that I got closer to God than ever before. As that relationship with Him strengthened, so did I. See when you are so far down and you realize that you have no one else to turn to but God, you will get to know Him real well. The best part is when you get to the other side of your problems realizing that the only way you made it through was because of God's sovereign grace. That's when His goodness becomes crystal clear. I remember feeling so strengthened and restored. I trusted God in a whole new way, and in addition to that, doors of opportunity have been opened for me which would not have been possible if I didn't go through those tough times. Yet, in order to experience all of this, I first had to choose to want to face and overcome the challenges I was dealing with.

I believe too many times when people are in a bad situation because of something wrong that they did, they run from God because of guilt instead of seeking Him for help. Truth is, we are His children so why not come to Him just like we would run to our parents if we needed help. He loves us and we are no shock to Him. He knew you long before your troubles. Furthermore, when God sees us take a step of faith by believing that He can take us through our hardships, His grace and mercy is there for us to simply receive. I am reminded of the story in Matthew 15:22-28 that speaks of a Canaanite woman that came to Jesus, crying and asking Him to have mercy on her and to heal her daughter. After asking for help, Jesus replied to her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." After hearing this the woman knelt down and said again, "Lord, help me." He then replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread, and toss it to their dogs." With that she replied, "Yes, Lord but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." I love this story because here I believe it's obvious that Jesus is testing this woman's faith, and what tenacity she had! If you notice, the woman first said to Jesus, "Have mercy on me." It doesn't say why she needed it, but instead of being defeated by guilt, she asked for mercy and then for Jesus to heal her daughter. We need to do that! Don't let guilt be a barrier between you and God. Admit what you did wrong and then ask for help no matter how bad your situation is. This woman knew it didn't look good for her daughter; however, defeat was no longer an option for her. By faith, she went to Jesus for healing because of who she knew He was, and with that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. I believe we need that type of boldness with our faith. We don't have to bow down to defeat, anxiety, depression, guilt or any type of condemnation because no matter how bad things look in the natural, we have a God in the spiritual realm that can make all things new for you and me!

Have a great day everyone and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita

Freedom in Forgiveness

I have come to understand that when you forgive someone, no matter who is at fault, you set yourself free. What I mean by that is when you decide to let go of anger and bitterness you feel towards another person, you're not just letting them off the hook, you are freeing yourself from physical and spiritual harm. It's a fact that holding a grudge can cause many different types of health issues like high blood pressure, depression, and it can even weaken your immune system making you susceptible to certain illnesses. Spiritually, unforgiveness can hinder you from receiving from God. In Matthew 6:15 Jesus says, "But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Just to be clear, this is not talking about salvation, as that is yours when you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. This is saying forgiveness is a part of serving God, and that we all need God's forgiveness since we are not perfect; therefore, we also need to forgive others as God forgives us when we fall short. I'm not saying that it's easy, but it is something that God wants us to do. Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. I believe that can be hard for people to understand because when you're angry with someone and really hurt, the last thing you feel like doing is forgiving them because it seems like they are just getting away with what they have done. You want them to pay for what they have done, but keep in mind that when you decide to forgive, you're not saying that the person who hurt you is not at fault. What you're saying is that even though they did what they did, you are going to make a choice to forgive them and the rest is up to God.

I heard an amazing message on this subject not too long ago by R.T. Kendall. I listened to his message about how forgiveness is not a sign of weakness. It is actually you letting go and freeing yourself from the bondage of anger and torment over an issue that happened, and can't be changed. I know this freedom because I experienced it. Some years ago, I was hurt so badly by someone that I considered a friend. The betrayal and anger that I felt consumed most of my days and even at night when I would try to sleep. I just couldn't believe someone would lie and take advantage of me the way this person did. The anger I was feeling was interfering in different areas of my life. I didn't want it, yet I wasn't sure how to get rid of these feelings. I kept thinking how wrong this was, and that she shouldn't be allowed to get away with this. I began to pray about it and I didn't quite expect to get the answer that I got from God, which was to call this person and tell her that I just want to make peace and let go of whatever it was that went wrong between us. I was thinking, God you have to be kidding me! I thought He was going to tell me how He wants me to "in a Godly way" get back at her! I should have know better, because that's not God at all. We can get so wrapped up in our emotions, can't we? God doesn't need my help when dealing with someone else, and I have to admit as I was looking to God for help with this, He also showed me areas where I could have done things a little differently with this particular situation. Even so, I still didn't think I should be the one to have to call, so I waited a couple of weeks just in case there was a chance that God would change His mind. Well within those weeks, I would think about the issue pretty often. I would feel that anger stirring up inside, and right away the Holy Spirit reminded me that if I wanted freedom from this, I had to call her. I finally got the hint that God is smarter than me, and I knew I needed to be obedient. I also realized that God doesn't ever ask you to do anything that you are not capable of. It would not make sense for Jesus to have given the command to forgive if it was beyond our capabilities. I believe another reason God wants us to forgive is because He wants us to be in line with His Word, and to receive fully from Him. God delights in blessing His children, and He looks for those who are obedient. I wanted to be obedient so I called my friend and told her that what happened between us all those months ago, I am letting go of. I told her it doesn't matter who is to blame, I just want us to forget it and put it behind us. I could tell she was somewhat shocked as she didn't really say too much, except that she agreed with what I was saying. Surprisingly, I really didn't think about what her response was going to be to me. At the time, it just felt really good to say what I had to say, because no matter what her response would have been, I already made my decision to forgive. God, who is always faithful to His Word, freed me that day. To this very day, I have yet to get angry when I think about that issue, which I hardly ever think about. I have no problem praying for her, or even when I run into her from time to time, I can talk to her with a clear conscience because there are no bitter feelings that I am harboring. From that day, I even stopped talking about how bad she hurt me to my husband. I just completely gave this to God and trusted Him. There was money involved in this particular situation, and I didn't get a dime of it back, but I didn't care. My peace of mind was worth 100 times the money that she owed me. Did it mean that I didn't feel the hurt? No. Did I think that she wasn't wrong anymore? Absolutely not. But it wasn't about that, it was about me moving on and taking a step of faith. This is why it's important to realize that forgiveness is not based on feelings. It can be done no matter what you have been through. I of course realize that I don't know what your hurts have been like. I do know many people that have been hurt by others in ways that I can't even compare with, and I can tell you that when they chose to forgive, they did it while they still felt the pain. The good news is that when they make the decision to forgive, the torment from anger and bitterness started to fade, and true healing began. I know they, like myself, am happy today that we chose God's way. It's always worth it to obey God.

If you read this and someone immediately came to your mind that you need to forgive, do it! What have you got to lose? The answer is nothing. In fact you have everything to gain - complete freedom, peace of mind, and a closer relationship with God. Sure sounds worth it to me!

Have a great day everyone, and remember to walk in love and speak in peace.

Love,
Anita