God did not make us to suffer...

Instead of focusing on updating my other blog (insert shameless plug here its ahenii.blogspot.com btw) I am back on this blog and I am wondering why since I sang the "Dont cry for me Argentina" song for this blog a year ago. What a difference a year makes...heck what a difference even 6 months make but that is neither here not there or anywhere in between those two. Or is it?

As usual, I felt like a soliloquy and where better to do so but on my own public diary where hopefully another person going through or feeling through some of the things I am going through will have hope and joy and gain strength in the fact that at least they are not the only one.

Like I said before, it is amazing how much difference a year makes. I can definitely tell that I am not the same person I was a year ago (No Duh!!!) and can finally see how going through certain situations prepares one to go through others. Never underestimate the power of your experiences, trust me some of the times you have been through (especially the trying ones) are just building blocks for when the Godzilla of troubles come your way. (no shade to Godzilla)

No this is not going to be a completely random post with random rambling words (you hope). I am writing this to myself so in a year when I look back on this post and remember what I have been through, I can be grateful to God that he has taken me as far as he has. #AMEN

Last year by this time, I was freshly scarred (*sigh*) and moving or some would say escaping into a new territory. Yes  this "new" territory was "home" but it had not been home for the longest while. I was excited, worried, pensive etc. etc. "what if I did not find a job, what if I did not make any friends, what if what if what if"...for anyone who has ever made a move this big you can empathize with me. 

Fast forward to a year later and I love my life. I love every single piece of it even the most annoying parts that make me ask God...why...I love it all. I honestly do not know what allows me to have this peace because ordinarily I should not be happy. I am in a situation that should break me down to my last. Pop Quiz: Have you ever been in a situation where you choose to give another your all only to have it constantly thrown back in your face whilst that other celebrates others who have disrespected them? In the beginning I took it VERY personal. HOW DARE YOU, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM, I CAN HAVE ANY MAN I CHOOSE blah blah blah... then I got wiser. In the end, I realized it was precisely because of this reaction of mine (I, me etc.) that God chose for this to happen to me. If you had asked me to describe myself, I doubt I would have said I am proud etc. etc. but I am learning that pride is one of the biggest parts of who I am and God keeps throwing situations my way to say "hey, you are NOTHING but what I have made you"...so the sooner I learn to go with the flow and accept that situations as hurtful as they may seem do not and will not define me and rather HOW I react to those situations is what will impact me, the better my life will be.

Hold up, wait a minute, pause...WHOAAA!!!...I am not advocating that if you are in an abusive situation stay there because that is what God wants for you...FAR FROM IT...all I am saying is that whatever situation you are in, look at it, pray about it and realize what you can learn from it and make a change if it is not what you want. No situation is permanent. In the end if you know your self worth then you know what to expect from others and how you expect others to treat you (I could talk about that for days). A person with precious material does not NEED to be told that what they have is precious...it is only a Fool who has a precious stone, discards it and craves for Cubic Zirconia #noshade to the Cubic Zirconia characters of the world some fool out there loves you too. The diamond is not less of a diamond even with a thousand cubic zirconias out there (best believe that). You are not less of what you truly are because another cannot see or value your worth, others do and more will at the right time PLEASE REMEMBER THAT!! No one can make you feel less of what you truly are UNLESS you allow them to and if someone cannot truly appreciate you in word and deed for what you bring to their life then you need to advice yourself...aka Let them go.

As TD Jakes cautioned  

"I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left...

 I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay...Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to . . . . . . . .LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth . . . . . . . .LET IT GO!!!
 

If you're feeling depressed and stressed . . . . . . . .LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to . . . . . . . .LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing......LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left. think about it, and then . . . . . . . .LET IT GO!!!

"The Battle is the Lord's!"
 

In the end, I continue to thank God for all the opportunities he has brought my way and especially my support system which sustains me. A priest once told me that the guide to dealing with any of life's pressures can be found in Philippians 4: and so I leave you with that. Whenever life threatens to bring you to your lowest point...Pick up your Bible read that passage...say a prayer and watch what happens...I pray for so many things for all of us but ultimately I pray for peace...

...Until next year...

Philippians 4: 4-13

Final Exhortations

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Thanks for Their Gifts

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.