Tag: mind

Barefoot Devotions, The How To Series

How To Overcome Discouragement & Disappointment

Hannah B.

In our lives, we are bound to walk through trials from circumstances and experience rivals that provoke us and lead to disappointment and discouragement.  If we do not deal with these emotions in a Christ-like manner, then our emotions have the potential to spread deeper into our soul causing more destruction. The story of Hannah is one of my favorite stories in the Bible because through her actions we can see a proper course of action that defeated her problems and her emotions.

1 Samuel 1-8, NIV

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

In this passage, we can see that Hannah lived in a dysfunctional family and was greatly grieved by her barrenness.  Not only was she in a situation that brought on great embarrassment for her husband but Peninnah provoked her until she wept and would not eat.

Although Hannah was greatly loved by her husband, she could not be consoled by him.  When our heart burns with such a relentless longing for something in our lives or we are having to live out circumstances that cause disappointment or great weeping, we do not see anything or anyone except for this one thing we are seeking.  The saddest part is when that we are overcome by our emotions and we miss the plan Jesus has in store for us because our eyes are set elsewhere.  When this happens, we allow the root of bitterness to sink into our heart and grow roots that lead to resentment, hate, and negative attitudes.  As this root begins to grow, we question God’s sovereignty and love for us when we are experiencing trials, relationship problems, and a longing for something that hasn’t been given to us yet.  Emotions are powerful and unless we learn to control them, they will control us.

1 Samuel 10-18, NIV

10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah’s prayer to us demonstrates the necessity of being raw and honest with God about the way we are feeling – the ugly, the bad, and the mad.  She poured everything that was inside of her out before the LORD.  When we take our emotions and thoughts before God, He will show us His view on our problems and how to correctly proceed in our actions.  We see that after Hannah was weeping greatly before the LORD, she left her problems there, resumed her life, and her face was no longer downcast.

We can see the drastic change of Hannah’s attitude due to her praying and the importance of taking everything to God in prayer especially when the first sign of disappointment sets in. By following the steps below we can learn how to handle these situations:

  1. Honestly pray to God and bring your problem before Him.
  2. LEAVE your problems with God. Walk away and live your life for Him.
  3. Know that God is Sovereign and His will for your life is perfect.
  4. Praise and Worship Him through the trials.
  5. Receive encouragement and support from Christ-minded friends and mentors.

 

Hannah eventually receives her son from God who is named Samuel. He was the last judge of Israel and the first priest and prophet to serve during the time of a king.  Samuel’s characteristics were the best examples of what a good judge should be, and he governed the people by God’s word and not by his own will.  He was pivotal in Israel’s history since he was the first to anoint the king and usher in the Davidic line.

We can trust Jesus with the desires and longings of our hearts and all of our hurts and disappointments. God’s timing is perfectly purposeful.

 

Personal Reflection

What do you do when you don’t receive the desire that causes a deep longing within?

How can you learn to take everything to the LORD in prayer?

Do you have a hard time leaving your problems after you have talked to  God about them?

If so, what steps will you take to overcome carrying your burdens yourself?

 

With all my love and encouragement,

Hannah Boyd

Barefoot Devotions

Lessons From A Mustard Stained Shirt

Hannah B.

It never fails that when I sit down to eat, I make a mess.  It will end up on my shirt, pants, shoes (yes, I said my shoes because you never know!), and smeared on my face.  Hey, maybe even in my hair!  Sounds so graceful, huh? That’s me full of grace on the inside but not on the outside.  I will meticulously plan my steps so that I do not stumble when I am walking.  If I get ahead of myself without caution, there is bound to be an accident.

Like today when I spilled mustard on my shirt.  I hurriedly wiped the mustard off of my shirt causing it to smear into a bigger mess that needed detailed attention to be cleaned and removed from the fabric.  As I told my friend Valerie about the mess I just created, together we were able to talk out the way this mustard stain could be a positive analogy.  This, my friend, is why it is so so so good to surround yourself with God-fearing Christian friends that project you forward by being encouraging and supporting you to be your best self!

Back to the mustard mess so I can get to the good news about this fresh stain!  I could have cursed the day, let this mustard stain ruin my day, and take away from the joy of enjoying the day God has given me.  I could have been mad all day about this glob of mustard that has ruined my shirt.  Although there was an event that happened that was less than desirable, it happened and there is not one single thing  I can do to change the fact that I am wearing (and smelling) mustard on my shirt.  Until I can soak my shirt in oxy clean, it is stained and it is smelly.

Why not move on to the next best option? It is better than ruining your day, wouldn’t you agree? Perhaps in your quirky accidents, circumstances, and trials, there is something to learn, something that is almost buried under the surface.  Even though it may be right in front of your eyes, you are blinded by your fleshly eyes and are not looking with your spiritual eyes.  There is something good in every day, in every trial, and every accident – quirky or not.

Often times we find ourselves running ahead of God, hastily making decisions based on emotions and our current circumstances.  Decisions based on quick impulse especially without the guidance of the Holy Spirit can lead to a mess.  You may find yourself trying to scrub the mess with all your might but you realize the stain is spreading.  The mess is bigger than you anticipated. You find yourself wondering, “How did I get in this mess and how will I get out?”  A mess that started because you hastily ran ahead of God and decided to act on the now of your emotions and feelings regarding the circumstance.  The only lifeline you have out of this tangled mess is Jesus.  He died for your sins and for your tangled mess that cannot be untangled by human hands.  It’s a call for your complete surrender to Him.

 

Lessons Learned From The Holler:

  • Attitudes can make your day or ruin your day. It’s your CHOICE!
  • Perspective can change your outlook on any situation. Look for the good!
  • Don’t let circumstances get the best of your emotions.
  • Good spirit-filled friends are crucial to your continued growth.
  • Stay close to God so that He can set your paths straight.
  • Whatever your tangled mess, Jesus can untangle it for HIS and YOUR ultimate good for a greater purpose than you could ever imagine!
  • Ultimately, Jesus can wash our stains as white as snow.  He will wash them as white as snow – if you choose Him!

Oh! And! God’s grace is SUFFICIENT for you!

 

Thank God for mustard stained shirts.

Take that devil. You can’t ruin my day!

My eyes are on Jesus. Where are yours?

John 10:10 | The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

 

Proverbs 17:22 | A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

 

Proverbs 3: 5-6 | Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

P.S. If you enjoyed this lesson from the holler, be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with all our stories and share on your social media feeds! Leave some love below and share what is on your mind.

 

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

 

Barefoot Devotions

Unshakable Faith

Hannah B.

We have had a hard time finding a church since our move almost a year ago. We have visited several churches and with the amount of time we have traveled back home on the weekends, we have been absent a lot from our search.

Lately, God has been dealing with me on tithing and I could not stand the feeling of this being between God and myself. Finally, on Sunday we were able to tithe and it was such a relief to place the check into the offering plate.  You can say Sunday was peaceful, a weight lifted, and all was right in the world. Right?

Monday was an emotional day as my husband left to go on a mission trip to another country.  It felt that everything that could go wrong, it did.

Tuesday. I woke up sick but somehow managed to keep the kids alive, oh and myself too (barely). I realized all the things I forgot to do on Monday and Tuesday and sure enough Tuesday afternoon I had noticed car problems. AND I know nothing about cars. No husband. No family here. Just me and my kids in a foreign land. By the end of this day, I felt like I was dodging bullets.

No big deal, right? This is life. 

In my mind, I began to think, how funny is it that I finally did something for God that needed to be done but yet I finally tithed and would now need that money to go toward car issues?  It’s kinda comical if you ask me. I was not questioning or regretting my decision to tithe because it is what God told me to. He placed it on my heart and I did it out of obedience for Him. Why? Because I can’t see through His lens, He is God and knows all.

Wednesday 

Helllloo Sickness. It would be a miracle if we survived the day.  The kids and I visit an urgent care center (yes, their sick too) in my car that *seems* to be having transmission trouble. As I am driving home, I realize and just *know* that I should get my car looked at. I went to two places and neither would look at it. Ok then. BUT they both recommended the same guy. However, when the first place told me where he was, I was thinking to myself, yeah, I’m not going there. Then the second place, said, “Go Here.” Great.

I load my kids up (again) and begin heading to a part of town that I really didn’t want to go by myself with two kids. I pulled in to basically a garage and what looks to be a junkyard ( Remember, my post on Salvaged? Funny huh?) I walk into the office and wait for the gentleman who runs the place to stop working on a car and come in and see what I need. As I am looking around, he has several different brochures and videos on God, the end times, Martin Luther, and there was a small book that stood out called, “Unshakable Faith.”  I knew then, I was at the right place at the right time. I could trust this man. Of course, I am on the verge of tears and having a meltdown in this old office because I knew that those two words were for me. “Unshakeable Faith.” It was then I realized it is going to be okay and to keep moving forward unshaken. 

After telling the man about my problems, he tells me he will take a quick look at my car but won’t be able to diagnose and fix the problems until next week. Upon looking, it was low on transmission fluid.  He takes even more time out of his day to replace the fluid in my car for free. When I asked him, “how much do I owe you?” He just said, “Nothing. Come back next week so I can take a look at it and service it.”  As I was left, dumbfounded by this man taking time out of his busy day to look at my car and help me without a charge so I can at least make it through the week until my husband gets home from his mission trip.

It’s not even about the car – yes, that was God’s blessing and blessings never come how we expect but they come at the most needed and at the exact moment we need them. Are your eyes open to see them? Sometimes blessings are so intertwined with our day that we often miss them if we aren’t watching closely.

 

I would have missed such a blessing if I chose not to go because of my own judgments.

Where is God telling you to go and you are reluctant? Don’t be. There is a blessing you are missing if you don’t go.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

 

 

 

Barefoot Devotions // Faith Over Fear Series

Season One // Day Nine

Hannah B.

Pondering

Fear is the face of the enemy. The adversary knows that when you see the eyes of the giants you are facing, you will cower to the thoughts in your mind that tell you the answer is impossible. You will find every reason in your mind to believe the enemy because you can make the most sense of the logic.  It is easier to stay within your comfort zone and avoid facing the fear of the what-ifs, the possible failure, and rejection.  Whatever giant you are facing, do not allow the enemy a foothold to entice you with fear.  He has come to steal, kill, and destroy. You must claim God’s promise and become diligent to recognize when the enemy is trying to scare you with the face of fear. God has left us with peace and has commanded us to not be afraid.  The One who has redeemed you has already overcome the world, has called you by name, and has claimed you as His. Enjoy the peace He gives you and heed His command to not fear your giants that are placed in your life.

[bctt tweet=”Step into your fear, face your giants, know that God’s plan and purpose are far greater than you can imagine. ” username=”BarefootHannahB”]

Isaiah 43:1 “Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.”

1 John 4:18 Perfect Love Casts Out All Fear

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Praying

Heavenly Father, I come to you today and place my giant that is overpowering my mind, my heart, and soul in your hands. I ask that you remove the enemies footholds in my life and remove the fear that he has placed in my mind. I rebuke the enemy in the name of Jesus. Thank you for your promises of sending only peace, for claiming me as yours and calling me by name.  As I place my complete trust and faith in you, show me your ways, O Lord. In Jesus’ Name, I pray Amen.

Practicing

  • Demonstrating a perfect love for God is key to casting out fear and eradicating it from your mind. By staying IN His word and talking to Him, you learn His heart, His mind, and a perfect love for Him as you begin to acknowledge His perfect love for you. How will you put this into action?
  • He does not give as the world gives. The world gives us the opposite of peace. What steps will you take to acknowledge what the world is giving you when you are facing your giants?
  • How will you move forward through your fear and face your giants?

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

The How To Series

How To Renew Your Life

Hannah B.

Haggai was a minor prophet during the rebuilding of the second temple. This was after the Jewish people were exiled from their home and the original temple was destroyed. The people began rebuilding their lives when they returned home and as time went on they noticed their harvest and hard work was not producing what it should be. God used Haggai to get the people encouraged to finish building God’s temple. In the Old Testament, the temple is extremely important because this was God’s dwelling place before Jesus was sent to die on the cross for our sins and sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Haggai 1:2-9 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’”

Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.

Have you felt like you have planted much in life but you just aren’t getting enough in return? You have your expectations set high as you start out on your new and exciting adventure but slowly start to feel let down. You may wonder where your job, family, and life, in general, started going downhill? Maybe you feel like you’re at a standstill going nowhere? Perhaps you are struggling to find the joy in your adventure that you started out loving. You have poured your heart into the things that make up your life on the outside but what have you neglected God’s temple on the inside?

God says, “Give careful thought to your ways.” He wants to be first, think of Him and His plan before doing anything with your life. He wants to take pleasure in your life and be honored. When you put Him first, you will be then completely filled in every area of your life and you surely will not be lacking. He will surpass your wildest dreams and expectations.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

How do I practice this?

I’m glad you asked because I have good news to share with you! At any moment in your life, if you have fallen so far, there is a fresh start for you. If you feel like you are not going anywhere and have lost your joy, just pick up where you left off. Jesus never left.

  1. Have a talk with Jesus. Ask for forgiveness, tell Him about your hopes, fears, disappointments that you feel and tell Him that you are all in.
  2. Make a decision to devote time to spend reading God’s word and praying.
  3. Put this into action daily. Set an alarm to wake up early before everyone else in your house. Get a quiet room for you and God to sit and meditate on His word and talk with Him.
  4. Ask God to make Himself real to you. This is my favorite prayer – I always pray this when I am discouraged and for others if they are feeling the same way.
  5. Sit back and watch God’s goodness overflow in your life.

Matthew 6:33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

What are you waiting for? It’s time. He is waiting for you.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.