Tag: moving forward

The How To Series

How To Overcome Your Emotions During Trials

Hannah B.

Often times we are stuck in feeling the emotions that come with a situation we have experienced. It is important to recognize these feelings and own them. Don’t let them own you. This doesn’t mean you can’t feel the feelings because you should, in fact, it is important to work through your feelings. You could find yourself living the consequences of acting out based on your feelings at the present moment. You may never get over the hurt you have experienced and continue to live in the past. These moments of overcoming are vital to your growth as a person and will light the way on your continued path to discovering your purpose and experiencing revelations from God.

Steps To  Overcoming Your Emotions:

 

  • Prayer is a powerful tool because you are communicating with God who loves you and has your best interests at heart. Be sure to allow Him time to speak to you. Sometimes prayer is simply being in God’s presence and allowing Him to do the talking.
  • Tell Jesus about it. Your time to talk – whenever you need to! Be open and be honest. He knew you would the way you are feeling at this very moment before you were even born. Talk to Him like you would your best friend. I say this because no matter what your best friend says, it may feel good and be the right thing for a moment. Jesus is the only way to obtain peace and reassurance for your situation.
  • Acknowledge how and why you are feeling the way you are.
  • Ask God to reveal areas in your life that need to change and where you were wrong.
  • Ask for forgiveness.
  • Be willing to accept what He will reveal.
  • Rebuke the feelings and thoughts the enemy places in your mind in Jesus’ name and plead the blood of Jesus! Remember that Jesus brings joy, love, encouragement, forgiveness, and peace. If you are feeling anything else, it is from the enemy. He will tell you that you are unworthy of forgiveness, love, and will discourage you from trying.
  • Claim the verse and ask Him to give you the peace that is mentioned in Philippians 4:7

I will leave you with this verse:

2 Peter 1:5-7 | For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

P.S. If you enjoyed this lesson, leave some love & share on your social media networks.

Barefoot Devotions

A Never Ending Light

Hannah B.

The Discovery

In the thick forest surrounded by darkness that seems to be thick with shadows, she continues to walk along the path that is set out before her. The wind is still stirring around her causing her long dark hair to blow into a tangled mess.

The debris from the last storm has covered most of her path. The aftermath of the storm is making it difficult to judge if she is even on the right path. Her vision is clouded with darkness that seems to be closing in in her.

Determined to fight through, she manages to move her feet forward and shuffle through the shattered pieces and belongings that lie around her. As she looks down and remembers the pieces that were once whole and the story they tell, sadness begins to match the power of darkness.

Once again, she is determined to look toward a light that seems to be pulling her feet forward. Knowing that if she doesn’t look forward, she will surely die. Dying was not option. She was tired of dying over and over through every storm.

Staring at the pieces of her aftermath on the ground, she cried out in desperation, “Surely, this is not what life is!” Deep down she knew she was called for more, but what? What could she possibly do that was worth anything? She was trapped in the tangled mess and broken pieces the storm left behind.

There was the light again. It was so close but yet so far away. It was peaceful and it seemed to have what she so desperately needed. A deep yearning that she did not realize was there. Unsure of where this light was coming from or what it was, it had found her. It was the opposite of everything else she knew, so surely it was good. Surely, it would help her find her way. Still surrounded by darkness, she focused her eyes ahead and chose to follow it with a desire to be enveloped in this light.

As she was walking further down the path, she realized the light grew brighter at her feet. It was leading her away from the storms that never seemed to let up and the aftermath that was left behind.

The closer she walked toward the light, the heavy burdens of being tangled in her mess were coming less worrisome. Though it was still dark, she could see at her very step and it was peaceful because she knew that as she walked toward the light, it would shine before her feet took the next step.

Abba Father. Jesus. My savior. You have searched for me and you found me. You have saved me.

Her name is Faith and this is how she was found.

A Lesson

Although we walk on dark paths in life’s unknowns, we can rest knowing that our Father has already gone before each of our lives. He has strategically planned out our every move, every day of our life, and our every breath.

He has forseen every problem we will face and has already come up with the perfect solution. We don’t need plan A, B, or C because He has the one.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It’s for your benefit. It may be painful as we endure trials, but in the end, the perseverance will lead us to a greater purpose and great joy.

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

By reading God’s Word and focusing on Jesus, our faith will grow as we begin to understand God’s heart. We are able to trust that He is there with us, has already gone before us, we do not need to fear the darkness because Jesus’ words are the light that will always lead us to our purpose that we were predestined for before we were born.

He is a light that is always twinkling and desires to catch your eye. When we allow darkness to seep in, it will cloud our spiritual eyes like a dark fog. Often we wonder why God has left us? But He has not. We have simply strayed too far down the wrong path, away from Him. It’s up to us to turn around and find Him. Chase Him. Run to Him. Don’t look back.

It’s up to us to turn the light on. We don’t have to look very far because He is closer than our earthly eyes perceive.

Psalm 119:105 – Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

A Year In A Holler

Hannah B.

Lately, I have been reflecting about our first year in the holler. As I look back to one year ago, I had no idea that this is what God had planned but I am so incredibly thankful that He allowed my plans to fall through and show me how great of a plan He had.

 

We (God did this) sold our house within 3 days, had all of our belongings in the back of a Uhaul preparing for our big move across the Appalachian mountains within a month. Although we kept experiencing road blocks, God always carried us through the situation with an outcome that benefited us. We knew from the beginning that God was in this and He wouldn’t get us this far not to see us through the entire process.

There was one problem that was not being solved. We drove to our new hometown countless of times looking for a place for our family to call home but only to find nothing.

With two weeks to spare before we were moved out of our house, we finally agreed on a house and decided to just be done with the search and secure the place so we would have a place to move to immediately.

Deep down I knew this place wasn’t meant to be called home. It just didn’t feel right but I had a plan and a place to live!

It was not God’s plan though. A few days before closing and moving out of our house, we found out that our rental would no longer be available for the date we needed but a few days later. We were able to stay with family and wait out our new move in date but we found out that the delay would be indefinite. We were not moving there.

In my mind, we were essentially homeless. We sold our house, we had everything packed and loaded, but no where to go. With only days left to spare until we had to absolutely be there, we were without a plan. Without options. Everything was closing in. There were deadlines that were not going to be met.

God said, “Go” so we drove to Kentucky with an open mind and expecting God’s best. We knew we would either store everything and move again, get my husband an apartment, or find a house for all of us.

For one last reminder that God was in control, we broke down in the Uhaul. At that point, we should have turned around and just forgot about it because we were facing such difficulty getting to our destination.

When you are in a situation like this, you have no choice but to trust God’s plans and that is exactly where He wanted us to be. Even though the unknowns were something to be worried about, we chose to keep moving forward. We kept going on faith, God kept His promises, and surrounded us with His goodness every moment.

My plan had fallen apart and He showed me that His plans and His will are always perfect and far better than anything we could ever plan out yourself.

No matter how many original and back up plans I made, I could never had planned what God had laid out for us. If your plan isn’t a part of God’s plan, it’s simply going to fall apart so that the right pieces can fall into place.

This picture was taken 40 minutes outside of our destination and is the moment I knew God would provide. He did provide far better than my plan A, B, and C. The moment of realizing that I had absolutely no control and I had to let go and let God continue to lead us in our next chapter because His ways were higher than mine.

The ending to a chapter but the beginning of of a new chapter, Barefoot In A Holler.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

Cast Your Cares

Hannah B.

What is causing you anxiety 😞 tonight? Even if it’s a small care, YOU are loved ❤️ by THE GOD who created the world 🌎 we can barely comprehend the beauty & complexity of.

Throw everything that is on your mind and everything that is weighing you down onto the LORD. He is asking you for it! Don’t hold on to it! Leave it there and thank Him for taking care of you in such an incredible way.

He already has the answers and He knows what your tomorrow holds! He wants you to show Him that you trust Him to let go!

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

Struck by fiery arrows

Hannah B.

Six Days Ago

This morning when I woke up, I had every intention of shutting down this site. Ending my calling because it’s too hard. Surely, this is not it. I struggled and wrestled with my thoughts trying to over analyze everyone. Two weeks ago something shifted, call me crazy but something in the atmosphere changed.

Fiery Arrows happened. And again. And again. I felt as though I was pinned to the target, suffocating, and dying emotionally and spiritually.

I pleaded the blood of Jesus. I prayed. I rebuked. I read the Bible over and over. I kept it open all day, glancing down at verses and repeating them as they were the only thing giving my breath back.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I was done. If this is what it is, then byyyeee. Living by the flesh is easier but, ohhh my soul hurt, it grieved the thought of being separated from God.

Those arrows hit me but do you know who came to my rescue and bandaged my oozing wounds?

Jesus.

Whatever it is that you are going through whether it is anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, other mental illnesses, trouble with your marriage or relationships, issues with your job or finding a job, addiction, whatever your circumstance is, I want you to know that there is hope.

Fight with every ounce of your being to hold on. Scream if you have to and cry ugly tears but fight and resist the enemy’s attacks. It’s not easy but with Jesus, it’s a little more sweeter. We aren’t designed to carry the burden and weight of the world; He made us for Him so go on and humble yourself and call on His sweet name.

Make that choice.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.