Tag: storms

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

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

Hope for The Fatherless

Hannah B.

For as long as I could remember, Father’s Day has been a bittersweet day that was surrounded with sadness. A day that served as reminder that a little girl would not always have the daddy she so desperately wanted to have. I prayed to have but a prayer that went unanswered. My daddy tried the best that he could considering his addictions and other issues I began to realize as an adult. Eventually, the day became surrounded with anger as I grieved the loss of him and my childhood. No chance for redemption. Emotions of anger, jealously of people who still had their dad, depression surrounded me and plagued me for a decade after his death.

I don’t tell you this to be sad for me or feel bad for me because even though we had a lot of bad times, we had a lot of good times too. In the end, the good outweighed the bad and I thank God for His unanswered prayers. Through my journey, Jesus was there in the blackness still surrounding me with a grater plan than I could ever imagine. He provided the answers along the way as I cried out my whys to Him. He gave me the peace that I needed to carry on another day especially on Father’s Day.

Even in my darkest days that turned to years, my vision only allowed me to see blackness in my current state. Hopeless. Discouraged. Depressed. Grieved. Angered. Fatherless. Orphaned. Lost in a dream that wasn’t a reality and didn’t have the chance at ever being a reality.

It was at that moment that God started changing my heart and opening my eyes to the most impactful statement He has ever told me in my Christian life:

I am your Father and everything you ever needed and will need in a daddy. Stop searching.

Although I still had years of emotions to unravel, this marked the moment that my hardened heart began to crumble and heal my “daddy issues”.

The next phase allowed me to truly forgive my dad, it was realizing that my dad did the absolute best that he could be physically, spiritually, and mentally for me. Once I accepted that, I quit blaming him for not trying hard enough. I realized he did try – to the point of exhaustion and to the breaking point of someone with an addiction. As I realized this, I wave of guilt washed over me and they only place I could go to make it right was to the LORD.

It’s freeing when such burdens are lifted but as they are lifted so are the blinders that cover your eyes. You are able to look at the situation with opened eyes and realize the affect of your actions and are able to acknowledge the stubbornness and pride in your heart.

When the blinders are removed, you are able to see further out than what is in front of your face. My next moment was that I was blessed with uncles that were always there and stepped in to fill the role. Even though they weren’t my earthly dad – they were placed in my life for what I would need.

As these truths were unveiled to me and I accepted them into my heart, I became free from a false reality, a false expectation, and a false idea. The idea I had was not what God intended for my life. When we let go of our preconceived ideas and accept that our ideas and plans weren’t part of God’s will, that is when He can work and show us His plan. When we fully accept that He is God, He is good, and He loves us enough to not let us settle for anything less, we surrender it all to Him willingly. I realized that for some reason He needed that little girl to go through heartache, trials, and the ugly feelings to get to where I am now. Whatever His reason is, I am thankful He chose me.

I am exactly where God needs me at this very moment and I have been this entire journey. Perhaps, it’s all about your perspective. You can focus on the negative and the things you can’t change or you can focus on who you were grown into during the experiences.

I am not Fatherless and neither are you. We are loved dearly by a God that doesn’t change, doesn’t leave, and loves us unconditionally.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Happy Father’s Day God! And Happy Father’s Day to my earthly daddy who taught me a lot about life.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

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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.