#after you have suffered a little while will HIMSELF restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast

[aspirant1598]

[jesuschristisgod]

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1Pet.5.10

[prfctemi]

Bible Study- 1 Peter 5:7-10 ♡

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

As someone who CONSTANTLY struggles with anxiety, my biggest trouble is learning to cope. When I am stressing about something, I will dwell in self pity in a spiral that seems to never end. According to this scripture, we are to lay down our worries to God.

Personally, when I am struggling with anxiety over something, I have a hard time simply giving it up. There are a couple steps that I personally follow in order to help ease my mind:

Relaxing: When anxieties are consuming me, I take a second to take deep breathes, focus on my breathing, and ask God for guidance

Changing the tone: In order to redirect my mindset, I find that creating peaceful habits can help to deescalate my anxieties. The habit that I created is listening to a calming playlist, starting with "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles. I have created the habit of listening to this song when I am coming off of high levels of stress, so my brain tends to connect this song to calming down. This habit instantly brings my mindset to a significantly more tranquil level. This habit can be anything- from painting, to music, to baking!

Seeking the logical perspective: Once I am calmed down, I am able to see the situation from a better perspective. If it is something that I cannot currently go out and solve, then I do not have any reason to dwell on it. Instead, I leave it up to God. I remember that only He knows what is best for me, and that I need to trust whatever he has in store for me. I trust that in the end, He will direct me towards a better path in the end.

**These are steps that I personally find help with my anxiety! I am in no way saying that these are cures to anxieties. Do whatever works best for you! ◡̈

This is one of my favorite readings of scripture as someone who struggles from anxiety day-to-day. It is very relieving in and of itself because it reminds me that God's plan will soon be relieved to me, and that I need to trust in whatever road blocks come before me! ◡̈

[nescaveckwriter]

Paintbrushes And Romance 🥰🐞 - Part 12

Dean x Fem/Reader

Part 12🥰🐞

A/N: Dean saved her, or did he? This is a tear jerker, trust me. 🥹 Side Note: thank you all so much for the support. Much love, my bugsies 🥰🐞

Warnings: hospital scenes, trigger warnings, sadness, 🥹

......

Running through the door, while she's in his arms, barely breathing, his face over written with fear, shouting, asking for help, the doctors placing her on the bed, sharing concerned looks, looking over seeing Bobby also in bad shape makes him want to kill the damn, bastard all over again.

If only he'd figured out it sooner, if only he'd never left her side, if only he'd...

Dean! Sam's voice filled with urgency and concern, damnit Dean, man! Sam hit's Dean's arm!

"What? Dean's voice filled with anger but not towards Sam!

Listen man, your bleeding the doctor, needs to check you out.

Dean's face puzzled, he's voice more distant, no, I'm fine, its not that bad, pulling his shirt a little to the side, exposing the muscular chest, with the blood seeping through the torn open stitches.

Sam, gives him a look that say's he needs to sit down, while saying come on, let them stitch you up real quick,!

Dean not looking away from where she's laying, I don't want to leave her, saying underneath his breath.

Okay man, I get it but you need to look after yourself so that you can take care of her, when she wakes up, she's going to need you. Sam says, gesturing to the open bed.

Dean just nods, knowing there's a long road ahead of them, but he's willing to do anything to help her get through this, sitting down on the bed, taking off his shirt, not taking he's eyes off of her, waiting for the doctor to stitch him up, he just recalls every memory everything, he could have done differently.

....

Its been four days, and she still hasn't woken up, Dr Stone, what is going on,? the sadness in Caroline's eyes and voice is just a bit to much for the doctor.

She's exhausted, her body is fighting the sepsis, we have her on great antibiotics , but its going to take a while, for her, she suffered a great trauma, and her body was malnourished when she, came in, so her body is trying to restore antibodies to fight. The good news is her vitals looks really well. Caroline, don't you worry, your daughter is fighter, Dr Stone says with a reassuring smile.

Thank you Doctor, I really appreciate all your doing for her, a little smile tugging at her lips, the sadness and worry visible on her face.

Hey! Mom, Joe said with a smile and a gigantic teddy bear.

"Son what in the world is that,? laughing a little.

"Mom, you know how sis always said she wanted a big damn bear, well I found one, and I know she's going to love it, as soon as she wakes up, she'll want to hold it!

"All Caroline can do is just shake her head and smile, while looking at her very handsome son, with his bright blue eyes, dark hair, and viking beard, come here she says, pulling him into a hug. I love you son.

"I love you too mom, he says with his deep, low voice, glancing over to his sister, laying there, the bruises on her face, have discoloured a bit, its more purplish-yellow than the dark blue it was before, but it's still like someone has taken a knife and twisted it in his heart, over and over again.

"He is just so mad, so mad at the scum who took her, so mad at Dean Winchester, for breaking her heart, even though he cleared everything up, by telling them what happened, so mad at himself, for not being there when she needed him, just so damn mad all the time, but he knows he, has to be strong for his parents , they need him now!

....

Walking through the doors, he came to know so well, everyday hoping, praying for his daughter to just be okay, be that little girl, who looked at the world, wide-eyed with so much kindness, so much love, and so much hope. Why did life, had to beat up his little girl? Why did this damn world had to be so cruel? She didn't deserve any of this!

Clenching his fist's, whispering, I had one job, and that's to protect my daughter, and what did I do? Damn nothing, what could I do? Driving up and down, searching everywhere and nowhere,for days, barely getting any sleep, replaying everything over and over, he catches a glimpse of his own reflection in the stainless steel, that's on the doors he passes, walking to his daughter's room, his eyes tired, every line across his face defining his age, became more prominent, knowing this week and a half made him older than what he should be.

Before entering the room, taking a deep breath, in his nostrils, making his chest rise and fall down, so that he can sort of gain courage, so that his beloved wife and son can lean on him, whenever this get to much.

A little smile tugging at his lips, when he sees Caroline and Joe hugging eachother, knowing even though, there sitting in this hospital room, waiting for his daughter to wake up, day in and day out, night after night, taking turns with Dean, he is stil a very blessed man, his family is together again.

...

In the distance, in the corner, there's balloons, with the words imprinted, stating, "get well soon" , There's flowers different, colours and shapes, something that looks like postcards, with pictures ranging from bears to hearts, and then chairs, underneath the big window, with two figures just sitting, heads resting on the not so comfortable, backdrop of the chairs, and then, a hand holding her hand loosely.

Your eyelids still heavy but your just taking everything in, your in the hospital, how did you get here? Looking towards the big window, it must be late at night, just before dawn, because its so dark!

Trying to push yourself up on your arms, just to collapse back , to your previous position.

Trying to figure out why you feel so damn weak and exhausted, your thoughts get interrupted by a soft, kind voice, saying "hi honey, sweetie"

Mom? Confusing clear in your voice...

"Yes sweetie it's me mommy, her voice breaking, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Mom, it's really you, your voice sounds sweeter than normal, your here, I'm here, its going to be alright now, isn't it, a silent tear escaping your eyelid."

Yes sweetie, your safe, we've got you. Caroline's voice filled with so much love.

"Joe waking Bill up, saying she's awake"

The two men come walking closer...

Your eyes big and wet, with tears you're trying to fight back. Daddy, Joe, your voice Breaking.

Joe speaks first, a smile on his lips, hey sis, I know you like your naps, but goodness, did you need so long, he says mockingly.

"A little laugh escapes over your busted lips, sorry I was just probably having a good dream.

Bill's deep voice breaks the lightheartedness shared between the siblings. Sweetheart, look at you, my brave girl, daddy is so happy your awake.

"Daddy, I'm so happy too see you, all of you, a little sniffle and silent tears rolling over your cheeks.

The three of them just standing there, eyes filled with hope and tears they hug you tightly. It hurts everywhere but damn it feels good, you think.

....

The black coffee, going down smoothly over his lips, not taking the punch it used too, I guess that's what you get, by the 10th cup, he says to no one really, the hallway lighting is dim, as its early morning, looking down at his watch, 3'o clock, hearing Sammy's voice in his head, "Dean you can't just sit here waiting for her to wake up, you need some sleep man, just take care of yourself too."

He does do the basic shit, taking a shower, eating now and then, living on coffee, because whiskey is not appropriate in the hospital, he says with a scoff. I'm not leaving her sight, now way in hell. The only reason I'm sitting in the hallway is when her family stays the night, he can't help feel like he's intruding. He sees the way Joe looks at him, not even to talk about Bill, like he's the bastard in this horrific story.

Wishing he could just tell them how badly, how guilty he feels about every damn thing that happened.

I need damn refill, he says getting up, walking past the room, he knows so well, something catches his eye.

Just standing in the door, trying to slow his fast beating heart. She's sitting upright, talking, she's awake, what the hell. Walking closer, the low light, illuminating the beauty in her eyes, her hair hanging over her shoulders, framing her face, his voice sounds, lower and more gruffy than normal when he says baby.

"Caroline gesturing to Bill and Joe they should leave the two of them alone, as they walk out"

Her eyes wide, the surprised look on her face, letting him know, that they haven't told her, he's alive. Bobby said what happened, what Luke told them.

Hearing her sweet voice say his name. "Dean, is, is that really you, she stutters"

Coming closer the side of her bed, yes, sweetheart its really me, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere, he says in a firm but loving voice.

The tears streaming down her beautiful face, she's frantically sobbing now, when she says I love you.

Dean smiling at her, I love you too, he's big calloused hands cups her face, searching her eyes, if it's okay, he leans in, his lips crashing against hers, tasting the saltiness, of the tears on her lips, knowing he loves this woman more than life itself, thinking I will stand by you, I will help you through, I will dry your eyes, I will hold you tight, I won't let you go..

[lets-try-some-writing]

Hello! Can you please write what happened after Knockout joined the autobots? How did he adapt to the new environment? Will something change in him? How do team members treat him? can he make friends with someone? You wrote something similar with Starscream and I was very interested to see the Knockout version!

*does a little happy dance* I have waited so long for an excuse to write this exact scenario! Knockout, my dearest beloved, oh how I love hurting and then healing you.

Knockout's Integration

Due to his somewhat shifty nature, there was exactly zero trust between Knockout and the team in the beginning. They saw his usefulness and his apparent willingness to join them, but old wounds take time to heal. They got along well enough during the conflict against a possessed Megatron and the Terrorcon army that he raised, but once all was said and done, there were some issues.

Optimus flinging himself into the well to restore Cybertron did no favors when it came to the stability of the team, leaving most of them depressed and out of it. This in turn meant that the singular mech among them who had no strong connections to the Prime became the unintentional emotional support medic for the team as they began work on rebuilding Cybertron. Knockout was by no means particularly welcomed during the first few weeks or even months of his time with the team, but after stopping Ratchet from following his Prime into the well, the team started to see him in a new light.

Despite their past grievances, Bumblebee was the first to try and befriend Knockout. The scout, suffering from rather severe denial when it came to Optimus's death, was doing everything in his power to mimic his Sire. This meant that in his mind, trying to befriend Knockout was a must, even if he wasn't fond of the idea. At first Bumblebee's attempts to get along with Knockout were stiff, fake, and largely awkward. But after Bumblebee broke character during a bad bout of depression, he and Knockout began to actually make some progress. And soon enough, Bumblebee stopped acting entirely and began to bond with Knockout over little things like their grievances with work and other bots.

Through Bumblebee and their frequent visits to the medical bay, Knockout eventually began to warm up to the wreckers. Bulkhead and Wheeljack were a rowdy pair but mostly accepting of Knockout swapping sides. They did snark and poke fun at him a few times, but Knockout's increadible charm and self confidence allowed him to brush off their half-hearted insults easily. The wreckers playful insults were nothing on Starscream's screeching, Megatron's very real threats of death, or Soundwave's withering glares. Despite everything, Knockout managed to become reasonably acquainted with the two wreckers, both reminding him a lot of Breakdown and leading him to sometimes mother hen them unintentionally. Especially when the two managed to get hurt and try to walk it off without medical care.

Ultra Magnus and Knockout were not on good terms and that relationship did not change much at all even after Optimus's return decades later. The commander was not fond of the former Decepticon medic and honestly, Knockout wasn't all that fond of him either. Ultra Magnus in Knockout's own words is: "A mech with the biggest stick up his tailpipe I have ever seen". Knockout's cool and rather flamboyant demeanor earned him no favors when it came to Ultra Magnus, his polar opposite in personality. Both were content to remain uneasy allies and make snarky comments at the other whenever possible.

Arcee had so many mental problems that Knockout's medical coding physically required that he try and help her even if she didn't want it. And so even during the early days of his transition into a member of the Autobots, he made regular check-in's with Arcee and asked not so subtly what her issues were. She avoided him like the plague for a long while until he talked her through a panic attack after a loud crash in a construction zone. After that they developed a friendship around their lost loved ones, with both talking about the good times they shared with those they kept closest to their sparks. In a way in was healing for both of them, allowing them to voice their pains without fear of backlash.

As for Ratchet and Knockout? As a general rule they are at each other's throats one moment and then merrily getting along discussing medicine the next. There is no warning when in comes to what their interactions are going to look like, but still they have a friendship, albeit one built entirely around medicine and irritating patients. However hidden beneath the surface of their friendship is a delicate balance barely maintained. Ratchet has not done well without Optimus, with most of his will to live following the Prime into the well. And after catching Ratchet and pulling him back before he could join his Prime as one with the allspark, Knockout has become one of the few ties that has kept Ratchet from doing anything drastic. Ratchet relies on him, not for comfort, but for stability. Knockout makes sure he stays fueled, makes sure to remind him of what he lives for, and keeps him from thinking on things too hard with ridiculous statements and his theatrics.

It has taken time, but Knockout has integrated well.

Knockout's Thoughts and Changes

In the beginning Knockout saw the Autobots behavior as completely within the realms of what he expected. He was prepared for hostility and emotionally and physically ready to do whatever underhanded things were necessary to secure himself a safe position. Seduction, Intelligence collection, favors, and anything else that could be asked of him were things that Knockout was resigned to doing should the need arise. However he found himself pleasantly surprised when nothing was required of him to attain things like safety and secure rations. As long as he didn't make trouble and did his job as a medic, no bot seemed to have a real issue with him beyond his previous allegiance.

After a few weeks he started to get a little paranoid with the overall neutral attitude toward his presence and began prodding at others, looking for the violent reactions he was used to. Knockout had always assumed that the Autobots operated on a similar strength based chain of command to the Decepticons. And so as he prodded, he searched for weaknesses, desires, and anything else that could be used to help him climb the ranks if need be. However all he found instead were a bunch of incredibly broken mecha.

Bumblebee's obvious denial regarding his Sire's death was spark breaking to witness. Thinking that it could have been a trap of some sort, Knockout avoided the mentally crippled youngling for a while. However when he found Bumblebee having a mental breakdown crying out for his Sire, Knockout threw his old Decepticon behaviors out the window in favor of helping. He held the youngling as he cried and poured out his very spark and tucked him into his berth when he finally fell into recharge out of exhaustion. From that point onward, Knockout couldn't in good conscious leave the youngling alone and so quickly found himself getting attached. In the end he and Bumblebee formed a friendship, and Knockout couldn't even find it in himself to be mean in any real fashion, not when Bumblebee so desperately needed emotional support.

Knockout hadn't intended on befriending the wreckers, mainly because they reminded him too much of Breakdown. However watching Wheeljack walk into an explosion and out the other end with melted finals, he couldn't help but chastise the mech as he used to with Breakdown as he fixed him up. Bulkhead was no better and Knockout ended up scuffing his paint in an attempt to stop him from trying to wander off with a mangled leg. The former Decepticon eventually gave up on trying to avoid the wreckers since they ended up in his medical bay so often. Instead he threw his servos up and allowed a fledgling friendship to form, with his two idiots getting hurt and him fixing them up in exchange for polish, a buff session, of a good treat.

It hurt his spark to see the wreckers smile, they reminded him so much of Breakdown it made him want to scream and hold them tight at the same time. But he managed to keep it together, and over time, his relationship with the wreckers helped him soothe the pain of Breakdown's death as he helped the wreckers deal with the aftereffects of what they said was "A great idea at the time".

Knockout would never admit it, but he was genuinely scared of Ultra Magnus. The mech is huge, intimidatingly, and has no tolerance for bad behavior. Everything about him reminded Knockout of Megatron and the mixed respect and fear he learned to associate with the mech. It didn't help that Ultra Magnus gave no leeway when it came to Knockout's integration. If the commander had his way he would have kept Knockout locked in a room with 24 hour supervision for at least a decade. As such Knockout tried to avoid Ultra Magnus when possible, and when unable, he couldn't stop himself from reverting back to how he behaved as a Decepticon. Throwing snark, being extra flamboyant, and making ominous threats even when he knew that Ultra Magnus wouldn't harm him without good reason.

Arcee was an interesting case for Knockout. At first he also steered clear of her, being well aware of his rather violent history. However as he dissected her nature through careful observation he came to see just how messed up she was in the head. And being a medic first and foremost, he made it his personal mission to get Arcee the therapy she so desperately needed. So to get her attention, he became the single handedly most irritating bot ever, constantly turning up and asking her questions at the most random moments. After helping her deal with a few panic attacks during one of his random check-ups, he managed to get her to open up a bit. And by Primus, he was shocked by what she told him about.

Weather she liked it or not, Knockout sort of adopted Arcee into his friend group of mentally crippled individuals, his group consisting of Bumblebee and Ratchet. He took her and his group everywhere and watched them like a hawk when on duty. He brought them little treats and always made sure Arcee had a comfort item on her when she was going somewhere farther out. When they grew closer, he also took the time to talk with Arcee, helping her work out her thoughts and pent up emotions by sharing his own.

As for Ratchet? Knockout was also rather terrified of him. He had seen and heard enough about the old medic to know that Ratchet was not only one the best doctors to ever walk Cybertron, but also highly dangerous. Knockout was incredibly careful when it came to Ratchet, knowing that the medic could hold a hard grudge when he wanted to, Knockout checked everything Ratchet gave him. Any interactions with him were closely examined and Knockout looked for everything that could be used against the medic should the need arise. He constantly made remarks about Ratchet's past and the war, hoping to figure out just what made Ratchet tick. And once he found out that the subject of Optimus was a trigger, Knockout prodded at it whenever possible.

He didn't know that his words hurt more than he realized. And it was only after he pulled Ratchet back from the edge of the well that he realized just how shattered Ratchet was mentally. Every comment about Optimus was silenced and Knockout took to caring for Ratchet in his rather underhanded way. He tried to give the medic things to do, people to talk with, and overall keep him out of his own helm. Over time he got Ratchet back on his pedes alongside the rest of his mentally crippled patients, eventually leading him and Ratchet to develop an actual friendship. They bickered in a friendly manner and talked about what was and what will be. However Knockout could see just how delicate Ratchet's mental state was even after plenty of therapy and aid on his part. In the end he was the one who got Ratchet a minicon companion a few years after the well started spitting out newsparks. It was the best he could do to help his friend start caring about life again.

At the end of it all, Knockout hardly noticed the changes he went through. His frame hardly shifted, only gaining a slightly greater luster. But his optics were brighter, no longer dulled with fear and hopelessness. His movements were more open, less controlled, and highly expressive. His smiles were less prideful and instead kind, if one were to look past his theatrics. Overall he became a happier healthier mech, even his mental state improved as he aided others, his grief over Breakdown's death healing with time.

Extra

When Optimus returned, the team were ecstatic. They were too happy to have their Prime back to see what Knockout could see.

Optimus's optics were too similar to Ratchet's during the first few years of Knockout working with him. The Prime's movements seemed choreographed, planned, almost like he was unsure how to act. And most concerningly to Knockout, Optimus seemed like he wasn't fully there mentally. His actions did not line up with the powerful Prime he had fought against decades prior.

Knockout watched quietly as Optimus interacted with those around him. Everything he did seemed like it was scripted or reused in some way, shape, or form. When forced to make a decision, his choices were skewed, almost immature, often forgetting the bigger goal in favor of whatever it was that caught his interest first. His interactions with Bumblebee were frustrating for everyone involved. Bumblebee was still recovering from his deep denial and still mimicked Optimus more often than not. The Prime in question reacting to this by behaving in a manner that resembled a rookie more so than an ancient scholar, warrior, and god-avatar.

Knockout could see that others sensed Optimus's odd shift, but they refused to acknowledge it, chalking it up to the Prime getting used to civilian life after millennia of war. But Knockout was not one to ignore a problem right in front of his face.

Whatever was going on with Optimus was serious, and it needed to be addressed before the Prime did something foolish.

[bullet-prooflove]

Downtime: Clinton Skye x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @crazybeautiful1987 @caffeinatedwoman @soultrysworld

Noone knows about the cases Clinton works in his downtime.

The ones he keeps locked in the top drawer of his desk in the mobile command centre.

They’re the ones that nobody else wants, the ones that local authorities won’t dedicate the resources to.

It’s heartbreaking, the amount of crimes against indigenous people that go unsolved. It’s the reason that he joined the FBI, he wanted to change the system, be the solution to the problem. Only the stack gets bigger and the resources scarcer.

He makes his usual round of calls while the others are asleep, hitting up the detectives, talking through their leads, making notes. The truth is the ones that do care are inundated, they try their best but it’s a deluge of violence, one that even the most diligent officer can’t hope to keep up with.

He leaves you until last, his pen tapping on the surface of the manilla file in front of him as his gaze flickers up towards the clock. Despite the late hour he knows you’ll be at your desk, you’re as bad as he is these days. When you see an issue you try to rectify it and working in Hate Crimes, you come across a lot of issues. You’re always out in the community, making connections, helping rebuild. It’s how the two of you met.

“Sienna.” He says fondly when you pick up the phone.

“Clint.”

He can hear the smile in your voice and he imagines you leaning back in your chair, the phone cradled underneath your chin. He’s only been away a few days but he misses you with a ferocity he can’t vocalise. The way he feels for you, it burns like a fire in his chest. With everyone else, he’s calm, reserved but with you he’s passionate, wild.

You’re a spirited woman, fierce, head strong. You’d brought colour into his world after the death of his sister. He hadn’t been living back then, he’d been holding everything together for Jesse, for Tali, his parents. It had become his pattern, numbing him to everything else outside of the grief they  suffered. His days blurred, his existence monotonous and then you had stepped into his life, a whirlwind of texture and vibrance. Your warmth had flowed over his battered psyche like the water from a stream, soothing, restorative.

You’d spent days working together, repairing the shopfront of a tribal member whose business had been firebombed before Clinton realises he’s starting to feel something again. It comes back slowly after that, the essence of his soul feeding back into his body.

“I just needed to hear your voice.” He finds himself saying as he closes the folder in front of him. “This case, the one I’m working, it hits a little too close to home.”

“Tell me about it.” You say so he does.

You already have an awareness about the residential schools. There had been an article last year when the Pope visited Canada to apologise to the Indigenous community for the abuse their children had suffered at the hands of the missionaries who ran those places, you had asked it about him about it back then.

“Your parents?” You had queried after you’d shown him the article on your tablet one evening.

“No,” He had said, shaking his head. “They were fortunate. They were hidden away when the authorities came to take them. They managed to avoid the ‘Kill the Indian and Save the Man’ rhetoric.”

Clinton knows hundreds that didn’t. There are still people in his tribe who to this day don’t know what happened to their children, they were simply taken away, never to be returned. The Bureau of Indian Affairs are still uncovering unmarked graves connected to these schools, thousands of dollars are being spent running DNA in attempt to reunite these children with their parents and debatably those are the lucky ones. For the survivors their stories play out over generations, the effects of their abuse like a stone being thrown into a lake, rippling throughout the branches of their entire family tree.

The case he’d worked today was a symptom of cultural genocide. The entire family were so broken by it and the continued systemic disinterest in indigenous cases that one of them had decided to do something about it.

“I was in one of those schools today.” He says quietly as he recalls the dilapidated building, the soulless of each and every single one of those rooms. “There were numbers on the walls, that’s how they referred to the kids, not by their names but by numbers. It was a way of breaking them down, eradicating their identity, their culture…”

He trails off because it’s the cruelty of it all that gets to him. Children younger than his niece Tali being beaten, abused, starved and all of it sanctioned by the state. He knows he doesn’t have to explain hate to you, you see it on a daily basis, experience it the same way he does.

“I don’t know what to say.” You tell him. “Those places, what happened… it’s deplorable.”

“I just need to hear something good.” He whispers down the line, his voice breaking as he speaks. “I just needed to hear your voice, to remind me there’s something in this world that hasn’t been tainted by all the darkness out there, that there’s still someone fighting.”

“You’re still fighting.” You remind him, referring to his case files. “You’re still seeking justice for those people, even when no one else is, you’re still telling their stories.”

“I don’t know if it’s enough.” He says you sadly, his gaze straying to the growing pile of manilla files neatly stacked on the corner of his desk.

“It is for their families.” You tell him. “For the father who lost a daughter to trafficking, for the mother whose son was beaten to death because of his culture, it’s enough for them knowing that that animal is behind bars, that he can’t hurt anyone else. That’s what you’re fighting for Clinton, to give those people a peace of mind, to stop it from happening again.”

“You’re right.” He says with a sigh, his fingertips massaging the sore spot right between his eyes. “I know you’re right. It just gets a little much sometimes.”

“I know.” You say quietly and you do.

This isn’t the first pep talk you’ve given him. He’s done the same for you. The weight of these cases, the importance of them, they’d crush you if you let them. He has a duty to these people and he won’t be the one to let them down, not when everybody else has.

“Thank you.” He says softly. “For picking up the phone, for always knowing what I need…”

“I’m your wife Clinton.” You remind him and he can hear the smile in your voice, despite the distance that stretches between you. “I’m always here for you.”

Love Clinton? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[girl4music]

“No one is birthed into the world complete and we don’t cross a line somewhere in our 20’s to find that we’ve arrived at adult. We shape ourselves into the people we are by making choices or circumstances will do the shaping for us. Which brings us to Willow…

This episode is a significant one for the Rosenberg and I realized watching it that I’ve suffered something of a Mandela Effect when it comes to her. Specifically I’ve been misremembering the very first episode where Willow’s eyes turn black upon casting a spell. In ‘Becoming Part I’ after Giles tells Willow that casting a soul restoration spell might open a door she’d be unable to close. She insisted. But his warning implies that casting magic potentially leaves an indelible mark on the caster and while being watched by Cordy and Oz something channelled through her and I was sure that she looked up, looked forward and had black eyes during the remainder of the spell - but no. Still, the door was open, and in Willow’s case what that has meant so far is magic becoming her number one coping mechanism. Magic has been a metaphor for a few things, but one of it’s analogues set up early on by Giles’ abuse of it to get high in ‘The Dark Age’, was drugs. A metaphorical connection between magic and alcohol was made in ‘Something Blue’ when Willow first tried to deal with her grief over Oz by way of a sick bud-light dance party. She has resorted to magic to cope with her lust, to cope with her anger, to cope with her grief,… and in ‘Tough Love’, her rage.

Historically there has usually been a scene afterwards where she suffers guilt for the spell’s misfire and bakes a round of apology cookies, but the episode always stops just short of her learning the actual lesson. Her regret is never specifically for the use of magic to solve her problem, but for the fact that she wasn’t capable enough to pull the spell off the way she wanted to and everyone tends to let it slide. On to the next episode. Heck, Buffy said more to Jonathan in ‘Superstar’ than she has ever said to Willow… because Willow is just… in pain, angry, lonely, lost. That’s all. It’s a familiar pattern with abuse-based coping mechanisms given there always tends to be a lot going on for that person. Big things that their friends and family members see as what actually drove their loved ones to this and that big thing feels more important right now than confronting their loved one about their little problem. Now is not the time, now is never the time and then time slips past.

But Willow has continued to become more powerful with every passing season and in ‘Tough Love’ her breaking into the Magic Box and channelling actual black magic I think represents a turning point. This is the first time her eyes actually turn black and if every spell leaves an indelible mark upon the caster, there is something in her now that she will always have to carry. But in keeping with Willow learning the wrong lesson or none whatsoever, the final scene in the episode follows the pattern we’ve seen to this point. Scoobies feeling bad for what Willow must be going through, conversations about consequences not being had and Willow feeling defeated and depressed. If the pattern fits not just because of Tara’s state, but because Willow wasn’t strong enough to wield the necessary power to properly take her revenge. Wasn’t strong enough,.. yet.”

Once again, nice job, Ian. Hit some points that I’ve never really thought about myself as you often do.

About your comment on the final scene of the episode being confusing because of the location they’re in.

Tara has not officially moved in with Willow. Yes, she stays in Willow’s room more often than not (hence the double bed replacing the two singles since ‘The Replacement’) and because of the traumatic events of ‘Family’ where her abusive dad just let himself in when it was unlocked, making it unsafe for Tara to be there alone, but they don’t officially live together. Willow still has her dorm room and Tara still has hers. So the room you see them in at the end of the episode is Tara’s dorm room, not Willow’s or Buffy’s.

[the-daily-word]

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

‭‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬‬:‭10‬

[influencingforjohn]

Here are some Bible verses to help you overcome the enemy:

Victory in Jesus

· "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Corinthians 15:57

· "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." - 1 John 5:4

· "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." - 1 John 4:4

Armor of God

· "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." - Ephesians 6:11

· "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place." - Ephesians 6:14

· "And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:17

Authority in Jesus

· "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues." - Mark 16:17

· "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." - Luke 10:19

· "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." - Colossians 1:13

Resistance and Perseverance

· "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

· "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." - 1 Peter 5:10

· "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:21

Remember, overcoming the enemy requires faith, perseverance, and reliance on God's power and authority. May these verses inspire and equip you for spiritual battle!

[creativewaygrace]

Bible Verses For Mental Health

Matthew 11:28-30- Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Philippians 4:13- I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

Romans 12:2- Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

1 Peter 5:7- Casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

Philippians 4:6-7- Don't worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7- For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

Romans 15:13- Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:8- The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Romans 8:28- We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

2 Timothy 3:16-17- All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work!

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

Philippians 1:6- I am sure of this that who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Psalm 34:17- The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles.

Hebrews 12:1- Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.

Philippians 4:8- Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any moral excellence and if there's anything praiseworthy dwell on these things.

Ephesians 5:18- And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit.

Romans 8:18- For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

1 Peter 3:14- But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be intimidated.

Isaiah 35:4- Say to the cowardly "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, vengeance is coming, he will save you".

Isaiah 40:31- But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10- Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.

Joshua 1:9- Haven't I commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Psalm 34:4- I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears.

Psalm 94:19- When I am filled with cares, your comfort brings me joy.

Romans 8:38-39- For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding, in all your ways know him and he will make your paths straight.

Jeremiah 17:7-8- The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by water, it sends its roots out toward a stream, and it doesn't fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.

John 14:27- Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don't let your heart be troubled or fearful.

2 Thessalonians 3:16- May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Romans 12:15- In the same way, we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

[theprayerfulword]

April 28

Romans 8:38-39 Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.

John 14:23 …Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching.…

1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

May you walk humbly before the Lord, avoiding the pride of life and lust of the eyes, remembering always that though the victory was yours, the power, and the glory, is God's. Judges 8

May you understand that fruitfulness in God and service to man does not require man's titles or recognition. Judges 9

May you be certain that as you die to yourself, others will be watching and see the hand of God, giving glory to Him. Luke 23

May you know that God has placed His people, good and upright individuals where they are needed, to occupy until He calls for their service, at which time they will be revealed to provide support and encouragement. Luke 23

May you wait patiently through your times of puzzlement and perplexity, trusting in God's promise as received through His Word until understanding arrives through the ministry of His Spirit. Luke 24

Rejoice in the refreshing I send you, My child, and receive the blessings of My presence. You must acknowledge Me, My dear one, to receive Me, just as the door must be opened to allow the One outside to come in and have fellowship with you. What sweet fellowship I desire with you, and what joys I have prepared for your heart! By offering Me praise, My love, the gates of your life are opened to Me, and by worshiping Me in our times together I am able to enter in triumphal procession, taking captive those thoughts and feelings which try to infiltrate and dissuade you with unrest. Let the light of My Word fill your mind and the fountain of the life in the Spirit bring refreshing and enjoyment in the cleanliness and holiness that you desire!

May you exalt the Lord your God and worship at His holy mountain for the Lord your God is holy. Psalm 99

May the Lord your God answer you for He is a forgiving God, although He punishes misdeeds. Psalm 99

May you exalt the Lord your God and worship at His footstool for He is holy, mighty, and loves justice, having established equity. Psalm 99

May you praise His great and awesome name, for the Lord is great in Zion where He reigns over the nations as they tremble, and sits enthroned between the cherubim. Psalm 99

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Suffering & Dwelling

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

=========================

+ Psalm 150:6: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"

=========================

VERSE OF THE DAY

========================

+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.

=========================

** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM SUFFERING BUT I AM GOING TO BE OKAY

I AM HAPPY

I AM CONTENT

I AM A IMAGE BEARER

********************************

THOUGHTS:

=======================

Suffering and pain, lately we all have been going through that, and we suffer loss, and sometimes we dont understand why. Still, God never says it will be easy. A lot of times, when we suffer, we are caught off guard. When we are, tons of questions come through our heads, and at this moment, this season of our life we are going through can make us bitter; we never know what we can endure if we never have to endure anything.

   I have dealt with pain and suffering, and I kept asking the question, why God? And I kept feeling myself feel this emotion I had never felt, and it was hurt. I heard the Holy Spirit say to me; you must go through this because you've never been through this type of pain, and you've never been through this moment before, and I need you to understand that I love you and what you are going through is going to make you stronger before.

  Paul knew all too well how to endure the pain, and that's the problem. Many of us dont know what to do when we are under pressure. We dont know what it means to dig deep. Some of us have been through the fire with the help of God. And that's where our character is pushed through the crushing season. Everyone wants to skip over the crushing and painful season, but you must understand that through and during this process, you will be tried on every side, but the only way we can make it out is to go through it with God!

 Paul pleaded if you could take this from me, but Jesus said unto him in verse 9, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me.

  See, his grace and power are made perfect in our weakness; when we are weak, we are made strong in him, and Paul said I would boast the more in my weakness because of the power of Christ! We are stronger with the power of Christ. We can go through the worst pain when we lean in on Christ, and how do we lean in by getting by ourselves and crying out to him, by getting in our secret place and reading our word, waiting for him to guide us because some of us are in this season because we won't allow God to guide us.

Doing the pain and suffering, you will experience loss, loss of friends, loss of things, but what we have to keep remembering is that whatever God put us through, he'll see us through; through this time, we will feel the hurts of physical and mental pain, but Paul says this to us verse 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

  He said I delight when this happens. I dont get bitter, but I'm okay if someone insults me. I'm okay if my labor gets more challenging because I am weak, but then I am strong. Why? Because he has Christ, we have Christ and his strength. Sometimes, when we endure, we won't understand it all. It's not meant for us to, but what we must get is God isn't worried about money, fame, houses, cars, or relationships; he's concerned with our souls!

   This body is a lump of dust; when we leave it, everything will go back to the ground, but our soul goes to God; in everything we do here, we need to make sure our soul is right with our maker. We need to make sure our heart is right with him. Did you go through the suffering with him, or Did you fight God every step of the way through it? We must understand that when we are put through, we will be brought through, but what we do know is Paul is saying that suffering is something we will have to endure this type of pain; when we go through, hold on to God because he has us in his hands.

  ***Today, we learned that we would suffer as part of the process. Sometimes, we will feel that we didn't get the best end of the deal, but what we have to understand is that in order to grow, we must go through something and not just pray the situation away probably , because something that won't happen; we have to start praying while we are in this situation, we must look to God on how to make it through and not feel he left us and he hasn't, a lot of time we take the suffering as a personal attack from God no my friends what God is trying to do each day is help us grow into more like him! We are image bearers, but we must be more than that every day, and in order to get to that place, we must go through it so we can depend more on God.

©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

========================

PRAYER

========================

Heavenly Father, thank you for everything; we ask that you bless us through our hardship and suffering; we give you everything. We ask you to help us to carry out our assignment according to how you see fit! Lord, we thank you so much. Lord, if there's anything we need to learn and we aren't, please show us. Lord, help us to learn what you're trying to show us; give us an ear to hear and eyes to see; help us to seek you and pray to you at all times. Lord, please don’t allow our suffering to bring us into anything, like the spirit of depression please help us to keep looking towards you where our strength ls, we thank you so much father giving you glory and honor  in Jesus' Name Amen

========================

REFERENCES

+ Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

+ Pslam 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

 

+ 2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

 ========================

FURTHER READINGS

=========================

 Proverbs 9

Genesis 2

Matthew 10

James 1

=========================

[jesuschristisgod]

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1Pet.5.10

[artsymumof5]

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.

[abbiedreamer]

Venti the bard? Archon of Mondstat?? Is he working hard or hardly working? Hahahah~

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

[hiswordsarekisses]

“Be alert and watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whoever he can devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brothers throughout the world. 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1st Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭11‬

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭18‬