#faith and surrender

[compassionmattersmost]

Carried Through the Storm: Trusting the Divine Footprints in the Mystic Journey

On the spiritual path, we often find ourselves in moments of struggle, isolation, and uncertainty, wondering where the Divine is in our darkest hours. The old story of Footprints in the Sand offers a timeless reminder: even when we feel most alone, we are never truly abandoned. The footprints that carry us through the storm are those of the Divine, supporting us in ways we may not recognize in…

[philosophybits]

Faith is not an aesthetic emotion but something far higher, precisely because it has resignation as its presupposition; it is not an immediate instinct of the heart, but is the paradox of life and existence.

Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling

[inquisitor-apologist]

Thinking about how, at the end of the day, at the fatal moment, the sunset of the Republic, it wasn’t Yoda, or Obi-Wan, or even the Chosen One himself standing in the way of Palpatine. It was Mace Windu.

Mace Windu, the inventor of Vaapad and Master of Form VII, the Jedi's strongest duelist, the only person to ever defeat Palpatine in combat. Mace Windu, Master of the Jedi Council and the youngest Master ever appointed to it, the revered leader of the Order. Mace Windu, who forgave even those who tried to kill him, who risked his life over and over again for his troops, who, after 3 years of desperate war, tried to negotiate with battle droids. Mace Windu, who knew the clones were created by the Sith and chose to trust them, who saw every Shatterpoint in the Republic, and loved it still, and fought for it until his last breath, until he was betrayed by Anakin, who he believed in and trusted despite everything.

Mace Windu, High General and hero of the Republic, the embodiment of the Light, the last and greatest champion of the Order, the best Jedi to ever live.

[urloveangel]

I always receive what I want or better ✨

[spoiledbratblog]

[4dkellysworld]

When everything's gone wrong

When life gets overwhelming and everything feels like it's falling apart, what can one do? (This is for the anon whose ask disappeared from my inbox but also for anyone else who needs it)

First, give yourself time and space to just rest and be. Allow yourself the grace to just be without any expectations or obligations. This answer by Lain is so good and I encourage you to read it and apply whatever resonates.

Second, I cannot recommend this enough, read the posts under my releasing tag. Learn how to release and apply it to everything that you are unable to ignore or detach from. If you are holding onto a lot of mental and emotional pain, it will help relieve a lot of it. Once you drop them for good, the peace is always there and it only grows as you drop more. If there's anything not covered in the existing posts, feel free to send in an ask and I can answer it.

Third, learn how to genuinely surrender, it will give you a lot of peace too. Sometimes one might reach a point where everything gets too much to handle and trying to manage everything gets too exhausting so you just want to give up, I was once there too. You just get to a point where you realize there is nothing that can be done but to surrender.

Surrender = Complete acceptance of what is, as it is + giving up control + faith that everything will be okay

Even if you don't have the last component (faith), if you can apply the first two, a lot of the burden will be lifted and somehow things will resolve on their own. But you need to actually surrender, there's no point lying to yourself about it. These two posts may be helpful as a starting point: here and here. This guided surrender meditation helped me a lot when I first started on this path and helped me understand what it feels like to be in complete surrender.

Fourth, I recommend reviewing your life and being selective about what you keep and what you will drop. Whatever isn't working or is holding you back, perhaps it is time to drop them? Just like how releasing is weeding out all the limiting thoughts and emotions we've been holding onto and letting them go, you can do the same for your life and lifestyle, including relationships, lifestyle habits, attitude, expectations, goals etc.

If you want to let go of something but are afraid to do so, you need to go deeper within yourself and find out why that is the case. Why do you still want to hold onto something that is causing you pain? Why do you want to hold onto the pain when it is only draining you? Ask yourself these questions, find out the causative thoughts and beliefs and then drop them.

Free yourself from these self-imposed limitations.

[alextvalencic]

I haven't written any reactions to the last few updates about Jonathan or Renfield, but something struck me about the last line of Jonathan's entry for today:

"What shall I do? what can I do? How can I escape from this dreadful thing of night and gloom and fear?"

Despite all that he has seen and witnessed, despite knowing exactly what the Count is planning on doing to him and even when, Jonathan has not given up that he can escape his awful date and he continues to write for Mina, believing she will one day read his words.

Hope springs eternal!

[ae-cha08]

Sometimes God will let us be uncomfortable for a dark, difficult period so He can bless us later on. He’ll close a door, which we don’t like, but later on He’ll open a bigger door. God is not as concerned about our comfort as He is about our purpose.

There are times when He will shake things up to force us to change. His goal is not to make our life miserable; He’s pushing us into our purpose. ✨️

[theinwardlight]

I crave to become resigned to His will, who hath a right to dispose of us as seemeth unto Him good; though it may lead us to become as spectacles to the world, to angels, and to men. Oh, may the short space of my existence here be spent to the honor of my God; and may I count nothing too dear to part with for His blessed name's sake, that the winding up of my days may be peace.

From The Journal of Ann Branson, a Minister of the Gospel of the Society of Friends (1892)

[thebeautyofanoracle]

[apparentlygay]

God is a Real One for that!

the other night, i was making a playlist for my cousin, who is going through a rough time, of a few rappers who are Christian and some of their songs that i thought he’d like and could help him mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

as i was listening to a specific song by Lecrae, i had this intense breakthrough, of sorts. it was so powerful! all the doubts and fears i’d been experiencing, in regards to my relationship with God, over the past few months, just…dissipated. just a sudden realisation that i’d been lying to myself and i actually let myself believe it!

now i’ve always been a fan of ‘Crae, and i’d listened to this song many a time, before. but it never hit me like this. the entire setup that happened to get me to that particular moment to *LISTEN* to that song and actually HEAR what God was trying to tell me was just..comical.

i couldn’t believe that happened, and i was so excited and FREE from that dark place in my mind, that i felt absolutely compelled to reach out to that man and thank him for being vulnerable and allowing God to use him as a messenger. it was 3am on a weekday, which is already weird, and after i finished typing, i felt ever weirder. the message was…well, “longgg” is being generous. i started thinking i shouldn’t send it, and that just typing that out was good enough. God was having None Of That, and i felt it, “no, *somebody* needs to see this, and it’s gonna be him”. so i hit send, closed the app, and went about my stuff, never expecting more of a response than a double tap, if i got a response, at all.

y’all!

he sent me a voice message and said a few things that really hit home for me, spiritually. things i *needed* to hear, but could never find the right questions to ask to get there. and i just—

God is so good! the was He uses His people to draw you closer to Him and will not let you ignore your feeling or sit in hurt. i had been deliberately avoiding talking about those things with anyone because i was so ashamed. and honestly trying to “hide” from God (which you obviously can never do). and in the midst of me trying to busy myself by doing something kind and healing for someone else, i find the healing i’ve been needing for YEARS!

anyway, God is just so good and will literally meet you wherever you are, when you desire Him.

[aniah-who]

Spend the rest of your time in the will of God and no longer in the flesh to the lusts of men. Time is short and so is life. When you give your all to God, you will never find yourself in a place of regret. Your only regret will be is that you hadn’t surrendered and submitted to His will sooner. God is that good.

~ 1 Peter 4:2

[loveandthepsyche]

It’s just a season, and seasons change. Embrace the season you are in ♥️ for it comes with gifts & secrets to imbue within your psyche 💫

[somehowwow]

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.

Martin Luther

[onlyjesussatisfies]

Sunday Service Heart Highlight

November 17th, 2024

Song, Service, & Scripture Highlight:

'Cause I wasn't made to be tending a grave, I was called by name Born and raised back to life again, I was made for more So why would I make a bed in my shame When a fountain of grace is running my way? I know I am Yours, and I was made for more

---

1 Peter 1:23 AMP

"for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God."

The spiritual seed cannot be sick, cursed, stuck in a habit, it cannot be corrupted

~~~~~

Disclaimer: the pastor and worship team did not and have never collaborated what songs to sing in reference to the sermon.

Which is why it is awesome to see just how the Holy Spirit works, this song fit in so perfectly with the sermon!

Beloved, the moment you receive Jesus as your lord and savior your past DIED. Jesus buried it. It is dead and gone. You are planted with an incorruptible seed and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:3). You are raised to life again with Jesus.

The life you now live is one full of God's love and light. Filled with the victory Jesus paid for you. You are washed by the blood of jesus. So, stop tending to that grave of a life without Jesus. Stop tending to that shame and despair.

You are called by name, do you hear Him?

He's calling you to walk with Him in the reality of His word. To walk in the love He has for you.

In Him you are healed.

In Him your whole.

In Him you are free and forgiven.

In Him you walk in the light.

In Him you have joy and peace.

In Him you are more than a conqueror.

In Him you are blessed and highly favored.

In Him you have abundant life.

So come forth beloved, God has made you for so much more.