On My Knees and Blessed

This week, in "Stressed-Less Living", we read about the things in our lives that cause our stress. I completed an exercise where I listed out what the problem was, how it makes me feel, how it affects my life and whether or not I have control or the power to change it.

I learned that the majority of my major stressors are out of my control and I have absolutely no power to change them. That should make me feel better, but it doesn't. The reason it doesn't is because I have been unwilling to give them up to God and allow Him to keep them. I want to be able to do this. The exercise also encouraged a conversation with the Lord. My prayer is below:

Lord,
I confess that I am often stressed over things that are out of my control. I have let these things affect my relationship with You and with others. Lord, I want to be free of these burdens and how they affect my life. I pray that You will take these problems from my shoulders and You will work in them, in Your time. I pray for Your peace that passes my understanding as I wait on You for the solutions and answers. Help me to continue to turn these things over to You when I want to pull back and worry. I pray that I will allow You to work. Thank You Lord that You care about me and all that is going on in my life. I thank You that You love me and You will always be there beside me. 
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Some of the stressors in my life seem pretty huge and daunting. I am challenged to seek the blessings that I have as I wait on the Lord. I shared some of my blessings in my last post, here are some more.

I am thankful for:

• My daughter's Physical and Occupational therapists who work hard with her every week to help her to walk and also help me to not be worried over her delays.
• My children who help out around the house.
• My husband's job which provides for our family and allows me to stay home with our children.
• The ministry opportunity that my husband and I have to help grieving people in their healing.
• The mild weather we have here in the Pacific NW.
• My online bible study sisters who encourage and support me in this journey.

 I am learning so much in this study and look forward to what the Lord has for me.

My Stressed-Less Journey

This week I started a new online bible study with Proverbs 31 which uses the book "Stressed-Less Living" by Tracie Miles. We have just begun the adventure and I am already learning a lot.

I decided to join this study because I know I could use some insight and help on living life with less stress. We have a lot going on in our family. Currently, 5 of our 8 children live with us as well as our nephew. I am a director of a homeschool community, I support and facilitate ministry teams at church and try to homeschool my children in all of that. Life is very busy. And busyness often brings stress! I don't want to be the cranky mom or the nagging wife or the complainy friend. I want to be a calm person who is at peace with where God has me. I know that I need to give up my desires, plans and future to Him in order to have that.

My goal in this study is to learn to surrender to God, trust Him with the outcome and walk in His peace. One of the first steps in that is to realize my blessings. God has worked amazingly in my life and I am a truly blessed woman. Below are just a few of the things I am thankful for:

• I am thankful for my husband who works hard to provide for us and helps me continually grow in the Lord.
• I am thankful for my children who are a huge blessing to my life and keep me humble and help me to not be lazy.
• I am thankful for difficult relationships so that I can learn to love better.
• I am thankful for a house that constantly needs attention because it is FULL of the people I love!
• I am thankful for my mom living right down the street because she is often available to watch kids when I am in a pinch.
• I am thankful for the blessing of homeschooling my children because I can see them grow and be there when they have A Ha moments!
• I am thankful for my friends who hold me accountable and love me.
• I am thankful for this study and how God is going to use it to continue to shape and mold me.

These are just a few of the things I am thankful for. I look forward to what the Lord has to show me through this study.