today, i am thankful for...

my faith.

amy and i have been doing a bible study since this summer and whenever we get together to go over a section, it is always at the perfect time and always touches on the perfect topic. tonight we discussed overcoming the "what ifs" that we struggle with. the thing is...bad things happen to good people, bad people, all people. there's no real point in worrying about anything. i don't know why it's so hard to focus on the positives in life when god has provided so many. amy calls it "borrowing trouble." somewhere between paranoia and naivete, there's a way to deal with this...jesus has provided us with a series of "i am" statements to get through life. through these, there are simple truths when it comes to choosing faith over fear in our everyday lives.

-life is full of negative things that might happen

-as long as i choose a path of personal growth, i will face fearful situations

-acknowledging my anxieties is a positive first step

-an attitude of optimism will make today more enjoyable

-choosing a faith-filled decision is much less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from feeling helpless

god's promise is not a promise of a pain-free life, but it's a promise of life in HIM. "therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. each day has enough trouble of it's own." -matthew 6.34

today, i am thankful for my faith.