Leading And Loving It Paraugs

I remember sitting in my daddy’s lap watching Bo and Luke Duke outfox Boss Hogg on The Dukes of Hazard. I remember the first time I talked to my husband on the phone, twirling the phone cord in my fingers. I recollect times I felt so close to Jesus I was literally surrounded by Him.

Warm, fuzzy memories bring a smile to our face and a pep to our step. There are times when they also break our hearts.

In seasons of discouragement, you remember feeling great joy as you led other women worshipping God and the delight you once felt when you taught Bible Study. And it breaks your heart. You would love nothing more than to have those feelings again.

Feelings can be fickle, and we’ve got to dwell upon much more than our feelings. We must dwell upon God and fix Him in our minds. When it feels like miles of wasteland stretch between us and God, we must remember Him. His goodness. His mercy. His forgiveness. His pursuit. His incredible love. His radical grace. His faithfulness. His presence even when we are distant.

You may feel like God is not with you or does not hear you in the midst of your struggles. You may feel like your cries for help are merely bouncing off your ceiling. The truth of the Bible is that God is always powerfully at work in our lives. When feeling your most defeated and loneliest. Remember you are not alone!

In the midst of every emotion, there is one constant. God cares for you and is with you!

If you are on the mountaintop and feeling like things couldn’t be better, God cares for you and is with you!

If you are currently experiencing hurt or disappointment in ministry, God cares and is always with you!

God is close to you when you feel alone and when you cry. He’s close to you when you wonder how you’ll move forward. Pour out your pain to God; move closer to Him. Emotions are fleeting. We choose how we direct our thoughts and energy. Instead of nursing our pain, we can find freedom in choosing to cling to hope in God.


Before you get in the truck: Grab a journal. Record the feelings swirling around. The good. The bad. Record them all, and remember that God is bigger than all of our emotions.