I just read a book by Joyce Meyer called "The Battle Belongs to the Lord"... About praising and that has really helped.. also focusing on the Lord instead of the problems..

Also reading a book by Gloria Copeland called "Blessed beyond Measure"... this book focuses on the goodness of God and His continual and great blessings that He pours out on His people.. Actually I have never read a more beautiful book that highlights God.. and gives the reader knowledge about Him and how great He is!!

Both these books have really really encouraged me as I have been through some low areas in my own personal life... There have been situations in my life where I have prayed and believed God for a very very long time.. and well I guess when you feel low.. or are struggling.. they kind of seem bigger deals.. But I really sense no matter my own personal failures that God does not ever fail us.. isn't that amazing.. So it is not really about me.. but about Him.. and if I can keep my eyes on Him.. There is such hope!!

I feel no condemnation.. which is amazing.. at other times I have.. even though there are still struggles I have personally with different issues that I know need to change.. I feel so much to be joyful about.. and my faith can soar despite me.. Praise God..

The Holy Spirit imprinted this on my mind this morning as I was praying and choosing to praise God and speak well of my situation... It was like God was saying.. This is what I have for you.. don't give up.. just praise me and believe!!

Psalm 50:23
Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”

This is the most amazing scripture to someone who is failing.. God is telling us to look not at our faults but at Him and by giving Him glory we are enlarging Gods very presence in our lives.. and by standing no matter how shakily and ordering our conduct the way He desires He will show us salvation.. which is a way to be saved and show us the way through!!

One personal thing that happened today.. is I started speaking in prayer.. in faith.. about my husband.. He is not really a want to do things with me or children kind of man.. These family times are like spasmodic and far far between.. and that can be depressing if it is a lovely day.. and we are on school break at the moment.. And he is home on days off from work.. and You just want to be doing things as a family but he would rather do other things and cannot for the life of himself see otherwise or what we might benefit from family time..

But today without pushing it.. without planning it.. I went to prayer instead.. Not pleading with God as I have done in the past.. but speaking of what I desired for us both..

I have a great book of prayers based on the Word by Germaine Copeland.. and well I prayed over our marriage and in fact quite a few prayers from that book.. Some were about my life.. and I had to gulp as I spoke it out because I know that is not how it has been but as you read it out and pray it.. it is medicating my spirit and soul.. It prays as if my hubby and I were living exactly as God desires both in marriage and in personal lives.. following God with all our hearts and loving each other as Christ loved the church!! Now that is really so far from the truth of what we are doing but it is what I want for us.. and God wants for us!!

Even to say that seems so far out.. but I can see from the scripture above.. I was ordering our conduct aright.. and being very honest and humble before God because I know and He knows I am personally not doing all I could.. But I praise God His mercies are new everyday and I told Him.. I take a big bucket of them from Him every day!!

Later on this very afternoon.. My hubby decided without my prompting that the two of us.. and our youngest go for a walk.. and then we went out for coffee/eats and visited his family!!

God had opened the way for the other children to be occupied so this was possible!! See God has it all covered!! He is so very good!!

Wow.. It was a lovely time.. beautiful day.. and not so long ago.. My hubby could not see any hope of us being together and left the family home for awhile.. I had had a big big argument with him.. and it was not preety.. It was my fault that time that he left because I was getting on his back about how he was.. Our marriage seemed over..

Please take note.. we cannot change anybody.. We just cannot..

Praise God that He can and He does it through our faith and reliance on Him... What hope it gives me.. Faith works.. Because we are putting our very lives in His hands and speaking to the one whose very words spoke into nothingness and our whole earth was created and all the beautiful things that we take for granted every day.. The sun.. the moon.. the stars.. the earth.. the creation.. ourselves.. etc..

You know and today.. I had failed before I prayed.. so it was not like I deserved this.. It was all God.. ALL GOD!!

Halleujah..

2 Corinthians 4:18
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.