I have MOVED.

I'm at a new blog site!

Come and visit www.laurenstamper.com for more devotionals, poetry and me.

Thank you thank you thank you for reading what I write.

Loz x

get in the sunlight//227

Isaiah 60:1-2 (The Message)

"Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God's bright glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness, but God rises on you, his sunrise glory breaks over you."


The days are dark, the earth is not well, and we have no time to sleep. We must wake up early, put our face in the sunlight of His presence and soak in His glory. The light of His immense goodness and beyond-words-perfect-presence will shine all over you - from the inside out. And His hope and mercy and love in and around you will be the hope of the earth, in Jesus' name.

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don't believe the lies//226

Psalm 25:5 (The Message)

"Take me by the hand; Lead me down the path of truth. You are my Savior, aren't you?"

Too many times throughout the day we believe lies. We believe things about ourselves that simply aren't true, and it's these stupid ridiculous lies that give way to our negative thinking, our insecurity, us hurting people, and us hurting God. I think it's a worth while lesson to, as you go about your day, start identifying what is a lie and what is truth... and when those lies come up, knock em out of the park with the mighty strong Word of God.

Don't believe things about yourself that aren't true. For example, your head tells you: "no one likes me..." First step: ask yourself is this a lie or is it truth? Second step: open your Bible to Romans 8:31, "If God is for me, who can be against me?" Third step: identify it as a lie and move on. Fourth step: you are saved from the lies and you are FREE!. Don't waste one more second believing lies that the devil throws your way. Instead, open the precious Word of God and believe that you are powerful and full of authority in the strong name of Jesus. Believe the truth about who you are - perfect, royal, fully accepted and loved and full of power in Jesus name. It sounds so simplistic and in-theory-easy-in-reality-impossible, but at the root of all of our pain, our mistakes, and especially our insecurities is when the wool is pulled over our eyes to the truth of God and who He says we are. Remember, you're a target. The devil hates you and wants you to be a crumbling mess in the corner. Don't allow it. Stand up and fight back.

Pray this prayer that David prayed, and the light of truth will show you the way and save you from the lies.
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225//don't be stupid and rude//

Proverbs 18:13 (The Message)

"Answering before listening is both stupid and rude."

And who says the Bible doesn't have stuff to help us be better people? This is pretty much the all time take-homer, and I think it's so important to be someone who listens listens listens wholeheartedly before talking talking talking, and someone who absorbs and really takes in what the person in front of you is actually saying. It's a simple 101 communication skill, but take it from someone who has so much to say (it's the Italian in me), and often thinks that the other person is done with their sentence prematurely: people need time to say what they need to say, people like being asked questions about their lives, and people, more than anything, want to be truly heard and understood. Having someone who not only listens to the things you've been thinking about and experiencing lately, but chews on it and maybe even responds? This is a very very special thing.

Jesus displayed this little proverb beautifully. It seems as though He wasn't in a rush to say anything, rather, He listened and waited for what they (the goodies and the badies) had to say. Even the ones who had awful things to say... he waited until they finished speaking, thought about what to say and responded with words - perfect words - that cut straight through the fake and phony, into the heart of the matter. That's another bonus of waiting before you speak... the Holy Spirit will tell you how to respond and you will speak the truth in love.

Don't be stupid and rude. Don't interrupt people when they are speaking to you, look people in the eye when you're in conversation with them, and love to listen to people always.
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224/His plans trump ours//

Proverbs 19:21 (the message)

"We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails."

Ah, gotta love this one. Sometimes I picture God just sitting back and watching us like ants running around in circles, here and there and everywhere, trying to figure out the best possible option for the best possible outcome; trying to over-think and analyze the best possible scenarios that could make things happen the fastest to make us richer to make us more pretty and thin, and to make people like us more. We exhaust ourselves thinking about all the things we could do with what the world/life/God has given to us. And I think that God is maybe trying to get a word in edge ways, but we're too busy trying to sort things out, get our ducks in a row, and make it happen for ourselves (not all bad things, we maybe just need to sit back and let Him take care of the logistics for a minute).

When your heart and spirit is daily, moment by moment seeking His Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you - you know, asking Him throughout your day where you should go, what you should do, and when you should do it - I don't think that you can really go too far wrong. We must seek Him for the best options, and ultimately, in the long run, His wonderful bird's eye view will take you where you need to go... His plan will trump yours.

Get active in seeking Him. Put your energy into believing for good things to happen for you, your family and your friends. Maybe take half the energy you put into investing your heart, time and money into life stuff, and put it into the spirit stuff. Things will happen, things will change, things will fall into place and His plan for your life will win. That's what I think these precious words written by the wisest king (Solomon) who ever lived, are saying to us.
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223//home//

223//home//

Psalm 62:5 "My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him."

A few days ago I landed back in sunny Sydney, Australia. It's been awhile since I've been back, but the instant my feet touched land I was reminded that the glorious place I am lucky enough to call home is still there and alive and well. I had been far away for so long, but lo and behold, the city of Sydney had not left the building.

Those of us who have spent some significant (or not so significant) time away from home realize that it doesn't matter how long you leave a place, the places and people that truly love you, remain the same. You think everything will be different but it's a beautiful thing because you sit for coffee with old, dear friends, catch up on life and love and it's like you never left. People evolve, buildings get knocked down and rebuilt again, but the essence of home remains the same. It's the special place that has become part of your insides, part of who you are...

And I do think that having a home here on earth is important. God gives us gifts and abilities to build his kingdom here in earth in many creative forms. My husband and I were raised in different countries and different cultures. You may think Australian and American culture is pretty similar, but beneath the surface of the same language and looks are some pretty distinct features (those differences are not where I'm going in this one so maybe later...). So not only are we blessed to have one place to call home, but two. Two homes, two families, two big sets of friends, two pieces of land to plant some roots, and it's a wonderful thing.

I think that the home we have here on earth is important and (for most of us) really quite lovely (...for some, 'home' represents a place of chaos, torment and loneliness, which is devastating...). And as good as home can feel to our souls, while you do set up a home here on earth (a great and positive thing to do) just remember that your true home is not here. Your true home, the one that will never be taken from you, never fade away and never fall apart, is in Heaven. All the blood, sweat and tears to build your home and leave an inheritance for your children, will be paid back to you in crazy big ways - in Heaven....the place we are all getting ready to go. Don't make yourself too much at home down here. It's not worth it.
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222//obey & eat//

Deuteronomy 11: 13-15

"From now on if you listen obediently to the commandments that I am commanding you today, love God, your God, and serve him with everything you have within you, he'll take charge of sending the rain at the right time, both autumn and spring rains, so that you'll be able to harvest your grain, your grapes, your olives. He'll make sure there's plenty of grass for your animals. You'll have plenty to eat."


If we listen and obey God's leading in our lives, we will be able to rest confidently in the fact that He will bring things about at the right time and place. Although if we live on this earth we SHOULD be worried about things because nothing is stable and reliable, this promise says that we can stop the worry and the panic, and trust that He will bring payback into your life from all the years of investing into Him and His kingdom here on earth. You can trust that as you step out of the boat when He is asking you to, or make the hard calls to do what you feel is right, He WILL bring the autumn and spring rains (different seasons for different rains...) into your life, and your life will overflow with abundance and freedom and joy. The season of barrenness will be over and things will grow again.

And the beautiful thing is that He just wants your heart. Yes, the call is lovely: to love Him with every fiber of your being and to serve Him and His people. It's all relational - it's all heart. Once you fall in love, the obedience will come from that love affair with Him because you want to please Him.

Be with Him on a daily basis (take a walk with Him, get on your knees, get on your instrument, drink some coffee with Him...) stop and listen. Deep down you may hear what He is asking of you, whether it be specific or perhaps a deeper love for Him only. Obey the ask. And you will have plenty to eat.
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221//moment by moment//

Romans 8: 5,6,9,14.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace... But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."


So walking with Jesus has to be more than a moral nudging about what is right and wrong. It has to be more than Sunday at church and doing good things for people. Because those without Jesus can also do good things for people and go to church. It has got to come down to a moment by moment relationship with His Holy Spirit... about taking time throughout your day to still your mind and body and listen for what He is prompting you to do and say next. It has to be more than a one way conversation at prayer time where we say all the stuff we're worried about and need help with. We can't just hang up the phone and not listen for the response and what action to take or not to take. Prayer is not just about asking for what you want. Prayer is your relationship with God. Prayer is like talking to your spouse or parent or friend. It's the act of being 'one' with Jesus and knowing Him. Prayer is a state of living.

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220//stop thinking about yourself//

Philippians 1:3,4 (the message)

"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart."


I must say this over and over until it sinks into my thick skull. My life isn't always about me... it's not about me...it's not about me... it's not about me. The day to day to day to day isn't just about what God is doing in my life. I always think about myself. And then I think about myself more. Sometimes I'm so sick of the sound of my own thoughts and life that I want to scream. I am always thinking about this season of my life and what God is doing in ME and for ME, but I rarely think about what He is doing THROUGH me - through me for someone else who may need me in this moment of time. It's a shocking thought that maybe God has more for you to do here than just take care of you and your needs and your emotions and your career and your stuff.

And the beautiful magnificent truth is, you don't have to always be thinking about you because that's God's job. God is honestly always thinking about you, obsessed with thoughts of you and your beauty, and loving every fiber of your being. He is thinking of how He can use you, make you full of joy and make your life shine. The Bible says (Romans 8:34) that Jesus is seated beside His Father, God, praying for you non-stop. For once, stop thinking of yourself and go help someone, talk to someone and listen to things about their life. Relax.
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219//it is well//

2 Kings 4:26
"...Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”And she answered, “It is well.”

This is a story faith, courage and hope. It follows the lives of two faithful gems of the Old Testament, Elisha (one of God's incredible prophets and servants) and a certain older women from the village of Shunem.

The story goes that she was a notable women who, along with her older husband, loved and served the man of God (Elisha) so much so that she convinced her husband to add a room onto their home so when he was in town he had a place to stay. Throughout this time, Elisha had prophesied that she and her husband would have a son. Eventually, it came to pass. And at a ripe old age, God blessed them with their first and only son.

And now their darling son had died and she had to move fast. Facing this disaster, tragedy and loss, she held a strong and steady spirit of faith and peace. "It is well," was all she said to those who asked. She had to get the man of God, Elisha, to her son, the whole time declaring, "it is well." I want this woman's all-in-one faith and peace. Placing her son on the man of God's bed (the one in their home) she ran ran ran as fast as she could to get to the man of God's side, still declaring, "it is well" to all who asked, and maybe even to herself. Not once did she waver in her peace and faith..."It is well" was her mantra. She made it to Elisha and begged him to come to her son's side. She knew the power of His almighty God could fix her problem and she would not take no for an answer. "It is well" was all she had to say.

I don't know if she actually felt "well" in her soul, or if she felt the most fear and dread she had ever felt in her entire life. Perhaps she was actually just being strong and faithful because that's all she could do. Who knows? Sometimes, it's just by God's grace that it is well with our insides, and other times you may feel it. It turns out, the Shunammite woman's boy was brought back to life by their faith. I don't know how your story will end or how it has already turned out, but throughout the course of your life when things are in shambles..."it is well." Either loudly from the mountain tops or a whisper in your bedroom, however you feel in the midst of your pain and heartbreak..."it is well." Amen.
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218//true friends//

Proverbs 18:24 (The Message)

"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family."

It's true. Do you have friends like this? Is there anyone in your life where the water is equal to or even thicker than the blood? Given the nature of the world, these special friends are hard to come by and even harder to keep close by. My one piece of advice in a world where families are breaking down at a rapid rate and the loss of power and money causes people to jump off buildings, is to cherish these people who love you with all of their hearts. Pray that you find them, and once you have found them, don't let them go. Work hard and invest your time and heart and resources into these peoples' lives. Love them well - show them how much you love them and don't want them to go anywhere. Love them with a selfless love that expresses how much above all you want them to be happy, and things to work out for them.

People walk in, set up shop in your heart, and then unfortunately, sometimes they walk out. But don't let the ones who have walked out on you ruin it for the rest of the good ones who aren't planning on going anywhere. I guess this goes for all sorts of love and loss (spouses, friends, business partners...). Keep your heart soft and inviting for the friends who will stick by you like family. And more importantly-times-a-million, keep letting Jesus in... every day. While on earth He was a companion, help and good company to the guys and gals who followed Him, supported Him and believed in Him. He loved them and made things different by taking their Messiah and turning Him into a friend. It was a foreign concept to them at the time, but it was the beginning of the revolution.

He is the ultimate selfless friend who prays for you, is beside you and in your corner always - with you when absolutely no one else is. Your best friend should always be Jesus ... and He will then send you friends who stick close to you like a good family.
Pray for these friends, be generous towards them. Look after them, they are precious.
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217//the same//

Hebrews 13:8 (the message)

"For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself."


There are times in life when the emotions are flying high in your love for Jesus and nothing can get in the way of your relationship with Him. You're excited, you feel His presence and the sense of hope you have for the future is tangible... fireworks and cupcakes all the time!

And then the fireworks are over, and everyone ate all the cupcakes. You find yourself in dark and boring situations. You know He is there, you certainly don't love Him any less deep down, but things are different and you know it. Life circumstances may have changed, things aren't working like they used to and maybe you can't put your finger on it.

This is when your walk-by-faith-not-by-sight kinda faith must kick in. This is when you get in your bedroom or some peaceful place where you can be alone, or outside under the stars at the calm of midnight and pray. Then you believe that He doesn't change, has never changed and will never change in the way He loves you. He has loved you since the beginning of time and He still loves you. His love for you has not grown dim (probably even gotten more beautiful and intense), He has not changed His mind about the hope and plans He has for your life, and He is still Lord of Lords and King of Kings...every knee will bow one day and every tongue will confess His precious and holy name.

His perfect love and character and nature doesn't change and will never die... the world changes, life changes, things break, doors open, dreams come true, people change their minds. His character cannot stop loving you. Remain true to Him the whole way Home.
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216//love//

Psalm 90:14 (the message)

"Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long."

It all boils down to the love of God toward us. It's got to be the bottom line of our faith, our devotion to Him, and all that is important and worth living for on this earth. Why else would we do what we do? If we didn't do this thing because we knew how much He loved us, following after Jesus, our spirituality, would in some ways be weird and pointless. God's love has to be the thing that gets us out of bed each day for the pursuit of bringing His beautiful kingdom to this earth. It must be His undying love, and His love alone that primarily drives us to action on this earth. Because when you love someone and you know how much that someone loves you back, there is nothing more delightful, satisfying and beautiful than making that someone (who loves you and is proud of you and would die for you) happy.

But it's got to be more than simply knowing of His love in our heads...it's got to get down into where we feeeeeel it. It's got to be more than words and actions. I think at some point, it must be a feeling. Some may disagree with me, others may not. But if it is meant to be a real deal "relationship" with God (supposedly the only true and perfect relationship we can utterly rely on), every now and then we have to have those sublime, surreal moments. Those moments when God's love makes your heart beat a little faster, the smile on your face is hard to wipe off and makes you happy knowing someone loves you.

For today, think about someone on earth who loves you a whole lot.. and His love can't even be compared to that person's love for you. Take a few minutes and THINK, MEDITATE on His love for you. As you do, pray the scripture above ...surprise me with your love early in the morning so I can be happy and joyful for the rest of the day.
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215//be ready//

Isaiah 43:16-19 (the message)

"This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves ... "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands..."


What freshness and hope that floods our souls and minds when we read this miracle word. Maybe there isn't even too much to elaborate on with this beauty, but rather much to meditate on as we try to comprehend our precious Father. This is our perfect and beautiful God: the One who makes a way when there is no way in sight. The God who sees your situation and breathes fresh life into it when it seems like all hope is gone. The God who isn't satisfied for you to be doing the same stuff over and over again, but wants something more for you (and thinks you can handle something more, bigger, better, more cost etc. etc.).

And the advice we get is to be alert and to be present. Present in today. We must know where we have come from, and at the same time (even more so), ready in the here and now for what is to come. He is about to do something brand-new and something wonderful in your heart and life. We must not get caught up relishing in the goodness of an era gone by (although memories and good old times are wonderful and necessary for the heart and soul), but we must always be moving forward and ready for the next new exciting thing God wants to do in our families, our work place, our art, our churches and our community. He is so good, and He is always evolving our insides and making us perfect. Keep growing and desiring to change and be a better person. You will need it for what God wants to do in your life. Start making a list of the things you want and need God's new, divine life in, think about the history of your life and what part of it you give too much of your mind to. He creates roads in the most deadest of deadest ends, He brings life into death, and He brings something new to the old areas of your life. Be alert, be present. Don't fall behind, be ready.
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//passion laughs at the terrors of hell//

Song of Solomon 8:6 (the message)

"Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell..."

There is something crazy beautiful, somewhat unsettling, yet completely satisfying and desirable about passion. Those who lives their lives with strong expectancy, delightful excitement, and a peaceful fervency that sometimes transcends common sense, upsets the status quo, they won't take no for an answer.

According to Solomon, love-filled passion is not afraid "at the terrors of hell." And even if she is, maybe she just does things afraid... a totally great and wonderful quality. Jesus was probably the most passionate person who has ever lived, and it doesn't appear like He was loud and obnoxious. His passion was defined in how He simply went about what He was put on the earth to do. He loved His Father in Heaven with a quiet strength and discipline and served humanity with all of His sweet heart. And He did it all with every fiber of His wonderful being... there's the passion.

Like Love, passion is hard to put into words. Passion can be quiet and loud. Passion has power to build things up and change the world for Jesus Christ, and passion can destroy the world with one act of rage. One thing is sure: pure, love-filled-passion does not shy away or back down from the terrors of earth and hell.

If you don't think you're necessarily a passionate person, that's very okay. You probably are. Maybe find that one thing that moves you beyond words and emotion, live for it, and watch your passion grow. When the terrors of hell come at you with all of their might, and the devil does his best to scare you into submission to his powerless kingdom of lies, fear and hate, you will have something to throw in His face while you're laughing. Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. Don't be afraid to have passion.

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213

Song of Solomon 8:6,7 (the message)

"Love is invincible facing danger and death ... Flood waters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out."

Oh, Love. For years we've been trying to pin her down, trying to explain her in silly words and attempt to show people who she is with what we do. But she can't really be explained, and maybe if she ever truly were, the last love song would be written, love letters would be copied and pasted, and things would get pretty boring around here.

But how magnificent and deep the power of beautiful, sweet, heart-heartbreaking, unifying, separating, life altering... Love. She isn't someone to ever fully explain. Nor is the perfect and pure love of Jesus Christ toward us. His love is the greatest, and I mean greatest, force of life and light that has ever hit the universe. And this is how Jesus was the face of love toward humanity: He sacrificed some comforts to help people; He hung out with un-cool and bad people, influencing them to be better; He fed hungry people; He spent time with lonely people; He ate with His friends; He prayed for people who were sick and hurting; He was kind; He was patient; He was humble; He was sad when people were sad, and happy when people were happy; He laid down His life for His friends (and strangers).

There is no other thing as strong and mighty as love. The broken and messed up earth and humanity has done and continues to do everything to destroy Love's grip on this world, but rest-assured, Love continues to hold strong and mighty against the fight. Be someone who proves this reality of love to the community in which you live. Nothing will stop and destroy love. Love will not be flooded out, not be broken, not be quenched. Be the face of love.

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212

Psalm 143: 8 (new living translation)

"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you."

He is with you.
There is nothing more devastating than feeling forgotten by someone who claims to love you. Feeling like they have felt something for you in the past, and now feel something differently. And there is absolutely nothing more painful than the feeling of trusting God for something, trusting Him to come through, trusting Him to be there with you, really relying on Him for His daily grace and presence and believing Him for the results you (or someone you love) need in a specific situation - and then He doesn't, and you are bitterly disappointed. Things don't change, you and your heart feel like you're still barely holding on to make it through the day, and life doesn't seem to be everything you thought it would be by now. The only source of comfort in times like that (if you want to hear it) is the truth: God, our Abba Father, is watching you, and watching me. He doesn't forget. He is closer than a best friend and more loyal than a mother or father.

Despite the fact that for years we have been trying to argue and debate God's love for us into our finite minds, I don't think we can ever sum up in human words and capacity the love of God for us, and what it really means to walk with Him and have a daily, minute by minute relationship with Him. Think about your lover, your parent, your best friend and then think of Him in that role. After looking around the state of the world and discovering that our only hope is Jesus, I am convinced that the essence of our faith shouldn't be too complicated. Yes, life and heartaches and disappointment (especially with God) makes things (and Him) complicated and make even less sense. But the bottom line is that God is with us. He is near to you and your heart, He is in your midst. He is in the room with you. He is in love with you with a love that you don't understand.

And it's about trusting that He is with us. Really with us. Watching our every move, taking pride in the day to day of our lives. Sharing in our days joys and losses. Watching as we go about our business, watching us trust and pray. He is not a magician in the sky who gives us everything we want. But He IS someone to trust and lean on and take risks for. He can be trusted and He can be relied upon. Psalm 37:25, "Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken and His children begging for bread." The promises of God are to be prayed into your life with serious dedication and heart. He is good for his promises. Give yourself entirely, don't hold back anymore. He is with you.
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211

Revelation 21:5 (the message)

The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down — each word dependable and accurate."


Ironically, this little gem of hope is something that people have for years clung on to for the dream that things will change, situations will turn around, and that the promises we've been holding onto for years will no more be vague notions in our hearts and heads, rather fulfilled realities before our eyes. So let's look at this promise of newness and hope in a new (how many times can we use the word "new" eh?) way.

The fact is that your Father in heaven is crazy in love with you, and according to Romans 8:34 all day every day prays for you and me. Jesus, right now, sitting next to His Father is praying for you... Selah.

"Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down - each word dependable and accurate." If you want something new, make some changes. If you've been down and out, get positive and happy, write verses on paper that make you have faith again and put them on your bathroom mirror, spend time with people who lift your spirits and make you feel loved and positive about the newness of God and what He wants to bring into your life. Maybe even take a course and learn something new. Fast and give up something you love until your specific breakthrough happens. Don't get comfortable in the place you're in, satisfied with floating through life. Write down the things you know you want to do, the person you want to be, and what you think you're still on this earth for. This verse says that God can be trusted. Believe God for the big things to come - He has things for your life that you can't even imagine... keep pushing for them!
He makes all things new... your life is one gigantic masterpiece He is daily making perfect.

And if life has handed you a doozy and it's too painful for you and your heart to make it out of bed, let alone hope for the light of a new day, from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry. It's okay. God has you wrapped up in His arms, and has your newness for you. Hold on and take one breath at a time... in and out in and out.
He makes all things new...even your broken heart.
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