What I'm focused on

I tried to do a "Word for 2011" post back in January, and just couldn't figure out what my word should be. I thought about it for a long time and tried to think of the things I struggle with most and which word best fits those daily worries and fears. Last year my word was "HOPE". I'll tell you, it got me through many tearful days just meditating on that one word. I also have it all around me, literally. I have 2 framed hope pictures in my house, and one of my Mom's sweet friends made me a pair of earrings with the word hope on them. I loved them & when I accidentally broke one I made the other into a necklace that I still wear almost every day. It means so much to me to wear hope on a daily basis and be able to physically see it each time I look in the mirror or when I'm "having a moment" as I often do, be able to feel it. It has helped me more than she would've ever known & I greatly appreciate the thoughtful gift (Thank you a million times, Brenda!). I have also had numerous cards and gifts proclaiming "Hope" and it means so much to me! It may sound crazy but having a word to focus on helped me tremendously!
So, I finally come up with my word for 2011 back in February & thought it was too late to share but I just decided I would since part of the reason for this blog is so I will have a record of my life & I want to remember this! My word for the year is BELIEVE. I tend to struggle with believing that the Lord who healed me & has brought me through so many fires still remembers me and keeps me in the palm of His hand. I know in my head this is true, but putting the nagging fear out of my head on a daily basis is easier said than done.

And that He did!!! I just have to believe that the God who "restored me to health" cares enough about me to keep me that way!

This shirt says it all. I found the picture online but I'm searching for the website it came from. It pretty much says it all. Fight first, then believe you're healed and that you can stay that way, then hope for a cure and for the wonderful, fulfilled life you can have if you let yourself...it's a choice we have to make every day!


Mark 9:23 And Jesus said to him, "All things are possible to him who believes."

Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

This is something else I have to choose to believe every day & keep going back to in my head. The Lord has shown us, and put on our hearts that there are more children in our future. We don't know how He will make that come to pass yet, but we have to Believe & put our trust in Him that there will be "a fulfillment of what has been spoken to us by the Lord".

One of the cutest quotes I found relating to this is from Christopher Robin in the book Winnie the Pooh believe it or not..."Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."