A Prayer for Those Raw with the Pain of Broken Trust

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. Ps. 118:6-9 Lord Jesus, I’m just waking up, and though I’m yawning my way into your presence, you are fully alert and engaged. What a Savior you are! You never sleep or slumber; you never need a break or vacation; you’re never moody; you never get bored with us; you never roll your eyes and say, “When will they ever get it?” You will never look for greener pastures or better sheep. I praise you for the constancy of your love. Jesus, it’s because your love is so unwavering that you’re so easy to trust. We can trust you fully for only you are fully trustworthy. I’m so thankful to affirm this truth with confidence this morning, especially as I pray for many friends who are raw and reeling with relational pain. Thank you for caring so deeply and so daily. You are the one and only constant in our lives. As broken people, we fail one another. I get that. But the gospel’s not supposed to make us immune to the pain of bruised trust, broken trust, or battered trust. Broken confidences and broken promises still hurt, no matter who they come from; but certainly they hurt much more when they come from the very people we should be able to trust. ”What can man do to me?” the psalmist asks (Ps. 118:6). Plenty, Jesus, plenty. But with you as our refuge, with you as our very present help, with you as our advocate, intercessor, sovereign Lord, and gracious Redeemer—with you as the only prince who can be trusted, the Prince of Peace, we don’t have to grow more angry, flint hard, and dangerously isolated. I bring hurting spouses, pained employees, used-up pastors, to you, Jesus. I bring parents whose children have emptied their emotional banks, and children whose parents have abandoned them for the American dream. I bring you broken friendships in which distance has replaced dancing, pretence has replaced prayer and illusion has replaced intimacy. Whatever the issues are, melt and mercy hard, hurting hearts. Hold these whom you love close to your compassionate and strong heart, and help them deal with the betrayals. Don’t let them squirm away in fear and anger. Time alone heals nothing. It only creates calluses and chasms. Jesus, write stories of gospel reconciliation and redemption. Be big and beautiful. This is your day and today matters forever. So very Amen I pray, in your singularly trustworthy name. -Scotty Smith

Yes, Lord.

Hello friends, I promise I am still alive. I have been MIA this past semester due to the responsiblities in my life. Yet, I am so thankful for every second, I do miss being able to blog whenever I please. Now that it is summer, I am so excited to say that I am going to try and pick up this love of mine back up again and really try to make it a habit. So here is my promise, I am going to try at least once a week! We will see how it goes. This past semester has been such a learning experience for me and my life. I am so thankful for every lesson, every person, and every situation that has occured. I am serving this year as Panhellenic President and it really has been such a dream come true. I can honestly say that the Lord has placed me here for a Him and His purpose. I have been able to glorify Him in so many ways and He has walked along side of me, also has gone before me, each and every step of the way. I have been able to say fully, "yes, Lord." He has been so faithful this past semester and I know He will continue to be in the coming days, months, and years after I have completed my term. This opportunity has helped me to realize that I can do nothing without His help. He is my giver of peace and rest, and I am complete in Him.

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God's mercy in my misery.

As I mentioned in the last post, I am reading Jesus+Nothing=Everything. It has already blessed me in so many ways. I am learning so much about myself and what I have been looking for in contentment and security. I will review Chapter One and things I highlighted from the chapter:

1. With God-fueled fire in his eyes, he reminded all of us that bearing fruit requires death. Jesus said we must die in order that we might live. Daily Christian living, in other words, is daily Christian dying: dying to our trivial comforts, col-shrinking conveniences, arrogant preferences, and self-centered entitlements, and living for something mush larger than what makes us comfortable and safe. God does everything through people who understand they're nothing, And God does nothing through those who think they're everything.

2. "I was learning the hard way that the gospel alone can free us from our addiction to being like-that Jesus measured up for us so that we wouldn't have to live under the enslaving pressure of measuring up for others."

3. By His liberating word...I am being transformed, freed, refreshed.

4. He stripped me down-wrecked me afresh! And when he does that to a person-when you actually feel like you have nothing but Him-Jesus becomes more to you than you could ever hope or imagined.

5. Because Jesus was strong for me, I was free to be weak.
Because Jesus won for me, I was free to lose.
Because Jesus was someone, I was free to be no one.
Because Jesus was extraordinary, I was free to be ordinary.
Because Jesus succeeded for me, I was free to fail.


If you have not heard, Casting Crowns has a new CD that is so amazing. It is called Come to the Well. The song come to the well is so so great! I added the video below, please watch and listen to the words. It definitely spoke to me!

Jesus + nothing = everything.

For Christmas, my parents gave me a wonderful book that my mentor, Lauren Bush, told me to read. It is called Jesus plus nothing equals everything by Tullian Tchividjian

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It has really been a blessing and I am only a chapter into the book. I will be sharing more as I work my way through it! It is truly something that brings so much to life for a Christian. How true the title even to my life...Jesus plus nothing, equals everything. What a true statement. Every girl struggles for the perfect man, life, body, hair, clothes, car, grades, future, etc. We cannot hope for these things, although we can dream and pray for these things, we cannot put our value in these things. We must hope in our Lord Jesus, HE is everything we needed yesterday, today, and meets all of our needs tomorrow. He is before and after everything we do! How comforting.

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When you are struggling with doubt or insecure about your future, trust in Jesus' constant love and peace. HE will bring everlasting joy no matter what the circumstance in your life. He has such a purpose and plan for my life and yours. Believe this.

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because Jesus was strong for me, I am free to be weak.
because Jesus won for me, I am free to lose.
because Jesus was someone, I am free to be no one.
because Jesus is extraordinary, I am free to be ordinary.
because Jesus succeeds for me, I am free to fail.

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Lord, I give you all the glory. Cleanse me in your righteousness!

how to live like a lady.

For Christmas, my sweet sister Ashley graced me with a lovely book called, How to Live Like a Lady, lessons in Life, Manners, and Style. She purchased it at Anthropologie if you are interested! It is SO good and I am almost finished with it...literally.

Since reading this book, I do believe I am obsessed with etiquette and truly living and acting mannerly. It is so very important that we as southern women carry these traditions on so they are not forgotten for future generations. It is up to us to put these good practices into use.

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I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart...where?

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As I stroll through this Christmas break, I am so thankful for the time that I have been able to spend with the Lord. It has been so sweet and joyful. He is teaching me so much about myself and how much more I need to rely on Him.

On Christmas Eve, my family and I attended our church, Northpark Baptist, to celebrate and remind ourselves of what the true reason for the season is all about. It was such a great service. Not only did I get to see and catch up with many friends, young and old, who were there from college or those whom are there still but since I am at school I have lost touch. Seeing those people in my life who really influenced me as a person was a blessing.

Bro. Bill, our pastor, gave a wonderful message on my favorite word, JOY. The true meaning of joy has been so evident in my life this past year of 2011. The Lord has filled my heart with His joy and overwhelmed me with His presence and plan for my life. Bro. Bill used the word joy to remind me and the church body of how joyful are lives should be when we have the Lord in our lives and are walking with Him daily.

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As Bro. Bill shared his sermon, he went on to an even further study of the word Joy...

*J...stands for Jesus
*O...stands for others
*Y...stands for you

When you are living your life in this order, you will be walking in true joy. I have learned lately that when I am serving others, I am most joyful. Joy is so much different from happiness. Joy is everlasting, happiness is emotional based, which, as a woman, can be pretty up and down depending on what day it is. When we have the Lord and we are walking in His ways, we do not have to worry about what day it is, if I can be happy or sad today, or even if someone has wronged us. We can still have joy no what what the day, circumstances, or person we have been hurt by.

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Praying for you today and that you will find JOY no matter where you are in your life or how you are feeling. He is a constant source of joy for me and He can and wants to be the same for you :)

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How can I pray for you today?

there is no greater peace.

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Jesus. All we need is Him! Thank you, Jesus, for giving us Your son.


Merry Christmas!