Serenity

Today, I'd like to share a prayer written by Reinhold Nieburh. I'm sure many of you have heard the first part of this prayer throughout your lives, but I read the rest of it for the first time today.

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next.

Amen.

I feel like the Lord laid this on my heart to share with women who are either struggling to conceive a child or who are desperately wanting to stay home with their children, but the door has not yet opened. Psalm 118:24 says,

"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Many of us have lived through days where the last thing on our mind was rejoicing. But His Word doesn't suggest that we rejoice, it commands that we rejoice. I've found that during my hardest times, if I turn to the Lord and praise Him, spend time with Him in prayer, serve a friend in someway, or simply focus on making my son's life blissfully fun that day, my sadness seems to fade. Does it disappear? Not always. But, focusing on Him allows the focus to be removed from whatever is troubling you that day.

No matter what your day might hold, think about the sixth line in the prayer...accepting hardships as the pathway to peace. God does not make mistakes.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." Romans 8:28

When challenges arise in life, and they will, remember that nothing is greater than our God. He can make everything go to His glory...a miscarried child, an absent father, a broken home. Remember, my family history of a broken home greatly attributed to the beginning of this blog. He, as the prayer says, can make your hardships the pathway to your peace, to your serenity. Let him work, and ask Him for the strength to carry you through the trial.

On a much lighter note, it's coupon week! If you're interested in the wonderful world of couponing, head on over to the Couponing tab at the top of the home page.

Be blessed :-)