When You Feel Like God's Not There Through Life's Storms

      Sometimes, our faith can become tested, all throughout life really. A lot of times I find that life circumstances or events are what makes us as humans question our faith. For some, sickness, tragedies, job loss, etc. will increase our faith in God and draw us closer to Him. But what about those who start to deter from God or lose a little or all of their faith in Him? The typical answer to life's tragedies and sin around us is, "we live in a fallen world". What if that statement is just not enough for those really hurting and not understanding why everything is falling apart in their life? I mean yes, we live in a world of sin and sometimes events happen in our lives that really throw us a curveball, ones that we just can't understand. And then as Christians, we cry out to God and ask Him repeatedly to please heal us, our broken hearts, our sickened bodies, our financial situations, etc. Weeks, and then months go by and things are either getting worse or staying the same and you just don't feel like God is listening to you, nor helping you at all. Where is the healing? Where is God? Why can't you feel His presence anymore? Has he deserted you and left you to fend for yourself?

Overcoming Depression {Part 3}: Discovering/Remembering Your Identity

Welcome to part 3 of my mini blog series: Overcoming Depression. A couple weeks ago I shared with you my personal story on struggling with depression. If you haven't read it yet, feel free to jump over here and read it. Part 2 is all about Renewing Your Mind, have you had a chance to read it yet?
Today is Part 3, which I titled Discovering/Remembering Your Identity. I titled it this way because some of us have never really discovered our true identity, and some of us have, but lost sight of it along the way. I am one of those who had discovered my identity, but "lost it". I had to re-identitify myself.

I'm Going to Stop Stressing Over Daily Routines

Throughout my whole life, I feel that I always had a routine and a certain schedule. Whether it be a weekly routine (cleaning and doing laundry on certain days of the week, attending church on Sundays and Wednesday nights, going to softball practice and piano lessons), or it being a daily routine (gotta do x, y, z at certain times in a certain order). I think I just function better with a routine, and even pushed that onto my kids. I was so strict with my kids' schedules and routines when they were babies. For example, I wouldn't miss nap time and kept it the same each day. Over the past couple of years, I've noticed that if an activity is done out of order or at a different time in the day, my oldest child realizes it and says "It's not time," or "That's not how we do things".  Notice how before, I just said "I think I just function better with a routine".