Cathy, our third daughter, was our shy one. When company came to the house, she’d run to the bedroom and hide. She wouldn’t stay in Sunday School class for half an hour unless I was with her.
Imagine my surprise then when during the closing ceremony of grade one, I saw my shy little girl walk on the stage, lift up her little face to the audience and sing a solo. To me it was nothing short of a miracle. How had it happened?
I remembered the teacher’s words to me that first day of school when I’d warned her of Cathy’s shyness, “Cathy will be just fine,” she’d said. This positive message had been repeated many times throughout the year. Gradually my daughter had been able to believe the message and accept little challenges the teacher gave her to do until she was able to perform such a feat. As Cathy kept listening to the positive voice and reaching for her potential, her confidence grew until today she’s a confident, assured young woman. Believing the right message about herself made all the difference.
The world bombards us with negative messages. “You’re a failure, nobody could ever love you…”
When these negative messages come , change the channel. Pick up God’s word, the Bible, and hear what God says about you. “God so loved you that he have his one and only Son, that if you believe in him you will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) God values you that much. When called upon to do a difficult task, listen to his recorded message in the Bible, “Christ in you the hope of glory (success). Nothing is impossible with God. With God’s help I can advance against a troop. With God’s help I can scale a wall (Psalm18:29) This is the truth about you. Read it out loud.
Thank you, Lord, that you valued me enough to die for me. You love me just as I am for you created me. Today I will take freely of your resources. I will go forth in your strength and energy and I will succeed in your name.
To read more of Helen’s writings go to http://www.helenlescheid.com
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Can you look back over your life and see instances of God’s protection? My junior year of college I was fascinated by a movement of Christians. Some of my friends decided to spend the summer at the movement’s largest church and be discipled. When I tried to do the same every door closed. A second opportunity surfaced, which was spending the summer in Brazil. In this case every door swung open. Decades later I saw how God protected me. The movement became a dangerous and oppressive cult. The time in Brazil introduced me to grace—freeing and joyful.