It was an August weekend that was just going to be another couple days of rest in between two work weeks. Just got kids back in school and started my first week in a boot camp at the invitation of a friend. {another story for another time soon…hopefully after shedding a few pounds 😜}

Long story short, a new friend offered tickets to go see Beth Moore. The plan was to take my youngest to Birmingham for a soccer game. Dear ole Dad decided to take him instead and so I found myself in the middle of  nine thousand women laughing and learning about the differences between wisdom and folly. That was fantastic and I learned bucket loads of truths but perhaps the biggest thing all weekend that stuck out to me is when Beth Moore asked this question and the entire crowd from what I could tell answered a resounding YES! Her question was, “Who in this room today has a relationship that you are at your whit’s end with?” Then she even went a step further and asked, “Who in here has a family member you just don’t know what to do with?” I could not believe my eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so shocked but y’all, if not every then almost every one of us nine thousand women said, “YES!” raising our hands that there was relational turmoil going on right now in our lives. Woa! Two things I learned from those nine thousand yeses. 1- I am not alone and neither are you! Beth even let us know she too has these same struggles. We all do. She even read a list of some of them in her family. I have that same list of characters in mine and most likely you do, too. I may even be one of those characters to someone as well you could be. 😜 {blind spots…another blog coming soon perhaps} 2- This means all of us nine thousand women could use a lil or in some cases a lot more happy in our lives. Love is the number one key to happiness according to the Harvard Grant Study. So getting these relational issues fixed or if not fixable then learning how perfect love can cast out fear regarding the outcomes is paramount in being able to live happy lives in the midst of it all. Make it your aim to recieve how ever tiny amount of love someone has to give even if you so need it to be more and to not push even that tad bit of love away. Each time you do, a lil more happy follows. Love truly never fails. I do realize it sometimes means doing all of this from a distance depending on the circumstances but you can still recieve and not push love away to some degree creating more health and happiness in your relationships. 

Just remember you are not alone and you can bear up under whatever relational strain you are in right now. It feels at times that we Can’t. Take. It. Any. More.  But according to this scripture we can!!! 

 “For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

http://bible.com/8/1co.10.13.ampc

I’m praying this week for those relationships in trouble that are closest to your hearts.

By the grace of God…

Happy Monday ANYWAY!