Safe and Secure

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." - Proverbs 29:25

Other translation: Being afraid of people can get you into trouble. But if you trust the Lord, you will be safe. - Proverbs 29:25

Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." - Genesis 3:13

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6 

Other translation: Jesus answered, "I am the way. And I am the truth and the life. The only way to the Father is through me." - John 14:6 

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31-32 

Focal verse in other translation: "Then you will know the truth. And the truth will make you free." - John 8:32

Dear God, 

You ARE the only one who can keep me safe and secure for all time. So I ask this day, this hour, that You do just that. Keep me safe no secure against the harm the republicans are trying to bring upon those of us who have complex medical needs. I trust You to do that. Because You said You will. God, the devil says we don't You. And that's what worries me about someone like Trump. He says He doesn't need You or forgiveness. He goes around with hate messages. His party acts with such vile hatred. His supporters also act with vile hatred. They bully people like me for standing up for our convictions and the truth. The truth WILL set me free! The truth will keep me from becoming blinded by someone that seems to know how to appeal to the dumb and misguided. Please continue to speak nuggets of truth into my heart and into my mind. 

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen

Second Month Days 1 and 2

Do you have a mountain in your life right now? You might not be able to see around it. You can't see over it. It looks like an obstacle. Don't focus on the mountain. Focus on where your feet are landing now. God might take the mountain out of your path. And if He doesn't, He will help you climb the mountain. His angels will help protect you. (Psalm 91:11-12)

Where are your thoughts today? Have they started wandering? Maybe you're worried about the day ahead or even the week ahead? Maybe you're even worried about your friends and feeling like an outcast. Focus on God. He is there. Even in the small things. Do you hear a bird singing, a baby cooing? Do you see a friend's smile, a rainbow, a snowflake? Do you feel safe and secure, peace? God is in those things. He has you on His mind today and wants you to have Him on your mind as well.

Dear God, I see a mountain and I am scared, but thank You for leading me, one step at a time, on the path where You want me to be. Help me to remember and to see Your face in the big and small ways. The day I feel alone and I suddenly hear the quacking of my phone and see Tom's name on the screen and hear his voice reassuring me of a friendship that is starting to grow? Help me to remember that You orchestrated that. Help me to remember Your presence when the storm passes over and my family is safe from harm. Help me in the renewing of my mind. When the rest of the world is trying to tear people down by saying such spiteful and arrogant things about others (like the current president or like the law enforcement trying to rescue that little boy in south Alabama), help to remember You and to not lash out at those saying the things, but to remember instead that Your hand is in the current events of the day. Change my mind and change my heart. Renew my spirit. Right now I am sad because I haven't seen Tom in so long. And I worry about being forgotten. But help me to know and to trust that we will see each other again soon when his schedule clears up a little bit more an to trust that we are still friends regardless. Help me in that process to remember You when I see the tiny flower peeking through or the ray of sunshine poking through the clouds. Thank You for Your work that You are already doing in me as I blog my adventures in what I am learning through the help of Jesus Calling Kids and Teen. It is just one of the many ways You help me to refocus on You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Extra TLC Needed

Yes, as autistic, I can seem more "demanding." I don't mean to be. I don't mean to push people away or be overbearing. These are traits I can't control. I don't always understand social graces or etiquette. But I'm trying.

When I am going through a rapid fire transition time, like I am now: new church, new activities, new friends among old friends, new everything really, I get scared.

Like right now, and I have to apologize to Tom, but we are transitioning from what may have been a strained relationship because it seemed forced and it was restricted. Now we are more free to be friends. But I don't know what to do. And I'm scared. I'm afraid of doing something to lose him because I never really learned how to be a friend to someone.

So I asked for boundaries because I need safety in the transition so it will be successful. But I think it made him snap and it feels like he is angry with me now. Because now we went from one extreme, too loose, to the other, too restricted.

But right now, since I can't talk to him until Friday, I'm stuck.

But in the meantime, I could really use some extra TLC if you don't mind.