hiatus

Due to life, this project has to be postponed.  I'll resume as soon as life allows!

Self-Control

I’ve heard it said that you can never truly own something until you’ve had to fight for it. Maybe this was simply a lesson in not giving up, in believing in Him even when nothing makes sense, even when He seems to have turned a deaf ear to our cries.
Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 1388-1390). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition.


Bang on the door until all of Heaven pleads with Him to do something about your noise. And focus on His face; that’s where the truth is. Don’t ever look away from His face.
Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 1393-1394). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition.  

Luke 11:9-10

The Message (MSG)

 ⁹"Here's what I'm saying:

   Ask and you'll get;
   Seek and you'll find;
   Knock and the door will open.

 ^10-13"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

I've always thought of self-control as the ability to STOP yourself from doing something. But maybe that's not ALL it is.  Maybe it's also the ability to KEEP doing something, not quitting when it makes more sense to give up.

2 Timothy 1:7

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Gentleness from Life Letters

1 Peter 3:14-16

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁴ But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. ¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way.^[a] Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

I'm beginning to see why my subconscious has let me procrastinate on these last fruits. The further down the list we go, the harder they are to grow.

But I also see why the Holy Spirit has not let me walk away from this project. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about deleting this blog and just pretending like I never started.

Gentle, I am not. at. all. 

Lord, help.