Kindness from Life Letters

To me, showing kindness always meant being "nice."  In my brain, nice = June Cleaver.

I'm not very good at being a "nice" girl; I'm not what most people would consider a "bad" girl, but probably would not be described as "nice" by those who know me best.  

And when I was "nice" it was because I had to be, because it was the "right thing", not from a desire to please God and definitely not for the other person's sake.  

My lack of kindness reaches beyond just rubbing someone the wrong way or handling a situation wrong.  

I HAVE to cultivate kindness for the other person's sake.  Their eternity is counting on it.

It is my prayer that I will someday be able to fill her shoes, that I will have eyes to see Jesus in the ones that He puts before me and that I will have the love in my heart to reach out to those around me with kindness.

Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 718-720). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition. 

Micah 6:8

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ⁸ No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good,
      and this is what he requires of you:
   to do what is right, to love mercy,
      and to walk humbly with your God.

Patience from Life Letters

I'm probably one of the most impatient people on the planet. I am a problem solving, truth seeking, action-oriented woman. And to wait does not bode well with me. Especially when what I'm waiting for is clarity or an answer.  


I can't begin to count how many times I've said, "All we can do is pray," and immediately begin to pour every ounce of my energy into finding the answer instead of simply praying. Oh, I prayed alright, but it was as a tacked on addition to what I was doing to address the problem or situation. Prayer felt like hitting pause in the middle of an action scene of an epic film. 


Don't get me wrong; I prayed with expectation of God doing something. I just felt like I needed to be doing something, too.  


Can we say cocky? As if God needs my help! See, impatient.

All I can do is continue to cry out to the Lord in prayer, and in so doing, I find the strength to wait patiently. I believe that prayer is patience in action.

Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 563-564). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition. 

The God who created us knows how hard it is to wait. I believe He gave us prayer so that we can stay busy while we endure long hours, days, months, years, without answers.

Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 564-565). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition. 


Patience or prayer have never seemed like action before. Mostly because the two didn't go together in my mind.  


Prayer as patience in action, though, a girl can't get more busy than that.  

Micah 7:7

The Message (MSG)

 ⁷But me, I'm not giving up.
   I'm sticking around to see what God will do.
I'm waiting for God to make things right.
   I'm counting on God to listen to me.


MY HELP IS ON THE WAY!  HE WILL NOT DELAY!

Peace from Life Letters

I can’t guarantee that life will get easier--it probably won’t--but I promise you that if you choose Jesus, you will find the peace that He offers no matter what your circumstances.
Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 463-464). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition. 

I've struggled for weeks to write this one little post.  I just couldn't put anything into words and honestly had nothing to say when it came to peace.  Yesterday, I realized it was because I had not been at peace.  How can you speak on something or write about something you yourself don't possess?  


But today I have peace.  Today, I know He has not forgotten me.  


Not because things are different, but because I am different.  


Brokenness, confession, submission, and obedience before our Holy God lead to Peace.  There is no other path to what only He can give.

John 16:33

The Message (MSG)

 ^31-33Jesus answered them, "Do you finally believe? In fact, you're about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me. I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."