encourgement Archives - Turning the Page on Suicide

Finding Calm in the Pandemic Fear

Posted March 24, 2020 | Karisa Moore

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33

But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”…
Mark 4:38-40

Turning My Page

Silence is at the heart of every transformation God makes in my life. Our response to Covid-19 cleared my jam-packed calendar this month, and I now have the space and time for a quieter spirit. But, where there is silence, there is also death.

I have learned that to grow in faith, I must also put to death unbelief. I continue to practice quieting my spirit for five minutes after my morning scripture reading. Those five minutes are becoming precious opportunities for me to listen and trust God will provide an answer to this pandemic. I mourn for those who have lost loved ones and pray a hedge of protection around you. There is so much I’m not in control of.

I am dying to my expectations of God, myself, and others. I want things to return to normal quickly, but it is looking like our circumstances may not change for a while.

Today I put to death:

my own desires
my agenda
my Chick-fil-a cravings
my plans
my phone
my children’s routine
my concern for my husband’s job
my will
my writing
my expectations of God

The things I think bring order to my life do not. As hard as putting to death my striving in each area listed above, I am better able to engage my world with Christ asleep, calm, and undeterred by the waves and wind around him. Having faith that he does care for me.

Turning Your Page

You are dying to desires, wants, and even needs right now. Dying to your finances, the way you normally maintain friendships, family expectations, and faith. This a place of great fear, but it is also the place that God in flesh stands up in the boat and says to the wind, “Peace, be still.” It is an opportunity for us to step out of the boat of our circumstances and trust God.

List out things you are currently worried about or expecting because of Covid 19.
Look up specific verses that speak about calamity and God’s actions in times of trouble. (Psalm 91 is a favorite.)
What is God working on silencing in your life, and how can you trust him more deeply in the truth of his provision.

Father, I am afraid. You are not stilling this virus, and I feel like my life is in turmoil. Quiet my spirit so that I can recognize your call in this storm. Amen

Starting Place

Posted February 19, 2018 | Karisa Moore

i didnâ€™t know this

was my starting place

until You ended myÂ suffering.

This yanking war of soul and flesh

Soothed to peace by Your sacrifice.

I became a fledgling paragraph developing purpose

in the womb of just one word

hope

Mood Ring Mondays: The Gift of Tradition and Friendship

Posted November 7, 2016 | Karisa Moore

Do you wake up with a deep weariness? The sun is shining brightly, but the curtains are drawn closed inside. Like me, you may be taking in a breath and deciding what you want to do with your mashed up emotions. Look out the window and find mums and a Jarrito under your Jonathan tree . . .

Or at least that is what happened to me this morning. How did the sweet person know that my heart ached deeply this morning? They knew because my heavenly father knows and he lays it on the hearts of his children to minister to one another. So now I embrace sunshine and take a sip of memories.

Two things I challenge you to do, no matter your mood:

Develop friendships!
- Yes, I know they are messy, but they are so valuable and necessary. Friends open the curtains of our lives, when we may be tempted to draw them shut.
- We help each other
- We grow better
Develop traditions!
- Grief comes into every life. The things that we do, no matter what sorrows may come, make the difference between shutting down and opening our life and love wide to others
- Two years ago my neighbors planted an oak tree in my front yard and it has become a beacon, not just for my family, but for the neighborhood and you. You are not alone!

I am a Beautiful Disaster: Letting God use all aspects of our lives

Posted February 4, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Today I locked my self out of the house. Our garage door is broken, so the whole routine is out of whack. My husband had physical therapy today, so I needed to take the kids to school. My cell phone is dead, so I had to run over to my neighbor’s to call Brian . . . straight to voice-mail. So I called the physical therapist office. . . voicemail. Maybe I can catch him before his sessions over. I hopped in the car and drove over to the office. He had gotten the message and left the keys for me. Back home to get a quick change for the gym and back out.

Are you exhausted already by the start of my day? Now I’m laughing, but in the moment I realized my keys were on the inside and I was on the outside, my mind was racing to find a solution. How did your day start?

We can feel this way spiritually. We’re scrambling to figure out this whole God thing. Is he real-is he not? Is he good-is he not. Why does he let bad things happen to us? What is his plan for my life? Who is in charge, him or me? We lock ourselves out of his will and then blame God.

What if each moment, even my getting locked out were for a purpose? I thought about skipping the gym, I was going to be late for class. But my desire for consistency and discipline won out. If God works all things to good (that does mean that all things are good) for those who love him and are called according to his purpose- Romans 8:28, then my day to day experiences are beautiful. I love the songÂ Beautiful Disaster.Â That is what I am, and I love God for taking my brokenness and making me shine like the stars!

If your day started like mine, take a moment to read Romans 8. You might see that there isn’t a single part of you thatÂ is notÂ the hands ofÂ our creator! Even ifÂ the purpose of my messÂ is only to encourage others beautiful disasters to let go of having it all together.

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