My HOPE and SALVATION

I have started multiple posts since last November when I celebrated my sweet baby's 1st birthday. Many posts about various topics however, words seemed inadequate at times to describe the past six months but what I can freely declare is God's abundant goodness to his children! A few months ago I was reading through the book of Philippians. These verses are ones I have read often, quoted and shared to many but this time the Holy Spirit implanted these truths deep in my heart,

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:4-7

The key to living in the abundance of God's grace is found in rejoicing. Rejoicing causes us to take heart when troubles surround us, rejoicing cause us to place our faith in Jesus continually, and rejoicing will give us peace and will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. When I cast all my cares, desires and plans at the Lords feet I am saying "I trust you, I know you are working for YOUR glory and my good! I know That you are sovereign and the victory is already won!" This brings great peace, causing my love for God to swell and my faith to grow.

 Just yesterday I was fighting for joy! Fighting to live and even "feel" like a redeemed child of God. All I could see was the circumstances around me, the pile of laundry, the phone calls I had to make about a bill, a fussy baby, the defiant 4 year old, my own sin of selfishness and slothfulness! It was caving in on me quickly. Rather than letting it all pile on top of me I decided to be proactive, to fight with the only thing I could, God's word. I remembered my circumstances do not define me, the laundry could wait, I can't do anything about the bill at that very moment, put the baby to bed for a nap, let the 4 year old play on the computer, and poured my sin out at the feet of Jesus and grabbed a bible and take a hot soak in the tub. Soooooooo thankful for God's written word and how it brings life to my soul. I started in Psalm 37 and read to Psalm 42. Ending with,

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." Psalm 42:11

So therein lies my hope, in my salvation and my God. Thus I shall praise Him! Today, my circumstances are the same, the pile of laundry remains, the bill is working itself out, the baby it currently napping, the 4 year old is playing with daddy, I am still very much a sinner but I know that my hope is in God, who is my Salvation and my Hope.