Estou tão grato pelo amor de Deus

Estou tão grato pelo amor de Deus

Estou tão grato pelo amor de Deus

por Toni Weisz/Recuperação de Abuso

Scriptures: Romanos 5:5, 1 John 4:7, Efésios 3:17-19, and Zephaniah 3:17

Romanos 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

1 John 4:7
Amado, vamos nos amar, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Efésios 3:17-19
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and the depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God, in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

 

I want to share my journal entry from November 30, 2024. The Holy Spirit speaking to my heart said, “I will never make you grovel or beg for help; My love is extravagant.”

“Yes, it is Lord, and I am so grateful for that.”

The Lord said,
“My love is perfect.
My love is gentle.
My love is kind.
My love is compassionate.
My love builds up.
My love blesses others.
My love encourages.
My love is eternal.”

So many of us have a distorted view of God’s love because of the treatment and/or abuse we have received especially from those closest to us; those who were supposed to love, nurture, and protect us. We attribute these characteristics to God, and therefore, we think He is angry, harsh, abusive, and unapproachable, but that could not be furthest from the truth.

I believe our distorted view of God’s love causes us to look for it in other places, from all the wrong people; because as children, we are not mature enough to understand how fundamental love is in our emotional, physical, and spiritual growth and development. It affects every aspect of our lives. We feel we are unworthy of love and that we are flawed and unlovable because of the way others have treated us in our past. The evil one wants us to believe that God does not love us.

So how do we replace our distorted view of God with the truth? Primeiro, we must be born-again; we must be a Christian, a child of God, because it’s the Holy Spirit of God Who helps us to know God and the truth from His Word. Second, we have to spend time with God in prayer and the reading of His Word. Just like any other relationship, it grows deeper with time spent together. Third, we must believe that God’s Word is truth and that He is love, and not our unkind or abusive family member. Fourth, we start meditating on His Word and the Holy Spirit helps us to start believing that truly we are precious in His sight and that we are His beloved children.

Once we receive God’s love into the innermost part of our being, we are changed forever. In my blog, “My Distorted View of God,” https://myashestobeauty.com/stinking-thinking-my-distorted-view-of-self-toni-weisz-abortion-recovery-and-abuse-support-group/, I talk about how the love of God changed me forever once I received His love in my heart. I no longer doubted; I truly believed I was loved by God. I was different; I no longer looked for another person to validate and affirm me because I was secure in God’s love for me. I did not have to perform or be perfect in order to be worthy enough to receive His love. I am loved simply because He created me and I am His child.

Perguntas para levar a sério:

  1. Did you grow up feeling loved and secure in that love?
  2. Was it hard for you to believe that God loves you? If so, por que?
  3. Have you received God’s love in your heart? Se não, what is preventing you from believing you are loved by Him?
  4. Como podemos orar por você?

Dear One, I pray you too will receive God’s love in your heart. He loves you more than you can comprehend. He rejoices over you with gladness, He quiets you with His love, and He rejoices over you with singing (Ref. Zephaniah 3:17).

Entre em contato se precisar conversar. Feel free to email me: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

 

Você é amado,
Toni

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Meu amoroso pai

Meu amoroso pai

Meu amoroso pai

By Luci Boudreaux/Spiritual Insights

 

Versículos das Escrituras: Efésios 1:3-4 e 1 John 3:1uma

Efésios 1:3-4 “Bendito seja o Deus e Pai de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him eun love.”

1 John 3:1a “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

 

Many of you precious ones have been abused by your fathers or male figures in your life. então, it may difficult for you to see God as your loving Father. Or you may think God is not being gracious or kind when He allows trials or suffering. But He knows just what we need that will cause us to turn to Him and experience the richness of an intimate relationship. Sometimes, these trials are just what make us stronger and become more aware of His presence.

As a very young girl, I saw my father as the hard-working provider and accepted that he was too busy to spend time with me. I wanted to be with him, but there were very few opportunities, and when there were, he wasn’t emotionally available. À medida que cresci na minha adolescência, things became very contentious between us. He often accused me of being promiscuous even though I hadn’t been, yet.

As I look back, I see that he was intimidated by my becoming a woman. He didn’t want me talking to boys or exploring the concept of maturing. He labeled me as a tramp, which hurt me deeply. He expressed lots of anger and frustration. I had no idea how to cope with his misguided anger. então, I retreated from him as much as possible.

I began to seek out love and affection from other boys and men, which led me into a destructive life of promiscuity and substance abuse. This behavior came out of a deep sense of rejection and abandonment from my father.

The two examples that I had of what God is like were my father and the catholic church. They both fell short as they were hyperfocused on obedience and judgment. I hated the concept of God as a Father. But by His tender mercy, I came to know Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior at the age of 25.

It took me a couple of years of prayer, reading the Bible, and seeing examples of godly men in the church to understand that God, my loving Father, is nothing like the earthly father I knew. And my relationship with Him became such a refuge of grace, forgiveness, and a constant loving presence! I came to know my Heavenly Father in a very personal way. I learned that I could go to Him in complete trust; I am safe with Him.

The relationship I have with my Heavenly Father is full of acceptance, alegria, long-suffering, and intimacy! And I learned this by opening up to Jesus and learning about Him through the Scriptures.

When we see Jesus, we see the Father. I love the way Hebrews 1:3a says it: “He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.”

How blessed we are that God reveals Himself to us!

Perguntas to Consider

  • What was your relationship with your earthly father?
  • Has it hindered you in any way from opening up to your Heavenly Father?
  • How were you able to overcome that obstacle and embrace your Heavenly Father’s love? Cas it through Scripture, a godly man, or a combination of several things?

The Lord is merciful and patient, waiting for us to come to Him with all our cares and questions. I pray you will find hope and peace in His presence as you seek Him. You can reach me at: overcomer982@icloud.com.

 

Your friend,

Lúcia

 

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Deixando as coisas para trás

Deixando as coisas para trás

Deixando as coisas para trás

by Luci Boudreaux/Abuse Recovery

Scriptures: Philippians 3:12-17 e 2 Corinthians 5:17

Philippians 3:12-17 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”

2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. O velho já passou; contemplar, o novo chegou.”

 

From the time I was a young girl until the age of 25 when I surrendered my life to Jesus, I had established so many ungodly behavior patterns and unhealthy thinking (which led to unhealthy coping mechanisms) that I was having difficulty becoming the woman of God I knew He wanted me to be. I knew I was delivered from eternal damnation. But what about living an abundant life now?

I was unsure of myself, always second–guessing myself, very insecure and filled with painful memories, which made me angry and frustrated. It affected my relationship with the Lord and others. I knew what the Bible taught me; that Jesus loves me and cast away my sins as far as the east is to the west.

Just as 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. O velho já passou; contemplar, o novo chegou.”

I wanted to believe God’s promises were for me, but I knew who I had been, the things I had done. My faith and hope were weak, umand the enemy was working hard to steal my hope for a better life. I was fearful to step out and trust God in all areas of my life that needed to be dealt with before I could move forward.

But one thing was constant and strong in my heart. And that is, I wanted to be healed and whole. I worked at it by spending time in God’s Word, in community with other believers, playing uplifting music, and listening to godly teachers who lived like they believed.

But I continued to struggle. I couldn’t understand why I was still stuck in this place and continuing to return to my old ways of thinking and doing.

Does this resonate with any of you?

You go to church, read God’s Word, listen to worship music, but it doesn’t seem to be moving you forward in your faith or healing. Perhaps you are holding onto that one thing that is weighing you down. Is it possible that pride is preventing you from dealing with it or asking for help?

Neste ponto, I sought out ministries and two specific women counselors that understood my broken past and what it felt like to have no self-worth. I’m thankful that they had the courage to ask some hard questions that caused me to face my distorted thinking. These women saw beyond my pain to what God had for me. They taught me to understand my position in Christ and that I was a new creation; I no longer needed to revisit my past for the sake of condemning myself.

I learned how to recognize that the painful events of my past do not define me, nor do they have the power to control how I live my life today. I learned that healthy boundaries are important and that I have the power to use these experiences to forgive, which allows me to heal and help others in their journey. então, my past no longer has a hold on me; I now use it to glorify God!

I am a very different woman today. I embrace the truth that I am a daughter of the Most High e that I don’t need to fear anything in this world or in the spiritual realm! I am a warrior, an ambassador, who God promises to equip for every situation in my life so that I may walk in victory and display His character.

As Paul said in Philippians Chapter 3, we haven’t “arrived,” but we are focused on moving forward, towards the goal of becoming more like Jesus. In view of this, I see every situation that comes into my life as an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to teach me how to live out my faith. He allows situations (positive e negative), so, I submit to them, knowing it’s for His glory and my ultimate holiness.

God is doing a spiritually renewing work in each of us. And my desire is that we all draw closer to His heart. One of the spiritually powerful things in my life is spending time with like-minded believers who I can encourage and be encouraged by. It’s important for us to pay close attention and seek out those who walk in the way of Christ. Follow their example; you will become like those you spend the majority of your time with.

I encourage you all to use the issues we discuss in our conference calls to propel you into a better place. Don’t settle for less than God’s best for you! We can experience the abundant life here and now! But eut takes a lot of courage to change!

Questions to Consider:

  1. Are you allowing your past to hinder you from moving forward in your healing journey?
  1. What is preventing you from embracing what God is calling you to?
  1. How may we pray for you?

We are here to help you in your journey. Entre em contato se precisar conversar. You can email me at: overcomer982@icloud.com.

Your friend,
Lúcia

 

 

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Uma verificação em meu espírito

Uma verificação em meu espírito

Uma verificação em meu espírito
por Toni Weisz/Recuperação de Abuso

Referência bíblica: Efésios 4:29-32
Não deixe nenhuma comunicação corrupta sair da sua boca, mas o que é bom para edificar, para que possa ministrar graça aos ouvintes. E não entristeças o Espírito Santo de Deus, pelo qual estais selados para o dia da redenção. Deixe toda amargura, e ira, e raiva, e clamar, e falar mal, ser afastado de você com toda maldade: e sejam gentis uns com os outros, compassivo, perdoando um ao outro, assim como Deus, por amor de Cristo, te perdoou.

Tive a oportunidade esta semana de ver um eulíder do meu passado. Ela era a umaaborto Rlíder de recuperação em nosso centro de gravidez local na época, eu também era voluntária. Fizemos muitos post-umaaborto Bíblia estudamos juntos por vários anos. Fiquei muito surpreso ao vê-la porque estávamos em um evento que não tinha nada a ver com ministério. Sentamos um ao lado do outro. Nós compartilhamos sobre nossas famílias, e então também discutimos ministério. Ambos viemos de abordagens de ministério totalmente diferentes.

Ao longo dos anos, Aprendi que uma mulher não precisa ser criticada por seu pecado de aborto, que eunãoé algo sobre o qual falamos, e o Espírito Santo é aquele Quem a condena isto.

Das minhas cinzas à beleza, cTemos muito claro que o aborto encerra uma vida. Mas as mulheres vêm para o nosso ministério quebradas, e eles precisam de alguém para levantá-los, amá-los, para compartilhar a verdade sobre o aborto, e compartilhar o amor de Jesus com eles.

Enquanto falávamos sobre ministério, Percebi que estava levantando minha voz; csomos mulheres muito apaixonadas e fortes. Eu não estava me sentindo bem com o que estava acontecendo. Eu senti como se estivéssemos em algum tipo de competição estranha. Eu me senti muito desconfortável. Eu senti como se ela estivesse se defendendo e também insinuando algumas coisas sobre mim que não eram verdade.

Em um ponto, Eu apenas cruzei as mãos e parei de interagir com ela só para fazer uma pausa porque nossa conversa estava ficando meio bizarra. No passado, éele tive me machucou de muitas maneiras por seu estilo de liderança, e sofri não apenas humilhação pública diante de outros líderes, mas ela também me disse que era o meu pecado que estava causando problemas no meu casamento.

Eu trabalhei muito duro ao longo dos anos para perdoá-la. senhor, eu a perdôo, e eu rezo Você abençoe ela e sua família, eunJesus’ nome. Deus me ensinou muitas coisas olhando para outros líderes e aprendendo com eles.

Ela me enviou uma mensagem no dia seguinte e estava querendo ficar juntos, possivelmente. Honestamente, há algumas pessoas que eu tenho que manter à distância, e ela é uma delas.

Você já sentiu que precisava se manter protegido de certas pessoas? Por algum motivo, você sentiu eles são inseguros emocionalmente? Era lá um cheque em seu espírito, como um Cuidado?

Quando penso nisso agora, Eu era um co-dependente para agradar as pessoas. Eu tinha medo de figuras de autoridade, e Eu a considerava uma figura de autoridade. Eu dei a ela muito poder sobre mim, e isso foi minha culpa. Bmas eu estava tão ferido, e eu tinha acabado de começar no ministério pós-aborto, então muitas coisas estavam surgindo do meu passado. Eu ainda não estava equipado para lidar com tudo isso.

Talvez ela me lembre de outros membros da família. Sou muito cauteloso perto de pessoas como essa que me machucaram no passado. Também estou ciente de que o maligno está rondando porque enviei meus cartões de ministério para alguns membros da família que são pró-escolha.. Eu sei que não posso mudar seus corações; Estou orando para que Deus faça, mas quero que ouçam a verdade do outro lado: o aborto não só tira uma vida, mas também prejudica profundamente as mulheres. Por favor, ore para que Deus abra seus corações para ouvir a verdade sobre o aborto.

Perguntas para levar a sério:

  1. Existeme certos membros da família ou amigos dos quais você deve se proteger?
  2. Como você navega nesses relacionamentos? O que você faz para se proteger?
  3. Como podemos orar e encorajá-lo?

Rezo para que este tópico tenha sido útil para você. Entre em contato se precisar conversar, toni@myashestobeauty.com.

Você é amado,
Toni

 

 

Leia mais sobre os blogs de Toni AQUI.
senhor, Eu quero ser curado

senhor, Eu quero ser curado

senhor, I Want to Be Healed

por Toni Weisz/Disciplinas Espirituais

Referências bíblicas: John 10:10b, Efésios 3:20, Isaías 41:10, Lucas 19:10 and Psalm 40:1–3

 

If we truly want to be healed from our past trauma, we must be willing to surrender all to God. We must step out and trust Him completely in this process even when it gets scary and it’s unpredictable and out of our control.

For those who have experienced abuse and abortion in our past, it is hard to let go of control because it was our protection, so we thought.

We have to come to the point where we don’t want to just survive, we want to live the abundant life Jesus came to give us (Read John 10:10b). We no longer want to just settle; we want to experience true love and acceptance, perhaps for the first time in our lives.

If you are reading this blog, you most likely have decided you want to be healed, too. You are courageous and tired of the life you were living and want more. You want to stop the cycle of dysfunction in your life and for future generations. This is a long and very hard process, but it is worth it.

If you are willing, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than what you can ask or think (Read Efésios 3:20). That’s the God we serve. He is not limited by time and space. He is eternal.

I remember back in 2006, when God called me to the post–abortion ministry, starting a journal called, “Why are the relationships closest to me toxic?” God gave me awareness that there was something going on in my relationships with those closest to me. But what was it? I was the common denominator, so what was I doing to enable these toxic relationships?

I discovered over a ten-year period of relentlessly going to God as a broken surrendered woman, “Lord I want to be healed from all the pain, rejeição, abuse and my abortion. I want to be set free from my people–pleasing and fear of man. I want to know your love in the innermost parts of my being. I want to feel loved, cherished, and safe, but how do I get there?”

God was so gentle with me because He knew how fragile I was after a lifetime of pain, rejection and trauma. He was leading me with His righteous right hand on a path of healing that was so difficult at times, but it was also beautiful (Read Isaías 41:10).

I discovered the heart of God on this journey, e para isso, I am most grateful. To know the Father’s heart towards us is life transforming. He is love, gentle, kind, faithful, peaceful, generous, powerful, and eternal. He is close to the abused, neglected, abandoned, and broken. He came to seek and to save the lost (Read Lucas 19:10). We were all that at one point. But God in His infinite wisdom, His abounding grace and love picked us up out of the pit and placed us on the rock, Jesus Christ our Lord, our strong foundation (Read Salmo 40:2).

Hallelujah!!! Obrigada, Jesus.

 

Perguntas para levar a sério:

  1. When did God show you the dysfunction in your life?
  2. What was your next step after your awareness?
  3. How is God healing you? Who or what did He use to accomplish this?
  4. Como podemos orar por você?

Please reach out if you need prayer or a word of encouragement. You can email me at: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

I watched this movie recently that truly blessed my heart: Kendrick Brothers’ Show me the Father.

Here is the YouTube trailer: https://youtu.be/k4g0CFfGkMk

I pray it blesses your heart also.

 

Você é amado,

Toni