SATAN'S BEST IDEA IS TO KEEP US QUIET

To make us TIRED

To DISCOURAGE us

To make us SICK

To ISOLATE us

To have us feel REJECTED, UNWORTHY, UNLOVED, UNPURSUED

To STIFLE our creativity

To BLOCK our writing

To STEAL our joy

To make us SILENT

The evil one put all this in my life right after training camp

I found myself in my room, with no desire to get out of bed, no desire to write, no desire to talk.

Thankfully, I still do things regardless of whether I want to or not.

This is me writing. I don’t want to, but I am writing.

I didn’t go to work today. Satan got that much out of me. When I got the will to get out of bed, I went and got my typhoid and yellow fever vaccines. I have a very very swollen gland on the left side of my neck, which hurts a lot. I slept most of the day. My typhoid arm is still swollen and sore. My yellow fever arm is thankfully unaffected.

I had seven friends text me today, none of which I texted first.

But I replied!!

Times like these prove there is

deep, unrelenting JOY in Christ.

I may be wanting to cry right now.

I may be reminded of all the things in the past that only hurt.

But on the same face,

below the teary eyes

and the stuffy nose,

is a smile.

Satan can make me tired, attack my body, remind me of the past, and whisper me lies about God’s plan for me.

BUT I SMILE because I know the TRUTH

God has BEAUTIFUL plans

I TRUST my Father

I am FREE and ETERNAL

I am CHOSEN

I am PURSUED by the One who loves me

ETERNITY is now

He commands me to RISE

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise.

Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

Micah 7:8