My heart needs an umbrella from the raining negativity.

Do you ever feel like your heart is being pelted with criticism from within (especially if you're a perfectionist like me), or from without?  You know those voices that whisper or shout, "What is wrong with you?  Why are you not a better wife, mother, and _______ [fill in the blank]?  Why don't you do more?"

I was feeling like that today.  So I sought comfort under God's umbrella of truth and love by reminding myself of how God sees me. 

If you are feeling a bit rained upon, I invite you to join me under His umbrella of love.

"I give thanks to You, O Lord, and I stand in awe of You, for I am wonderfully made.  Marvelous are Your works!  Thank you that You uniquely designed and created me, with the same care and precision You used  in creating the universe...that You formed me in love exactly to Your specification...that You embroidered me with great skill in my mother's womb." [based on Ps. 139:13-16] -Ruth Myers, 31 Days Of Praise, Day 8

Oh Father God,  Help me to believe in my deepest heart of hearts that You are not disappointed in me because You created me with love and intention.   You never ever wish I was like someone else.  You are happy with how You created me.

You are not a God of condemnation as Christ has paid the price for all of my sins.  I can confess my doubts and sins and You will still welcome me with arms wide open.

You are patient with me.  Please help me to be patient with myself in this process of growing up to be more like Jesus (Romans 8:29).

It is okay if I feel inadequate as "my adequacy is from God." (2 Cor. 3:5).

Help me dear God to remember again that it is not about me.  Forgive me when I forget.  It is all about You and Your work recreating us to be all that You originally designed us to be for Your glory.

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." - 2 Cor. 3:18

Thank you that You see me as glorious because of Christ within me.  Thank you that you are transforming me from glory-to-glory.  You never see me as ugly though my heart may sometimes be.  Thank you that my part in the transformation process is to simply behold You.  How amazing that as I simply sit at your feet, listening to You speak to me, You change me from within.  Those inward changes then reveal themselves in my words and actions.

Quiet the voices.  Still the rain.  Let me see You holding your umbrella of love over me.

Photo courtesy of:findstuff22

Because of a comment I received on this post today (11/10/11) after I prayed about what to write today, I am linking to Emily's blog.  

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