WHAT I'VE LEARNED

I had never heard of Joyce Meyer before reading this book and now her videos are a part of my daily devotional time. My sister, Karen, and I read this book together and would Skype once a week and discuss what we had read.

All of my sisters and I have a type A personality, which, as Joyce Meyer, will admit, is her personality type too. I think that is why every chapter in this book spoke to me.

I filled up an entire desk journal in thinking about the things I had learned from her. I have combined these things into 10 LIFE POINTS.

#1 ACTION ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF MY THOUGHTS.

Because of this my thoughts can hold me hostage or set me free. Everyday I have to work to control the thoughts that enter my mind and when I can control them then I can control my actions.

#2 TEMPTATIONS WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

I have a choice to keep doing what is right no matter how I "feel" or what others do. I may need to do what's right for awhile before I get a right result and it may take longer still before I "feel" it.

#3 DO WHAT I CAN DO AND GOD WILL DO WHAT I CAN'T.

Change will not occur over night. Look for gradual growth. I will continue to go around the same mountains until I choose to do different, but doing the same thing and expecting different results is crazy. Wishing doesn't change anything. Act! Go through it with God. I can't make excuses for my poor behavior. I need to do the best I can, but do something. I can't let perfectionism freeze me into total non-action. Do not give up! Change is not quick, easy or free. I can't have everything and do nothing. People who are lazy and procrastinate always want those who work hard to take responsibility to do for them, what they should have been doing for themselves all along. I need to do the hard work and it will pay off in the end.

#4 GOD'S TIMING IS PERFECT.

I need to enjoy the journey and enjoy where I am at right now. God uses the difficult periods of waiting to stretch my faith. I will wait. Patience is how I act while I am waiting. A farmer that plants sees has to wait before the harvest, and being upset with the seeds for not growing faster is not going to change their growing speed. In most things I will spend more time waiting then I do receiving, so I need to learn to wait well.

#5 GOD HAS A UNIQUE AND PERFECT PLAN FOR MY LIFE.

My journey will not be like someone else's. I shouldn't resent their blessings or be envious of their circumstances because God knows what I need and what I can handle. God had it all perfectly planned out before I was ever conceived. Sometimes God leads me the hard way because He is doing work in me. When I feel like God is doing nothing that's probably when he's doing the most. The biggest pain is usually right before the biggest break through. In the midst of my pain, God has a plan.

#6 GOD CAN ALWAYS MAKE GOOD COME FROM BAD.

I shouldn't look at how far I need to go, but how far I have come. My past and present do not decide my future. I'm not where I need to be, but thank God, I'm not where I used to be, I'm okay and I'm on my way.

#7 IN ALL THINGS GIVE PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING.

I need to be positive even in negative situations. I need to do everything joyfully with a servants heart. I need to do everything with excellence and integrity. I need to do everything for the glory of God. Whatever I do should be because I love Him not because I'm trying to get something from Him. I should be happy even if I don't get what I want. Smile!

#8 RENEW MYSELF WITH GOD DAILY.

I will get from the Word what I put into it. I cannot hear God if I do not listen and spend time with Him. Many are called, but few are chosen. I need to be all that God wants me to be. Do all that God wants me to do. So I can have all that God wants me to have. I'm not more valuable to God then someone else. God doesn't love me more when I behave and less when I do wrong.

#9 DON'T WORRY, BUT IN ALL THINGS PRAY.

I need to be comfortable not knowing. I need to give my worries to God. Worrying accomplishes nothing. Worry sees the problem, but faith sees God. Faith is a gift. Doubt is a choice. Fear is the opposite of faith.  Insecurity is the fear that I are not okay, that I don't measure up. Guilt is the fear that what I've done something I can't overcome. Worry is the fear that my needs are not going to be met. I will always have trials and troubles, but God is greater than my problems.

#10 MY PROBLEM AREN'T THE PROBLEM. IT'S MY ATTITUDE THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

Face the truth about myself will set me free. I need to give what I want to get back. Do unto others what I want done to me. Others will disappoint me. Opinions are not good or bad. Rejecting my opinion is not a rejection of me. Forgiveness is a choice. I need to pray for those who have hurt me. I shouldn't keep score, boast, complain, alienate, divide, accuse, be jealous of or be offended by. I tend to judge others by their actions and myself by my intentions. Do not gossip. I need to stop being jealous of what other have if I don't want to do what they did to get it. Self pity is exhausting. Measuring what others have and comparing myself to others is exhausting too. I am not officially entitled to anything. Stubbornness and rebellion keep me from receiving God's blessings.