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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 30, 2026, 10:05:17 AM »
Our final birthday bod of March is tarle1976!   :excited:
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Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on March 29, 2026, 05:25:21 PM »
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/10/30/rest-in-gratitude?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_IJAim5SErXczP9R85IO1_cBBdulOfxtuBDQjV6D4tPKEpILllEx553ol7U_2KodYjbehUwe7KKs8lCD4iitiJ-WIhWw&_hsmi=329331207&utm_content=329331207&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Rest in Gratitude
October 30, 2024
by Becky Shannon

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

Do you ever find yourself wishing for life to slow down, only to feel like you’re trapped in a cycle of living from one chaotic season to another while feeling pressured to add even more things to your calendar?

If so, you are not alone! As a wife and a mother of five, I have often felt this way.  Not very long ago, all seven members of our family came down with mycoplasma pneumonia. It was one of the hardest seasons I’ve gone through. Two of our daughters were hospitalized for a combined total of a week, my husband used up all his vacation days, and I was so tired that my pneumonia returned even worse for a second time. All I wanted was to rest and to see my family get better so we didn’t miss our summer.  Something the Lord taught me through that experience was that looking at life through a lens of gratitude helps me rest in Him, refocus, and not get caught up in the discontentment of my circumstances. It was so easy to wish things were calmer, less stressful and less tiring, but God supplied what I needed, and there were so many blessings to thank Him for along the way.  The enemy wants us anxious, distracted and afraid of missing out. Sometimes we can become so consumed and discontented with life that we end up completely missing out on the most important thing of all our relationship with Jesus.  Practicing gratitude can remind us of how much we truly have, even when our physical measurements tell us we’re lacking. As God’s children, through Jesus, we have an inheritance that is not from this world (Ephesians 1:11-14). Spiritually, we are rich beyond what we can fathom and blessed beyond measure. God has set us up with every single thing we will ever need to thrive (Philippians 4:19). All we have to do is ask and receive.  If you’re currently feeling stuck in a busy season of anxiety and chaos, I want you to know that there is a never-ending supply of what you need: peace, rest, contentment, joy, hope and love!  Life may not slow down or wait for us, but we are not alone. In the chaos, the stressful situations, and the demands of everyday life, Jesus is right there waiting in the midst, offering us a personal invitation to enter into rest and contentment at His feet!
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Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on March 24, 2026, 05:45:14 PM »
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/10/29/but-im-scared-to-get-hurt-again?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9-ZwaMcou_-pX9lvSS36HmHA1wAUGBhkacNi-MyfPvVl_dxx4bzd5DBtU7uNguL_QPtUQ6dKMFWONGpHwy7h_4H1HBOQ&_hsmi=329330531&utm_content=329330531&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

But I’m Scared To Get Hurt Again
October 29, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

When life gets hard, we may feel justified if our hearts also get hard and the lens through which we see the world becomes tainted by past hurts.  When this happens, we may stop believing the best can still happen in our circumstances. We may stop believing the best about people and resist trusting them again. We may carry the wrong that one person did to us into other relationships and become overly guarded and overly suspicious that history will repeat itself.  Because we’re scared to get hurt again, we may easily start assuming other people will hurt us, assigning them wrong intentions they don’t have. But, friend, if we were sitting together over coffee today, I would reach for your hand and encourage you with this: When life gets hard, let your heart stay soft. Let your thoughts stay true.  Don’t fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios. Don’t assume what others are thinking. You can listen to your discernment: If something feels off or untrue, ask questions, verify answers, and realize sometimes people aren’t honest. But at the same time, remember many people are honest, true and real.  The world is full of good-hearted people. People who want the best for you. People who cling to the Truth of God’s Word and encourage you with the wisdom-filled words from it.  The Bible is also clear that we need the support of biblical community, like Hebrews 10:24-25 says: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

I’ve found that when trust has been broken in a relationship, trust issues can only be worked on in the context of relationship. That doesn’t mean we must return to a hurtful relationship to work on trust. (If returning is possible, then that’s great. However, sometimes that may not be possible or safe.) But what it does mean is we can’t isolate ourselves and work on repairing trust alone.  There are still good people in the world. Not perfect people. But people worth trusting, who live the gospel message in the most real and beautiful ways. Find those people. Do life with those people. Embrace the gift of those people.  And if you’re looking for those people, I’d personally love to invite you to join me and Circle 31 Book Club in reading my new book, I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t, starting in just a few days on November 1. Together, we’ll gather as a community of women who are nowhere near perfect but desire to build relationships and safe connections (and have fun, of course!). For now, pray with me and find out more details about Circle 31 Book Club below.
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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on March 22, 2026, 08:53:52 PM »
 :happybday: Becks87
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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 22, 2026, 08:43:13 AM »
Becks87 is celebrating today!   :anim_32:
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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on March 21, 2026, 08:14:39 PM »
Belated Happy birthday, Weburndaylight and Michibelle!
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Pagan/Heathen / Ostara 2026
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 20, 2026, 05:59:32 PM »
It's getting very close to sunset, so it's time to wish all the Pagans out there who celebrate it a Blessed Ostara and I hope you all stay safe and well as you celebrate.
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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 20, 2026, 05:49:57 AM »
Happy birthday, Weburndaylight and also Michibelle!   :bdaycake2:
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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on March 19, 2026, 06:41:44 PM »
Happy Birthday roadrunner and desposy
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The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 19, 2026, 07:08:47 AM »
I hope  roadrunner and also desposy enjoy their special day today!   :anim_65:
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