rainy days & mondays

..."always get me down."


  Feeling down? As Karen Carpenter sang, "Talking to myself and feeling old. Sometimes I'd like to quit. Nothing ever seems to fit. Hanging around, nothing to do but frown - rainy days and Mondays always get me down."

 These lyrics describe my heart on certain days. The days you just don't feel like getting out of bed and going to work. The days your mind is racing with anxiety and you feel overwhelmed. The days when your hope seems to fade, and "nothing works out for me but everyone else has it good."

Today is (in usually sunny southern California) a rainy day and a Monday. And as cozy and lovely as rainy days can be, and as much as I do love rain...I found myself feeling down this morning.
 When I was in college, I found myself needing to be reminded of truths often yet I was so busy, my mind was so full, and I was constantly getting distracted by a thousand things. One winter day, I decided to write a scripture on my hand as a reminder to focus on truth. And as tacky as some may think this is, it was a truly effective and wonderful way to keep scripture right in front of me (literally!) at all times.

 I find myself doing this even now.

 No matter what is going on in our lives, we can remind ourselves of truth. When I'm feeling down, I'm encouraged by...

"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You."
-Psalm 39:2

"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.
God will help her when morning dawns."
-Psalm 46:5

"Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of the ruin of the wicked...
for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught."
-Proverbs 3:25-26

"God is always permitting what He hates
so that He can accomplish what He loves."
-Joni Erickson Tada

"Rejoice in hope,
be patient in tribulation,
be constant in prayer."
-Romans 12:12

"..My whole being clings to You,
Your right hand holds me."
-Psalm 63:8

"Nothing binds me to my Lord like a strong belief
in His changeless love."
-Spurgeon

"Blessed is he who waits for Him.
Who expects and looks and longs for Him."
-Isaiah 30:15

"When we are most broken,
Christ is most beautiful."
-Britt Merrick

"The Lord will fight for you.
You need only to be still."
-Exodus 14:14

"As a child of God, you will never face
a circumstance, challenge, temptation, failure or burden
that exceeds His grace."
-Nancy Leigh DeMoss

"When God hears our prayers,
He explodes into action."
-John Piper

"The Lord is my Shepherd.
I shall not be in want."
 -Psalm 23


Just remember, dolls - whether it's a rainy day, or a Monday...

He loves us.


XO

Erin

PS - check out my new friend Chantal's amazing blog. I was inspired over the weekend by her heart and her "feeling down" page. She is an incredible sister in Christ with a precious heart: www.bevirtue.com