#priceless

It is amazing how the closer you get to God the more satan attacks and makes you question yourself.  Maybe it is your job, your spouse, your parenting, your life, your friends, or yourself as a whole that you question.  Regardless satan will do something to raise your insecurity and doubt.  I have had this happen time and time again.  Sadly enough I have friends who have encountered the same obstacles as they try to get closer to God.  What is even sadder is how many people will stop trying to get closer to God because of the self doubt and trickery that satan plays.  During those times we have to remember that God's love for us is stronger than we could ever imagine.

While going through the Bible Study of Confident Heart I realize that while I need to work through this for myself I also need to work through it for my daughter.  It is strange that I am like it is okay for me to have self-doubt and insecurity but I do not want my daughter to have those same feelings.  Hmm, guess what just like I do not want my child to have those feelings, God doesn't want me to have those feelings.  When I was thinking of my love for my child, and not wanting her to ever doubt who she is or why God made her, God asked me why I question those things then - not about her but about myself.  I need to work on myself so that I can be that example for my daughter.  God's love for me is priceless and I am priceless to Him.  Look at the price that he paid for me! (and you)!  When you read about His love for us and how He wants us to be in peace you realize just how priceless we are.  Maybe we aren't what society thinks is perfect, maybe we wish we were better at things, or maybe we just want to be accepted by others.  Isn't it more important to accept God and make our life what He wants it to be?

I often find myself comparing myself to others and what they may want me to be.  I have decided that those opinions do not matter any longer.  What matters is that my focus is on God and the life He has planned for me.  I still have low moments but thanks to my no fail pail that will be changing as well.  I want to be more secure in God than in mankind.  If you put your hope in mankind you will be let down time and time again, but God is never changing.  God's love for me is priceless and I am priceless in His eyes.  That should be all that matters!

Story behind blog name of Miracle Fortitude

Definition of miracle - a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.

Definition of fortitude - courage in pain or adversity.

So a little while back I decided to start a blog about dealing with infertility and parenting after infertility. That blog is directed towards those two topics. However I couldn't decide on a name and narrowed it down to Treasuring Our Blessing and Miracle Fortitude. I decided to set up a blog under both names, but later decided to use Treasuring Our Blessing to talk about our journey with infertility and parenting. 

Something told me to keep this one for something in the future. Well, I started an online Bible study on Proverbs 31 on the book Confident Heart. One thing they mention is blog sharing on Thursdays. It hit me that this blog was meant for that. 

So with the definitions above you may be wondering what this has to do with my religion and relationship with God. Well I guess I see it as my journey through life. I grew up in an abusive home with an alcoholic father. Some may see that as their only way of life, and not have a choice to do better than that. To marry someone like their father and carry on the cycle of abuse. I was not and to this day am not close to my father and knew that was not the life for me. During my teenage years I had several bad relationships and some of the guys I dated were like my father. 

I grew up in church, strayed from church, returned to church became very active in the church but something didn't feel right, and I strayed again. I got married and we started trying to start our family. I heard God calling me back to Him and I felt that I needed to get right with Him before starting our family. Little did I know how much I would need that relationship as we started dealing with infertility. I was attending a church where I felt God's presence more than I ever had in the past. I felt Him more and grew closer to Him. I had more conversations with Him than I ever had in the past and felt closer than ever before. While dealing with infertility I heard God speak to me and want me to trust Him. I felt this was the hardest thug for me to do. To completely give this - my possibility of having a child - over to anyone was so hard. God kept asking me to give it to Him.  You can read more about the major conversation I had with God at www.treasuringourblessing.blogspot.com but in the end I gave it to Him. What did I get in return? A healthy, happy, beautiful, baby girl. She is more than I could have ever prayed for and more than I ever imagine she could be. 

So I have been through a lot but my journey with God is still growing and continuing. I can't wait to see what else this life will hold. Regardless I know who holds tomorrow and holds my hand trough this very moment - my Lord and Savior. 

Thank you for reading this and I will share more along the way!