The Little Things

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The Little Things

Traci Kenworth

 

The little things in life often seem bigger than they really are. We sometimes make them so huge they cause stress and meltdowns. I find if I just take a moment to regroup, listen to God, and write awhile, a solution often comes to me. Right now, I could really let things edge me out of my joy but I try not to. If you’ve ever read or watched Joyce Meyer, she’s got tons of books out on the subject, but The Confidant Woman is my favorite.

In everything she writes about, she talks about God’s influence on our lives, on who we are, who we could be. What she says makes a lot of sense to me. We don’t have to feel guilty about our short-comings; we just have to give them to God. The blessings her work have taught me have changed my life.

Another pastor, Joel Osteen, lifts my spirits further. He talks about a God that wants us to succeed, to become stronger, better people, to grasp all that we are offered in life. For so long, it’s been hard to pray about my dreams, to give them the attention they deserve, but I’m finally learning to go to God, to talk things out with him, and thus my confidence and abilities are seeming to soar higher than ever.

This isn’t a column to browbeat you about religion, I’m simply talking about how my faith has opened up possibilities I couldn’t imagine. It’s seen me through my haunted teenage years, a broken and tragic marriage, the overcoming of brutal circumstances forced on me and my children. It’s healed my heart and given me hope to go on. As Joyce says, “Jesus did not die so we could have a religion; he died so we could have an intimate relationship with him.”

I think that’s the key to letting the little things in life pass us by. You find courage that you didn’t know you had, strength to get through the day, and a promise that although tomorrow might be more of the same, we don’t face it alone.

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Update 3:

I’m still on 199 for Daughter, but I’ve read a chapter of Getting the Word Right, The Lawmen, and When Wallflowers Dance. Keeping on with the non-fiction for now. Have added a new one, Page by Page by Heather Sellers to the mix as well.

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First up:

First up for the Read-a-thon was supposed to be a western, Longarm and the Shoshone Silver by Tabor Evans but I’ve somehow misplaced it, so I’m going to be starting off with another oldie on my shelves, Vella Munn’s Daughter of the Forest. It was published in 1995 and comes in at 410 pages. On reserve, I have Suzanne Collin’s Mockingjay(one I’ve been looking forward to for a while, so squee!!)published in 2010 and at 398 pages. Then there’s Ellen Hopkin’s crank published in 2004 and at a whopping 537 pages. I’m not sure I’ll get through all of these today, or any but I’m going to try my best barring phone calls, errands, etc. I will attempt to update every couple hours as to where I am(what page I’m on etc.). I will also be reading some non-fiction books: Theodore Rees A. Cheney’s On Getting the Words Right, Frederick S. Calhoun’s The Lawmen, Angela Thomas’ When Wallflower’s Dance, Joyce Meyer’s How to Succeed at Being Yourself, K.L. Going’s Writing and Selling the YA Novel, Heather Seller’s Chapter After Chapter, and finally, Donald Maas’ The Breakout Novelist. All of which, I read a chapter in every weekend per day.

Here’s the blurb for Daughter of the Forest:

The forests of the Pacific Northwest are lands of mists and rain, of towering trees and salmon-choked rivers. Where forest approaches sea, there live the Tillamook and the Nisqually, two tribes tied to each other by hatred.

Madsaw, war chief of the Tillamook, kidnaps Twana, step-daughter of the Nisqually shaman. Though their people are enemies, and to love a slave violates tribal law, Madsaw finds comfort and desire in his captive’s arms.

Each lover’s heart conceals a secret. Madsaw hides his grief and anger over the murder of his first wife. Twan’s burden is far heavier: her spirit touches those of the forest’s creatures, from the gentle deer to the powerful, half-mad grizzly bear who stalks the Tillamook village–and everyone who knows of her power hates and fears her.

United by a love stronger than any fear, Twana and Madsaw are determined to find peace and happiness, no matter what perils they must face.

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