Throwback Thursday: Hurt People, Hurt people

Greetings on this throwback Thursday:


For those of you who are not familiar with this blog I am the artteacher4purpose.  I used to be an art teacher in the public school system but I am transitioning out of that career.  I am currently a substitute teacher.  Last week I sat in on a very interesting conversation during an English class.   The class was discussing their perspectives on the novella "Of Mice and Men."   The statement was posed for analysis; "sometimes a friend has to hurt a friend in order to help them."

There were a lot of agreements and disagreements. The issue bounced and danced about, conjuring up the students ideas for further exploration on the subject. It quickly grew into a debate.  Until one student said something very profound:

"Hurt people, Hurt people"

Nodding my head in agreement, I quickly thought of a recent situation that I was living.  I had hurt a friend, unintentionally, and she expressed her feelings to me about it.  I apologized but in turn, I felt hurt that she was so upset about it.  So, which one of us were the hurt person doing the hurt?

I think sometimes, we can hurt people unintentionally, not really meaning to do it but just being unaware of the triggers and the things that can potentially open wounds of past hurts. We hurt each other unaware.  I think this happens to each and everyone of us at some time in our lives.  Some, more than others.  The ultimate truth is that we are all hurt people, so we all have the potential to hurt others.

It's not the most positive outlook on the discussion, but we can go even deeper. . .

Some students had the outlook that it was ok to tell a friend the truth about something even if it would hurt them.  The reasoning behind this was that if the truth was not told, eventually the not knowing would lead the friend to a deeper hurt.  Hence, the hurt was justifiable.  Many examples were given of this situation.

Let us give a spiritual example of this:

Some "Christians" would feel totally justified to yell and scream for an unbeliever to accept the gift of his soul's salvation.  They may condemn and point out flaws.  They may wave their bible and give holier than thou stares.  In their hearts they feel justified because they think they are doing it out of love.  They think they are helping a friend find Jesus.

The truth of the matter is, there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything.  In all your getting get an understanding.  This means that if one is wanting to help a friend, we have to learn how to do it the right way.  The right way can always be found in the word of God.  The word says that we should approach a friend with love.  We also approach our friends with a gentle and kind spirit.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Ephesians 4:15

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

I Peter 3:15

Check out this article that goes in even further detail about what it means to be gentle in your approach about sharing the truth of the gospel:

"Gentleness is a strong hand with a soft touch. It is a tender, compassionate approach toward others' weaknesses and limitations. A gentle person still speaks truth, sometimes even painful truth, but in doing so guards his tone so the truth can be well received."

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/spiritual-growth-for-kids/fruit-of-the-spirit/strength-of-gentleness

I just wanted to give you something to think about this throw back Thursday.  I was reading a post from January 2017 and it got me thinking about the conversation we had in English class that day. . .  

Think about how you treat people.  Think about how others make you feel.  Are you a hurt person?  Do you hurt other people?  Do you feel that you are the one that is always being hurt?  I wonder what type of wound underneath all the busy-ness of life is still very sensitive for you?  Let us all learn to love like Jesus.

Here is your throw back article:

Day 6 "How you make others feel about themselves says a lot about you."

When you hold love in your heart, you will share love with others.  When you hold joy in your heart you will share joy with others. What are you holding in your heart?  I am a Christian, and unfortunately that is not saying a whole lot in this day and time, especially in America.  Many people are being hurt, mistreated, and frustrated by the church.  People are being mistreated by others who call themselves Christians.  Well, this is because, those people who hurt other people, hold hurt in their hearts.  A lot of the times we want to condemn and point the finger at people who are rude, crude, and hurtful.  But what we should really do is pray for them.  People who spread hurt are hurting themselves.

As individuals and as Christians we should be conscious of the way we treat others.  Moreover, we should become more conscious of the way people feel around us.  I think we get confused when we try to do this by ourselves, by our own merits.  When we "try," we are really being fake.  Instead we have to fill ourselves with the right source, as a result love, joy, happiness, kindness, and patience become part of us.  When something is a part of you, it happens naturally.  If you are faking it, it will only take a little persuasion for the real you to come out.

So how do you make other people feel?  Are you hurt, are you angry, or are you loving and kind?  How ever you make people feel around you, you are pulling from a source, a source way deep inside of you.  Sometimes, that source can be conjured by someone who agitates that area of your life.  In other words that person "pushes your button."  Next time you are around someone that makes you feel uncomfortable, ask your self why.  Why does this person have this effect on me?  This will also help you become more aware of how other people feel around you.  Be a happy person, find a source that feels you with happiness.  This is why we were designed to do things that make us feel happy, and  fulfilled, according to the purpose that God has for us.  When we follow our purpose, we are stronger, happier, and better people.  When we are happy, we can make other people happy.

How do you make others feel?  This says a lot about who you are . . .

I pray that this was a blessing to your heart

I pray that it is received with love because it is sent in love

Remember not to be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but let his love shine through you.  Share his truth with gentleness and respect.

Live this life on purpose friends

encouraging and motivating each other in their journeys

Until next Time

-Tamorra

Wisdom Wednesday: Trust God for Everything

May the Lord have complete control of my heart and my mind. Let God's perfect will be done in my life.


This is a statement that I must be mindful of everyday. There is so much that can distract us from the perfect will of God. The bible did say that there will be many seducing spirits in the world. We have to be very careful to test each and every spirit against the word of God. How do we do that? Well, friends, we must be in the word everyday. We have to have alone time with the Lord so that he can lead us to where we need to go.



I have to trust in the Lord. I can't walk this walk alone. I tried. I tried to do things in my own might. I am a self starter, an independent thinker, an over achiever. I always felt like I could do anything if I set my mind to it.

I can be the very best that I can be!


I can be anything I want to be!
Right?



This is what our culture teaches us and this is what many of us aspire to be; successful. However, every time I tried to do it on my own I was either # 1 Not as satisfied with the final outcome or #2 overwhelmed and exhausted from trying to achieve my own so called "success."



This was not living. Me, trying to do things on my own was a trap. We cannot have our ideas of success in this world, because this world is not set up for us to live the "easy life," that we aspire to obtain. This is a false promise by the enemy. This world was instead set up for you to grow. It was set up for you to learn how to be dependent on God for your needs, wants, and desires so that you can then receive your everlasting inheritance.

Remember that phrase that we used to hear in church;

Let go and let God!

Yes, this is what we should be doing.

This is your wisdom for Wednesday:
Put your complete trust in the word of God. We need to trust God for everything. This does take time and it is a process.



Let us not get confused about the process to get there. Yes, we need to learn how to live a surrendered life for Jesus, but this is not going to happen by following a set code of conduct or a list of rules. People tried it and it doesn't work. Trying to follow laws to justify one's self just produces more problems. Jesus died so that we can have a chance to achieve through him and his seed of righteousness. When we chose to believe Jesus by faith, we plant a seed of love and righteousness in our hearts. After this, we must go through our own individual process of knowing him so that we can decrease in the flesh and increase in the spirit.



Remember: Jesus Christ is the end of the law of righteousness



This simply means that you cannot earn your salvation. The easiest way to understand this fully is to develop a personal relationship with your Lord and put your complete trust in him. The Holy Spirit will teach you in all truth.

Let me explain it like this. Rules will not get you into heaven. Following rules only conditions the heart to try to work for freedom instead of accepting a free gift. You must be broken down in life to understand that you need this gift. Your flesh must be broken even more in order to let the Holy Spirit do a complete new work in you. This is what Paul meant when he related God's words for him to the people of Corinth:

My Grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness . . .


2 Corinthians 12:9


Friends, take comfort in you trials, for this means that God loves you. He chastise those whom he loves. Through your correction, he is made stronger and more evident in your life. Through your growth process there is something happening to your spirit behind the scenes. The Christ that is in you is continuing to grow. Have faith that everything is working out for the good.

Let God's perfect will be done in your life. Everything is happening for a purpose and a reason. Remember to put your complete trust in the Lord.

until next time
-Tamorra

Teacher Tuesday

I don't know what the Lord is doing with me.  He gave me a vision, this is true.  He gave me the ability to hear his voice.  I give him thanks for this gift because I am realizing that not everyone hears his voice like those chosen to.  But with this comes a great burden.  The Lord needs and wants people to hear him, and know what his plans are.  However, he needs his children to pay attention, to watch, to study, to pray, and to be vigilant.

Friends, we are all at different levels, but this doesn't mean that we are required to stay at the level that we are at.  We must grow in the Lord.  We must be obedient to his word and his way.  At this time, the Lord does have a message for his people.  It is a message that I have been sharing with you since I started to write this blog.  Develop a relationship with the Lord.  Read your word.  You might not catch everything that you read, but it is doing something supernatural for your spirit.  You must feed your spiritual man.  We, as people, as God's people, have to steer away from the influence of our worldly culture and embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ.  These teachings will lead us back to the father.

God has a warning for those who are caught up in the world.  He warns against the stumbling blocks that we are going to come across.  They are growing stronger and stronger in this world.  Why?  Because men's hearts are ultimately evil when they are disconnect from the Lord.  Men's hearts are selfish,  jealous, and lustful.  This type of "mind" only seeks what it wants for itself, it has no desire to help others except it benefit him.  This is the world we live in today friends.  This is a selfish and adulterous generation.  The principles that we live by that are supposed to be just and fair are all an illusion.  Why?  Because there are people (spirits) in high places manipulating systems for their own gain.  God says, don't worry about them for the time being, they will have their reward for the evil that they do.

Our job friends is to keep living this life according to the way God needs us to live it.  We must live righteous and holy, despising those things that defile men.  Despising those things that go against God's will.

Listen to what the spirit of the Lord is saying to his sons and daughters:

• Those who are the children of the most high will be the children of the most high.  Those who are the children of the evil one will be the children of the evil one.  We no longer have to go around trying to "prove" ourselves to one another.  We were each made special, for a purpose and a reason.  To walk around boasting is pride.  It is a huge distraction for the real work that you have to do.  Stop it, for it is an abomination and it causes strife, separation, and bitterness.

God is warning you against this stumbling block

• We must learn how not to over exert ourselves.  God does not want to give us more than what we can bare.  We do it to ourselves, friends.  We go out seeking the things that we do not need and the things that we cannot afford.  We spend our time working harder then we have to, in order to please someone or something that is not our God.  This is a hindrance to the work of the Lord.  Use your time wisely doing the Lord's work.  Do not put your trust in a system that gives you empty promises.  All your goals that do not include the Lord is only for vanity.

God is warning you against this stumbling block

• If you are telling yourself that there has to be a better way, there is; it's called the Lord's way.  Wash your self clean of the pride of life.  If you are having trouble at home, at work, at church, or socially, it's ok, you are supposed to have trouble in the world.  The world is not for you.  God wants you to come out of the world and except your Kingdom inheritance.  He wants you to become a citizen of his Kingdom and to start to operate in his laws and his statutes.  Do not seek the riches of this world.  Do not chase after dreams that man's heart have told false prophets to tell us.  Stop watching nonsense on the TV if you do not have the spiritual insight to understand that the enemy's Kingdom mocks you every second it gets.  They mock our King.  Come out of  this world.  You are God's people.

God is warning you against the pride of Life

Friends, I am telling you the best thing for us to do is to chase after the Lord and not anything else.  This world system is set up to kill you.  The enemy has set up traps to destroy you.  The enemy is trying to steal your rightful inheritance to the Kingdom.  Don't miss out on your inheritance.  You must learn who you are . . .

This is why you need to seek council from the Lord.  This is why you need to talk to the Lord through prayer and fasting.  He wants to share with you who you are and your promise for eternal life.

While teaching Preschool there were two very important things that we tried to teach the children.  These young babies would come in, most still crying for their mommies, and we would have to get them acclimated to their new environment.  As the teacher, it was my job to assimilate them, teach them and grow them.  In order to do any of these tasks successfully, I had to first teach them how to get along with others, identify themselves as individuals, and also get them to identify their feelings. 

Friends, I am here to tell you that we have to do that spiritually as well.  You must learn how to communicate properly with others.  You must learn who you are in the Kingdom so that you can successfully help others.  Finally,  you need to figure out why you do the things that you do in this world; you need to identify your feelings. 

We all have a long way to go, but we have to let the Lord teach us.  Develop your relationship with the Lord.  Get to know him as your friend, as your teacher, your brother, and as your king.  Don't get tripped up by the things of this world, but let the Lord take you through your journey.

Live your Life on Purpose

Until Next Time

-Tamorra

Motivation for Monday: Downsizing

Greetings friends,

I want to put it out there that life is hard.  We are experiencing it everyday.  We have moments of happiness and this is a blessing from God.  We also have moments where we are asking ourselves:

What is the meaning of it all?

I was watching a movie last night.  It was rather slow.  I haven't watched a movie in a while because I have been so busy with this blog and family things.  It was mother's day and I had decided to take a little time out for my self.  My mom and sister came over, we hung out.  We started to watch this movie "Downsizing."  My mom and Sister lost interest, we said our good byes, but something told me to keep watching it.

It was a very interesting movie about life and trying to find happiness in this life that we are living. . .

What is the meaning of it all?

Here is your motivation for Monday:

When you downsize your life, you can increase in Jesus.

Increasing your time with Jesus will lead you to your ultimate goal.  It will lead you to your true purpose in life.  You must decrease what you think you want so that Jesus can lead you to who you really are.

In the movie, the main character, played by Matt Damon, was having a hard time at life.  He couldn't quit seem to get what he desired to have.  He saved up his money but he couldn't afford the house that he thought he wanted.  He concluded that he could make his wife happy if he gave her the finer things.  He desired to give her all the luxury's of life so that she could be happy.  He thought that making her happy would make him happy.  This was not the case.

He eventually came up with the solution of going to this scientific facility that performed a "medical procedure" that could turn people small.  Yes, he was sure that the best thing for him and his wife to do was to become miniature human beings.  This way he could supposedly live a luxury life for a fraction of the price.  So, this married couple decided that together,  they would take their life savings of $152,000 and live as small people in this fictitious world created by this famous scientist.

The movie had many turns and twist but this is the main part that I want you to get.  Matt Damon's character, Paul, was in this great search to find happiness.  Consequently, he was willing to sacrifice his real life in order to live a fake one.  He went through this procedure to make his wife happy, his wife in turn betrayed him and did not go through  with the procedure.  She divorced him instead.  Now trapped in his smallness, depressed Paul tried to live his miniature life the best he could, fighting his loneliness, his depression, and his seeming failure at life.  The plot however thrusts Paul into self discovery by his work of helping others and praising Jesus.

I don't think people would have caught that praising Jesus part, but it was the most powerful part of the movie to me.

I want to ask you a question, who are you?  What are you doing with your life?

God is teaching me many things about who I am.  I thought I knew who I was, but God is showing me the real me.  Day by day I walk this journey with him.  I want to break free of the bondage that holds me to my way of thinking.  I know that God is taking me through a major medical procedure of the mind  in order to get me to realize who I really am. I must make this sacrifice of self discovery in order to live my journey.

You must live your own Journey!

I don't have to be everything to everybody.  This is just going to tire me out.  I don't have to make grand gestures of sacrifice for other people because it "might" be my path.  What I do have to do is be obedient to the voice of the Lord, everything else is a distraction.  This is what will help me grow, and this is what will help other people grow.  I have to be the help where I was made to be the help at. . . you must help where God needs you to help.

Another interesting part of the movie was when Paul thought that the world was going to end.  He visited this group who had a plan to live underground so that they could protect the human race from total annihilation.  Paul was quickly convinced that he was destined to be at that place, at that time, in order to join the cause and be underground for 8,000 years until the earth's surface corrected itself.  His friends that traveled with him tried to convince him that it was a cult and that he had real work to do elsewhere.  Paul being certain other wise, proceeded his decent down the 11 hour path to the deep dark hole of no return.  While thinking about the severity of his decision,  2 minutes into his dark path, he changed his mind and ran back to the surface to meet his friends.  Why?  Because he said that he knew who he was, he was Paul.

One of the biggest deceptions that the enemy tells us, is that we are something that we are not.  He tries to keep us in depression.  He tries to steal our time.  He tries to get you to go down a deep dark hole.  I am telling you friends no longer should we stand for this deception.  We need to open our minds up to the truth.  We are children of the living God.  He loves us too much to let us go.  He loves us too much to keep us is sorrow.  It is us who do the things that depress us.  We make the sacrifices that we think we need to make because we are trying to find our own happiness.  We need to let God lead us in our journey.  We need to trust God for the good things.

The enemy is going to try to entice you with promises of the good life.  He is going to wave the diamonds, the grand houses, the cars, and the parties at you in order to steal your purpose and you time.  Don't waste any more time chasing the false promises of the enemy.  Instead, let us do the work that we are supposed to do.  After we do that work, we praise Jesus.

Walk in your purpose to collide with your destiny.

Until Next Time

-Tamorra

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19

learn more about this movie:

-"Wonder what would happen if scientists developed a technology for shrinking humans to a fraction of their normal size. Surely this could solve our ecological problems – miniaturised people would only require a fraction of the resources that we currently consume. But Downsizing shows this utopian project promptly being debased by human nature and, more specifically, by American capitalism. Entrepreneurs quickly learn to pitch miniaturisation as a luxury lifestyle option and build bland suburban-style micro-communities in which freshly shrunk new arrivals can find all their needs catered for, from sports centres to teeny branches of Tony Roma’s restaurant, all under one dome (the film’s standout moment is a magnificently cheesy sales pitch performed by Neil Patrick Harris). The film’s Everyman hero, Paul, played by Matt Damon, soon discovers that small isn’t necessarily beautiful: paradise proves to be just a microcosm, quite literally, of the ills of the bigger world."

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jan/07/alexander-payne-downsizing-interview-matt-damon

Wisdom Wednesday: God's meditation brings Peace

Hello Friends,

If I could offer you any type of wisdom that will lead your soul to peace, I would simply advise you to meditate on the word of the Lord. . .

The Lord makes a way for me everyday to think on his word.  I am not describing a worldly definition of meditation.  We are not emptying the mind, but instead filling it with truthful thoughts.  The type of thoughts that we were meant to have are in the word of God.  We must start to influence the mind with the culture that our Lord and savior wants us to have.  We must renew our minds with right thinking.

What am I trying to say?

I am saying that our culture has a huge impact in the way we view the world.  Our culture seems to try to push the agenda of panic, revolution, and war.  It is almost like a program quietly being sent to our subconscious minds.  However, the Lord is sending us a different message.  He is sending us a message of peace, love, and forgiveness.  He is sending us a message of calm.  He wants us to stand on the word of truth and to stand still in his protection.  He will protect our spirits from all hurt, harm, and danger.  I believe this and I stand by this teaching.  Why?  Because I read the word of God and I know this is what he wants for us.

Let us be joyful friends.  Let us celebrate the victory of our Lord.  The Lord strong and mighty.  Our Lord mighty in battle. Let us trust that he has this whole thing under control.  Find your peace by believing his word.

I often hear the following verse recited in church service:

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.  And the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

I looked up this verse in the New living translation so that I could put it to language that my mind could remember and think clearly on. The following are the verses I was meditating on today:

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

I am at peace and I pray you are to.

Meditate on his word night and day

and it will bring you good success.

Keep living on Purpose

Until Next Time

Tamorra

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9 NLT

Motivation for Monday: His Nature is to Love

Good afternoon friends,

It is Monday yet again and I am on my way outside to take my walk with Jesus.  Yes, this is what I do because it is peaceful.  Today I want to encourage you to find peace.

We are living in a time that is full of so many stresses and disappointments. Life just isn't easy to live, especially if you are by yourself.  If we are not careful we can become overwhelmed by all of these burdens that surround us day by day.  I have decided that I cannot handle it on m own.  Instead, I accept a gift of a savior.  I accept that there is a comfort and a peace that I can experience, if I just trust and believe in my Savior, Jesus Christ.

He will give you a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Does this mean that I am going to do everything right all of the time.  NO!!  I make a lot of mistakes.  I just made a mistake that I think may have cost a friendship.  I didn't see it as a mistake at the time but my heart told me that my actions had hurt another person's heart.  In that, I had a concern for the person who was hurt.  That hurt can only be healed by love.  That love can only be experienced if accepted.  Otherwise, it will just sit and fester; destroying any chance of healing.

I encourage you to forgive others and forgive yourself of your past mistakes. . .in forgiveness you will find love  . . . in love you will find forgiveness.

Although I wonder what will happen to the friendship I spoke of earlier, I gave the whole situation over to the Lord.  I cannot not lose my peace over something that the enemy means as a distraction.  I also don't want to make people feel unloved.  But the only thing that you can do in these situations is to send out love and forgiveness.  Things will work out for good.  They always do.

I want you to heal today from what ever hurt, trouble, or disappointment that you have experienced in your life.  Will you accept the gift of love that God has given to you?  Will you accept a savior into your life that can help you heal?  Will you take Jesus's love that can help you move forward to experience the beauty of his nature.  His nature is to provide.  His nature is to heal.  His nature is to love. His nature is to forgive.

Motivation for Monday:

Go for a walk today and experience his nature.

As I am on my way out, I want to encourage you to love one another.

Live your life on purpose

until next time

-Tamorra

Teacher Tuesday: The Good Teacher

In my last years of teaching in the public school, I had often heard my students whine and complain; “I can’t do it. . .  it’s too hard . . . can you do it for me?” 

No, I can’t do it for you!  If I do the work for you then that is making you weak.  Listen up,  if you are depending on your pastor to do all the work for you, to bring the word week after week, and you chose not to study yourself, you will repeat the year, you will be left back, and there will be no growth in you.   You must study yourself, you must have the desire to study.  Read your bible and spend time with God.

What kind of teacher would the Lord be if he did all the work for you?  He knows that he has to require you to study the word.  Study and learn who you are and who you were made to be.

This is something that I wrote not too long ago about being a good teacher . . 

“Who wants a teacher who is just going to give you a cheat sheet to the test? That’s a lazy teacher. That’s a teacher who doesn’t care. But a teacher who carefully plans the distribution of information so that a student may discover at his level, to obtain wisdom and understanding through application and creativity; well, that is the teacher that I yearn to become.”

The Lord wants to be your teacher and he wants to guide you through every trial.  He wants to be there for you.  He doesn't want to see you suffer.  You just have to put your faith in him.  Put your faith in the truth of his word.  

I want to share with you a video that I had come across.  It is a young woman giving her testimony.  I think it was awesome that she shared her journey with us.  I also like how she mentioned at the end of her video that we all have purpose.  And if we do not step into our purpose then we are good for nothing and we will die good for nothing.  People do go to hell.  This is the thing everyone . . . people go to hell.  The word of God is for real and Jesus is for real.

I pray that this video gives you hope for a future:

Live for Jesus

Live your Journey

Live life on Purpose

and remember that there is purpose in the process

Until Next Time

-Tamorra