Day 131 : The Heart He Holds

When I feel like I am a failure, when I feel like losing track of my dreams, when I feel beaten, when I feel as if the world is too cruel, I remind myself to be still before the Lord. I pray, redirect my thoughts, and I read through posts HERE, including two of the most beautiful poems below that are very close to my heart.

These are my guiding principles, that sum up what I greatly desire to be. I am a work in progress, and definitely have stumbled a lot of times because I am only human, but because God is ever so loving and merciful, I am moved to pursue being the woman I long to be; the kind of woman I want my daughters and grand daughters to be, with hearts that beat for Christ.

Women of God can never be like women of the world. 
The world has enough women who are tough; 
we need women who are tender. 
There are enough women who are coarse; 
we need women who are kind. 
There are enough women who are rude; 
we need women who are refined. 
We have enough women of fame and fortune; 
we need more women of faith. 
We have enough greed; 
we need more goodness. 
We have enough vanity; 
we need more virtue. 
We have enough popularity; 
we need more purity.
-----
(Margaret Nadauld)

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
-----
(Mother Teresa)

"It's a harsh world out there, " says one of my friends. Indeed, it is. That's what makes everything so challenging - how to still be yourself and be firm with your beliefs, values and principles, without being directly influenced by the standards set by society composed of conservatives and liberals, and of course, sensationalized media. 

It's not easy, and failing is inevitable, but everyday I'd like to try. Everyday, I won't get tired of trying. "I am nothing without God; I can do all things through Christ". 

Let my heart be so lost in Christ, where it is safe, secure and unscathed; where it is overflowing with His love; until the day He says it's time. 

I pray.