There Is Power In Being Grateful. Here’s Why?

For most people that reads the quote above are saying What? How can I be grateful for my problems? You dont know what I’ve been through. There is no way I can or will be grateful for them. EVER!

This type of thinking will not only keep you stuck in life it will keep you broke. This type of mindset is making you Ill.Its making you ill spiritually, personally, fianancially and physically. It isnt only making you ill, however it is effecting everyone around you. Unless you surround yourself with people of missery loves company. If thats the case then your miserable together. Unless one wants to leave or both wants to do something different in your lives it will always stay the same. YES YOUR THINKING AND YOUR LIVES.

To all my friends who are reading this right now. You are not made to have this mindset you are not made to live the life you are living. 

Let me explain why? You are made of a dream and that dream is sitting in your heart. There is a bigger purpose for you and you know it. 

The very first feeling you can embrace is to be grateful for your problems. Embrace that everything happens for a reason and you may not know what that reason is and maybe your not suppode,to know.  I don’t have all the answers. 

However, I will share with you a story of how being grateful for all my problems has led me to where I am today. I myself had that crappy, low self- esteem, no confidence have pitty on me please for a long time. I would say the good majority of my life.

I went through every type of abuse from the time I was 3 years old to 37 years old. During this time as you can imagine a lot of things can happen. I suffered a drug problem from 18 to 26. After 26 I got sober moved away from the town I was in, living with a boyfriend of 5 years at that point.  Got married and had my first child at 27. Things went bad shortly after and I started using again. Lost my daughter to get dad. This time took me about 2 years to get sober. That took going to jail for a little over a year.

From 29 to 31. I was out of jail involved with another guy whom I had 2 kids by. Long story short he ended up murdering my youngest daughter and is in prison. 

2 years after she grew angel wings got into another bad relationship. Left him took my middle child to my dad and became homeless.  

Going homeless was the best decision I had made in a very long time. It taught me to be grateful, meeting all of the people and forming relationships with them to hear their stories and what happened in their life. Tradegy is tradegy. There was no comparison from my story from their story. The stories were about loss, greif, and alcohol and or drug abuse. 

As we all grieved in different ways we were all in pain just different stages. With this being said about 4 or 5 months of being out there I started changing my attitude and started changing my attitude. I was listening to Christian music constantly always had my ear bugs in to drown the noise. I was volunteering at both shelters 14 hours a day. I was praying and i was fasting. Nothing was happening in my favor of getting off the street. 
I didnt understand why things were the way they were. However I just kept on praying father please. My goal was to have a job a place to stay and off the streets by June 1st which was 1 year.

During this time on the street the father in heaven and I had a awesome relationship. I could tell you story after story of how he protected me in the simplest ways. He did that because I wasn’t complaining about my life, or the things that have happened to me. I was grateful for them and thanked him every single day with a smile on my face no matter what. 
Fast forward to today. The Lord father in heaven provided me with a place to stay a good job at a cafe making good money by May 26, 2016. I’m still working at the cafe and just landed another job making more money so I can reach my higher goals that have been set.

There is Power in being grateful. It takes time to get to that mindset lots of prayer and building that relationship. I walk by faith I leave everything in the Lord’s hands and I know he will take care of me and meet my needs and that is because I show gratitude for the things,that happened, and I know I’m on my way to something greater.

If you are in a position right now that is just tearing you up. You feel stuck or whatever. Start being grateful for it and know there is a reason it is happening.

Feel free to share your thoughts with me. 
P.S. I still have work to do on myself and things that have to change before I can fully be blessed the way the father wants me to be blessed. Just know he will never forsake you and you’ve already been forgiven. God bless

Potter and the clay

Go to the potters shop, and I will speak to you there. Jeremiah 18:2

Can you relate to the picture above and know that at times in your life you have been on your knees and or head in your hands wondering what next. So at some point we all look up and begging please father help me. Help my situation. Father I just can’t take this anymore.

You feel some softness in your heart. He possibly leads you to a church service that the message seems to be specifically for you. Or someone says something to you about what your going through. You start wondering if the things you are lead to or the people speaking to you is coincedence.

In my experience with the circumstances in my life past and present he has this lump of clay that He is trying to shape. Wirh my commitment to him of trusting him with my life that clump has been forming however with my disobedience problem it gets crumbled everytime I take my life into my own hands instead of leaving it in his.

However I know that he is trying to shape me into the person he wants and made me to be. Also of what I know and love to do is helping people, helping to find their purpose just like the Lord has shown me my purpose. It’s my passion and is who he really truly to

To be.

Over the last 2 1/2 years he has been shaping me. Little did I know  a lot of the things that have happened  I had thought were coincedence. It was not, it was the father in heaven who was shaping me into the person he has intended me

to be.

As he continues to shape my life I start to feel my heart start to change. I become more calmer in my situations. I learn that is better to not complain than it is to complain. I learn that happiness is a choice. I learn the more grateful you are the better things are for you.

At this time in my life I was in a really bad relationship. No trust just sex drinking using drugs and I was a horrible mother. However still every single day the Lord was there. He was giving me an spiritual awakening darn near everyday. The problem was I wouldn’t give up control however he kept forming me. He used people to talk to me and every time I was in distress about something I could open the bible and for sure get my answer.

You may be thinking to yourself why things were like this between myself and the Lord, Or how I became to have such a fond relationship with him. I can tell you full trust. Complete faith that I knew that there was something out there that was a better life. I knew that the next life in store for me was going to be fabulous, more than I could imagine. I trusted him. As I have said before the all powerful God can move mountains stop the winds and seas so why couldn’t he change my addiction to alcoholic and sex. I would pray and pray to him. Infact would also write to him everyday.

However I still sinned I still was disobedient to him. I don’t understand how he could work the miracles of raising the dead, healing people ETC…  But he couldn’t take my urge to drink away. I never got mad at him I thanked him for it. I continously prayed and cried to him.

I know that is why he continuously was there for me, he continuously showed me his grace, and his forgiveness. He still kept shaping me. I still was disobedient with my drinking so he put me homeless.

He was still transforming me. Teaching me all about life. Basically if you want to be selfish, ungrateful and continue to be disobedient then here you go.  He puts is into situations that we get so sick of that we have no where else to go but to look up and say Lord help me. During my time out here I have learned more about myself and some special gifts the Lord has given me. As well as he haa taught me its okay to be by myself. I had a high co dependence problem that I feel I no longer have. He taught me how to love myself. I started thinking to myself darn This chick Melissa is a pretty cool chick.

As I continued in getting involved with volunteering here at the shelter and learning more about People etc… I started feeling the joy, the love that really I had craved all my life. He was still transforming me and  I loved it.

As things are really starting to look up for me emotionally etc… I was still being disobedient.  Because of the trust and faith that I have in the Lord He kept on forming me however if I can’t be obedient than you will stay where you are. This last time I drank although it has only be 3 days as of today I am ready to be obedient so I can live the purpose the Lord has so made clear to me of my purpose in this world and in my life.

3 days sober and I know I’m going to be okay because the potter knows the clay.

Thank you Jesus for my life and this amazing journey you have shown me. The opposite of down is up so thank you.

The question I ask you is… Has the Lord been showing you things that you have been ignoring has he been using people to speak to you. Of so what can you do in your life to move forward in your purpose?

If you can relate to this and how it could have or can change your way of thinking please share and or comment. Thank you so much.

Melissa Giles

Words of Wisdom

 

So I may offend some people in this post, I may hurt their feelings, and flat out piss someone off. However, some times we need to hear from a friend. A person that has been through something, or possibly may still be going through the struggle of staying sober. In fact writing this post will probably hit me too. My life tends to happen in that way.

As many people whom know me, know that I am a child of the Lord. I tend to speak more of the Lord while I am intoxicated and maybe preach a little more than I should. I have heard a few people make remarks about you can’t do both. Which in reality it is not the right thing to do however, the truth comes out more when intoxicated. No matter what you are talking about. Know it is truth.

I have been wanting to write this post for awhile now. I guess I too felt that I did not want to be a hypocrite and write all of this and still be drinking. However, I am not drinking anymore in fact this is my 6th day Sober. I do have to take it one day at a time just like anyone else and sometimes it is none second at as well.  I am not perfect by any means.

First, I will start with every time it comes to mind to drink and I do it, it is choice. Second the Lord cares about what is happening between all of us, however he is not mad at us. In fact he cries for us. He has tried with all of us to show us that we are made for more. With that being said until we all stop doing it is that we are doing we will stay in the position we are all in.

The Godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked. Proverbs 24:16.

He expects us to fall. He also expects us to get back up. He will be all around the whole time as we are sinning allowing things to happen to us so we will say enough is enough. It is you God that I need. If you have not noticed that things happen daily to those whom do not want to listen. Your stuff comes up missing, constantly fighting, using language that only tear you and everyone else down too. However, everyone wants to complain about their situation.

Also, take the time to really think about the environment. Just look around and see that people are wearing crosses around their necks, however they won’t go to Chapel. People have everything that they need out there. I mean everything. Food, clothing, socks mittens, scarfs ETC. Everything. Where do you think that comes from? Who do you think the Lord uses to get us all of this stuff. He uses people. Yeah there are people with in the community that are not fair and unjust to the poor. Who cares, for the Lord will take care of it. We are blessed to have what we have because the Lord loves us. When one falls he uses another to pick them back up. Really think about that.

He did not make us to drink. He has put this in our path for a reason. It is a choice to stay in this position. Keep telling yourself you have PTSD, or someone put you out here,. or it is someone else’s fault. It is not. It is your own. It is my fault that I am out here. Some peeps know my story and some don’t. I will be more than happy to share.

Don’t glaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in a cup, how smoothly goes down.

For in the end, it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper. Proverbs 23:31-32.

Think about this. We or most of us will work only to get that drink. We will do what it takes to get a drink however we won’t do what it takes to get out of a position we are in. We will spend the time complaining about the situation, however we won’t spend the time to fix the problem. Every time we use the emotions in our bodies to over take our thinking it is like a viper. The words that come out of our mouths hurt not only you however the people around you. We all have junk.

You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. Proverbs 23:33-34

Then you will say they hit me but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know when they beat me up. When will I wake so I can have another drink? Proverbs 23:35

How many times do we do this to ourselves, get up the next day and say this? I know how many times it has happened to me and it is like, What! What happened. Or I will say what happened last night? Did I get into a fight, do I have my phone, what did I lose? At times that’s when I would just continue to drink. What a life to live damn I would think to myself, how embarrassing I will just keep drinking. Stay drunk for 2 to 7 days at a time. Asking me the same questions every single morning waking up.

I can say one thing, that’s it. Enough is enough. Once you realize that the lord is on your side, he is watching I mean dang he lives down there with us. He watches all of the things that go on, still provides for each and everyone one of us. He handles each one of us differently because of each heart that he made. We are all different. You guys if we changed the way we did things, focused more on what it is that needs to be done to leave the situation we would be out of there living an abundant life that the Lord has made for each and everyone of us. We are his chosen people. There is nothing chemically wrong with our brains. It is called free will. So this is your choice, your decision on what you want in your life. It is not anyone’s fault that you are where you are in your life. It is yours just like it is mine. If you want to continue doing what it is that your doing to yourself and others, than don’t complain about your situation.

I know that this post is directed to a situation I am currently facing and the people that I love and care about so much. As a whole of the people whom don’t drink. Same goes for people whom are negative, people who get off being angry. People who just flat out think they are better than everyone else, people who judge, people who spread hate and discontent just for the fun of it. No matter where you are in your life or what you are choosing to do with it, you are there for a reason and it is not because of anyone but your self and your daily actions.

A poor person who oppresses the poor is like the pounding rain that destroys the crops. Proverbs 28:3

We are all in the same position, it is what we choose to do to get out of it. We can all come together to get sober, and make the life we are made to have through our Lord. We all come together and drink. It is time to make a difference you guys. I am willing to step up and help. Why destroy each other, lets lift each other up.

 

Thanks for listening. My friends this all starts with our experiences in life. Take the time to look at your life experiences and how they can be used to make a difference in this world. It all starts with that and changing the way you think.

I love you all!

 

Melissa Giles

 

 

 

Joy V.S. Happiness

 

Far to often in life it is easy to mistake Joy from Happiness. They are two different things. When I think of Joy I think of how peaceful my life is even when it to some isn’t joyous or think how could I be happy. Joy comes from the heart.

Happiness is something we chase. We tend to find happiness in things of this world. If we are suffering in one area of our life, then we could be replacing it with food, some kinds of substance addiction, or something like sex, or gambling or money, and even working. Anything that will make us happy for that moment or for that day, or at least take your mind off of what it is that is not making you happy.

I honestly feel that we don’t have joy in our hearts than being happy is a constant battle.

How do you find joy? Well there are many ways to find the joy in your heart. Helping others in one way. Doing something out of the kindness of your heart. This is healing your heart in some ways. You may not know it at first but it is. A simple act of kindness to one person a day can not only help you however could help that some one as well.

Another way you can find joy is be grateful. The more you are grateful throughout your day the more joy your heart is filled with. You won’t constantly be complaining about something, instead you will be grateful for it. For everything in this life happens for a reason. So be grateful.

Pray constantly throughout the day. The lord knows what you are going through and is more than willing to help you out in anyway. Do not only pray for yourself however pray for others too. This brings compassion in your life instead of selfishness. Ask the Lord to bring them Joy and peace into their hearts has well. Believe me there is power in prayer.

Change your negative thinking into being positive. You know the Lord won’t give you any more than you can handle. Ask him to remove the the negative thoughts. It heals you. It puts lot more joy in your heart. This also helps change the way you think to be more Christ like. As time goes on  and he changes you than no matter what you will have joy and life won’t be so rough.

Guys it is easy to be happy. Being happy is a choice. You really have to work at having a joyous heart. The only way that this can be done is through Christ himself for he made your heart. He is waiting to repair it.

 

Thank you. Choose to be happy today.

Melissa Giles

How deep are your roots?

I would like to take this time to talk about the roots in our lives. We have roots that can go as far back in time as we allow it. We are told that we inherit our thinking, and our habits. For instance if we have had an angry person in our lives than we are most likely to marry one. If we have addictions through out the history of family then we will have the addictions. Over the years of all the research of the professionals that, it is what they say. In a lot of ways it can be. I suppose that determines what it is you are wanting to accomplish in life.

The point that I want to touch on in this post is that we are what we are told. More importantly as we get older and learn who we are, it is us that makes us into the people we are today. It is our own limited thinking that will keep you in the deep roots of misery of your life and past. Every word that you speak you speak into existence.

Example: I have alcoholics  in my family so therefore I am. I have a problem with anger because my dad was this way and his dad, etc…. So therefore I am. Words like these keep people sick. It makes their heart sick and keeps it sick. For most all of their lives. Each word you speak keeps your roots further down into the earth of negativity.

This is not want the lord wants for us. He has made you for something better than what your past is, he has made your heart for inspiration not misery. I know I write about this all the time. Or at least have. I believe sometimes I may sound like a broken record. However, each post should explain the same things in different ways. I do believe that they do in some way or another. For each post may affect someone in a different way than another person.

With that being said, there is a reason for each word that is typed into these blog post. I am going to give you 5 ways to start changing your thinking. Just something to think about. This will be your choice to utilize and put it to work

1. If you wake up and say I am going to have a bad day. F$%#^ this. I hate my life ETC… Guess what. Its true you will. If you wake up saying it is a beautiful day and I love my life (even when you don’t) it brings a sense of peace and joy to your heart over time. Test it try it out. For every negative word or thought, think of 5 positive things that will over ride your negative thoughts.
2. Stop feeding your mind with hateful music, and reading. This is what you are feeding your mind guess what. The negative will out weigh the Positive Unfortunately. Why this happens I don’t know. I believe that the force of negativity in this world right now it greater than the force of Positivity. Therefore, right now there is no balance.
3. Listen to Christian music. I have said this before. I know without christian music in my life, there is absolutely no way I would have been able to get to a point of where I am in my thinking. It is powerful. Day in and day out. Promise you, it changes the way you think.
4. Surround yourself with loving caring people. Find someone to follow that is happy and can lead you in the direction and the change you are looking for in your life.
5. My friends!!!! Please listen there is  power in prayer. There is so much power in prayer. The Lord is waiting people. It is no joke. This year a season for our lives to be of what they are suppose to be, it is the year for forgiveness and growth with in to be able to get to where we need to be in our lives. Our desires and destiny is calling each one of us. However, you are the only one who can create it. You are the only one that can change you with the help of Christ. It’s truth.

 

This all takes time. This journey that I have been on for 2 years 4 months and 19 days has completely changed whom I am and want to become. It has not been easy, and honestly I have been through hell and back. However, it was my choices that I made to keep me where I am today. However, this point and time I am free in my heart. I can smile and be happy no matter what. That is what life is all about. It’s pure Freedom from with in.

Now it is time to take my life to another level, that I know by my faith has already been determined. My life has never been mine it has always belonged to the Lord. I firmly believe that. It is my faith that will carry me through to my destiny. That’s freedom my friends.

 

I love you all with all my heart!

God Bless you all,

Melissa Giles.

P.S. Dig up those old roots, start fresh and your real tree of life is on the inside. Plant it, and and water it daily, and let the Lord produce it’s fruit. Nothing is impossible, and believe me through the lord all things are possible.

Drinking

Wine produces mockers, alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise. Proverbs 20:1

I’m really having a hard time writing this because today will be my first day sober in 2 days. I have a history of long term sobriety over time however very little sobriety over the last couple years.

I don’t like to write about this because I feel as if I’m being a hypocrite because of my lack of sobriety.

However, I am going to write about it Today because it truly is the way I feel. I just get selfish at times and live by the flesh of selfishness and taking advantage of free will.

During my time of drinking a lot has happened. I broke the littlest bone in your body which is the bone that keeps your heal attached to your ankle. Very first bone I’ve ever broken. Coincedence, I don’t think so. I ignored the sign coming from the heavens above and kept drinking.

I nearly cut of my pinkey finger inches away from the tendon and having to have major surgery. During a fight with an ex was kicked had to have complete reconstruction on my knee. Now living purpose or shall I say homeless.

All of this due to my actions of drinking. I take full responsibility for my actions and poor decision making. The problem really becomes that its continual. Its a cycle of ignorance and selfish in so many ways.

With this being said I choose not to beat myself up over it, I choose to maintain a positive attitude, I choose to smile and be happy. Most importantly I choose to forgive myself and know that I am forgiven.

See just as choosing all of the  things above is like choosing to drink. Its the negative verses the positive. The flesh fighting the Spirit. All I can say is the devil is a liar. Everyday we as humans allow the devil to win.

Today I chose to stay sober. Life is about choices and guess what? You make them.

Thank you,
Melissa Giles

Filth

Commit yourself to instruction; attune your ears to hear words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

Filth: when I talk about filth I’m talking about what we say and how we present ourselves. What fall’s out of our mouths has an impact on the way we think and feel.

Being able to control our tongue is and can be very hard especially if we are in that type of environment or have lived that way for sometime.

I know I used to have a real bad mouth. Horrible in the sense of swearing saying foolish things. However, now that I have been more intuned with the Lord and in lots of ways let him have his way with my thinking its hard for me to hear what some people say, and completely disguest me with the cursing. Very unattractive in so many ways.

Even though we may feel different on the inside what comes our of our mouths says a lot about our character. I don’t know about you, but I want people to look up to me and know that my heart is now full of love and understanding because that is truly who I am. I am love.

See when we get so wrapped up in our past, or in our thoughts it changes who you are. We let others define who we are by what they say. That’s not okay.

Love starts with in. It starts with you and loving yourself. Of you don’t have that then you leave yourself open to more disappointment than needed. You accept things in your life that you should not. You compromise your own soul for some one elses s!$#. Excuse my language. However its true.

This all starts with language, what comes out of your mouth it effects all areas of your life. If your walking around always saying the F word, constantly complaining, finding a problem to every solution, or not even seeking solutions than of course your going to continue to live a unhealthy life.

Even fool’s are thought wise when they keep silent, with their mouths shut they seem intelligent. Proverbs 17:28

I love this proverb and if you really meditate on it, it makes a lot of sense. Someone constantly running their mouth about someone or something is a fool. It seems when one can keep their mouth shut that they grow in the wisdom of understanding.

Its better to keep silent than to act like the other person. If your in a conversation or fighting with someone and your acting just as they are. You are just as foolish than if you were just to walk away.

This takes time. If you ask the Lord daily to assist you with this, then you will become wise. That is if you want to make a change in your life. If not than continue to act like a fool.

Thank you,

Melissa Giles

Life

As it is right now life seems to be good however I know could be so much better.  I struggle with alcoholism or perhaps it’s just selfishness on my part.

I say daily I’m not going to drink and will quit smoking. Through my journey of wanting to stop I’ve done a lot of beating myself up for doing or not doing something I know I shouldn’t or should have done.

As I walk this street and on this path my relationship with the Lord stays amazing. He is always here with me no matter what I do. Still talks to me plain as day with messages through scripture or people.

After being completely sober for 7 weeks I got lonly and decided to go be social with my friends on the street. That turned into a 6 day benge, had two bags stolen, broke my phone and on the 6th day ended up with a black eye.

I always have said out here on the street I have nothing to worry about because the angels watch my things I have nothing to be scared of because the angels are always protecting me. This is all true. However being disobedient to the Lord he was showing me what would happen and did happen. He was trying to get my attention to stop.

I could not get mad about anything that had happened it was my fault for drinking again.

Part of all of this is….. I wanted to be that leader that could prove the statement “you are who you hang out with” was not true. I wanted to be the person that was able to prove that its all self and in the way we think.

Clearly I failed. I still know it can be done. I know a lot of what I say could be who however if said correctly it isn’t all ego.

After breaking my phone I quit working my business. I felt that without a phone and only 2 hours at the library wasn’t enough to get anything done with in my business. I put it all on hold, and was praying for a new phone.

I didn’t want to sit on my butt so I decided to start volunteering. I know I need to make money however I just feel like im working with the Lord. I worked 3 weeks straight 5:30am to 9:30 pm. With breaks between breakfast lunch and dinner. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people out here and do a lot for them as a lot of them help me to in so many ways.

I still was drinking in fact this is the first day I have not drink in almost 4 weeks. I don’t plan on drinking. I’m up against a wall right now. I’m ready to be whom I know I am. I’ve said that a lot. At this point I have to take full responsibility for my actions. Let my actions speak louder than my words. Its time.

I’ve never have given up on my dream of helping people. I’m not giving up now. It just time.

Thank you,

Melissa Giles

I still volunteer now. I absolutely love it.