RED! The Breakthrouh 'zine

COLUMNS

Now, Life - June 2008

by Tiffany Peterson

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

Wow, this God of ours is so amazing. He has truly blessed me abundantly, more than I ever dreamed possible. I was released from prison in the fall of 2006, and now in the fall of 2008 I am going to be married to a wonderful Soldier for Christ.

It was really a struggle for me when I got home to keep God first. Therefore, I spent 2007 learning how to do this. As much as I loved God, I had to re-adapt to life outside the prison walls, to all the daily distractions, responsibilities and heartaches. It was much easier to keep God first in prison; there weren’t nearly as many diversions on a daily basis. I had to learn what it meant to be “in constant prayer.” I needed to develop a whole new way of thinking. When I got home, I wanted someone in my life, a relationship, someone to tell me how much he loved me and hold me. But I believe God wanted me to desire a relationship with Him above all else. He was trying to show me to depend only on Him. It was a lesson I had to learn and once I did, He blessed me immensely. I started finding my joy through my relationship with God, and as a result, He orchestrated everything else around me to fall into place: my ministry of Moment to Moment CHOICES (www.mtmCHOICES.org), my job, and my relationships.

The Lord has provided a new designer for the website, someone that shares the vision of the ministry, has creative designs, and has the dedication to the website. God has blessed me with a new job that provides benefits and insurance. This position even allows me to work on my ministry, to help and encourage others, and to give all honor and glory to God.

God began to cut the people out of my life that He did not want there, people that were not helping to serve His ultimate purpose or were interfering with my time with Him. This process was very painful at the time, but looking back, I see God’s hand all over it! I know that it was He who was clearing a path in my life, as if He were reaching down from heaven with His hand and pushing people to the left or the right, clearing off the narrow path that leads to him. It hurt at the time and felt like rejection, but it was really only God’s protection. God removed the wrong men from my life, so I could seek a relationship with Him; then I could give him the time and attention meant for him.
When I finally put God first in my life and found my joy through Him, He blessed me with the desires of my heart. God has brought a man into my life that doesn’t even see the many consequences from my previous bad choices as “baggage”. He is a man that sees me through the eyes of God. He tells me that I am covered by the blood of Jesus and forgiven; he loves and accepts me just as I am. Jim is truly a gift from above whom I will always cherish.

I know that I don’t deserve any of this, but I don’t deserve God’s love and forgiveness either, and yet He gives them to me – for free. He offers them to you too; it’s up to you to accept his love and ask for his forgiveness. We are told in Jeremiah 29:13-14 that if you seek Him (really seek after the Lord, with all of your heart), He will be found and He will bring you back from captivity. Many of us are living in a mental captivity of bondage that really isn’t necessary. Jesus died for us to be free and live in his joy, yet so many of us remain in self inflicted turmoil. I don’t believe this is how God wants us to live. Choose to live today in His Joy, seek Him with all of your heart, delight yourself in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart. Because, as you do this, your desires will change to be in line with His will!Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

Tiffany Peterson