ambushed.by.the.uglies

Today was a day that I was so thankful to have spiritually supportive women in my life, and so readily available to pick me up and see a few of my sad tears. I am reminded that if evil has a foothold it will climb the whole mountain if it can. I had a conversation with a person who is pretty blunt in his opinions of the lifestyle I've chosen and especially my involvement with the church as my place of refuge and employment. His sarcastic jabs sting and heavy my heart. He mocks me for my new choices and it breaks my heart. He drowns his discontent in a thick cloud of smoke. I want to open a window for him so things could maybe clear up a little for him, but he's the only one with the key. After all this emotional chaos from a single conversation I know that I can't be his savior and his lips speak only toxic disease. It pains me to see his sorrowful, angry projections and walk away from him, but this is where I have to draw the line. I've got a happy bubble now. If someone tries to bring dirt or darkness into my bubble things would certainly implode very quickly. I've got to do a pat down security check on whoever comes in now. If you've got a little pain in your pocket, sorry, you've got to leave that at the door because that's yours, not mine. I was ambushed today by the Uglies, that's for sure. And this is what my Rock & Strength gave me:   Romans 8:31-39

More Than Conquerors

 ³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:    “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
 ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 These precious, golden words make me want to beat my chest and shout 'You can't break me. He is before me, beside me and behind me and I am more than a conqueror.' I am not defined by the things that I have done - thank you Jesus.