List Yourself #5-Finding Freedom

Just about everyday, I read the verse of the day on my iPhone app, YouVersion. 

Today it was this:

The being kind part...I've got that down (most if the time! Lol), but the "giving up bitterness and anger"...well...I'm still working on that.

I've been abandoned by people who were supposed to be genetically programmed to love me forever. 

I've had such a low view if myself that I was a doormat to anyone who would pay me a little attention and once I finally built myself up, then I was torn down for being prideful. 

I've had moments so dark that the little voice In my head kept telling me my kids..my husband...my family...the whole world would be better off without me. 

I searched and searched for answers and when the people who where suppose to be there to answer them were too wrapped up in their own lives to help me, I looked else where and was still lost. 

God has brought me through a lot if hurt, anger and bitterness and I am definitely a better friend, mom, wife and person that I was 1 year...5 years...10 years ago. BUT...there are always still those memories that when they pop into my head, they tend to linger and bring back a lot of feelings I've spent so much time cleaning out. 

So here is List #5: 

 

Now hear me out friends...this list is NOT about pretending hurtful things never happened or sweeping things under the rug. It's about coming face to face with those things that haunt you and steal the joy from your daily life.  We can never truly forget things in our lives and we wouldn't want to...it has made us the people we are today. To FORGET, in this instance, simply means to REMEMBER that it happened, but CHOOSE not to REMEMBER the negative EMOTION attached to that memory. 

Be honest with yourself. No one will see your list unless you choose to show it so lay it all out there. Dig deep...it maybe small offenses or it might be big hurts. 

This list might be painful...it's gonna hurt, but just like the birth of all three of my kids...there is new life on the other side of the pain. 

Until next time my friends...be strong...be honest...be you. 

Ps...I would love to hear how your lists are going...leave me a comment or shoot me an email at thecreativelifestudios@gmail.com.