God is always good and always loving

I began the study with the goal in mind of having victory over my fears and phobias. I felt like I had failed again, as I thought that unless you have victory over all, you do not have victory at all. I prayed and sought the LORD and asked Him what He would have me do. ’’The LORD is gracious and kind, slow to anger, abounding in love...’’

The LORD taught me many things through this study. He used the guidance of my godly counselor who is filled with the same love and compassion that Jesus is and has godly wisdom. I was able to unravel and identify ’’triggers’’ that cause me fear and anxiety, worry, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness!! The LORD gently healed my heart and changed my perspective.

My earthly father was abusive and angry. I never felt loved or accepted by my Dad. Because of the study and the guidance of my counselor, I was able to see that God protected me from even worse hurt or abuse. I was able to understand that our Heavenly Father has promised us in His Word over and over that He loves us with an ’’everlasting love’’.

Jesus has shown us how much He loves us by His sacrifice on the cross. The chapter about the cross was the most difficult chapter in this study for me. Until we realize how much Jesus loves us, we cannot understand how deeply our sin hurts Him.

The chapter on forgiveness helped me understand what it truly means to forgive from the heart as Jesus commands us to do. It helped me let go of past hurts and focus on what is truly the most important thing - my relationship with Jesus.

The chapter on marriage helped me see that God blessed me with a gentle, kind, and loving husband. It convicted me to be a better wife and God put a ’’new love’’ in my heart for my husband.

This study also helped me ’’see’’ with clarity that even though we fail, and especially because we fail, we need to abide!! We need to press into The LORD all the more and ’’if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’’.

I desire to always seek The LORD, to abide in Him, to rest in Him, to always be in communication with Him, and to trust Him more. This study has helped me grow closer to Jesus and for that, I can say, I have victory in Jesus and I love Him with all my heart.

The prayer of my heart is that someone may read my testimony and be encouraged that God is always good and always loving and He is always waiting for us to come to Him. I am so thankful to my counselor for her patience with me and for coming along side me to help me and guide me through God’s promises. The best I can say is that any time spent with the LORD is time well spent. God bless!!