Healing is Promised!

According to Psalm 103, there are many benefits to serving the Lord, including the fact that he heals all our diseases.

When you've been hurt, it can feel like you've acquired a mental disease. Depression is as dangerous as any other issue we could ever have. Self-doubt, self-loathing and the many other emotional issues that come along with abuse are often lifelong journeys to shake. But it's good to know that there are promises that can make our pain a bit easier to deal with.

God promises to forgiveness, healing, deliverance and redemption. Read the entirety of Psalm 103 and be blessed! Looking for more positive influence? Join me at Officially Lacresha Hayes.

Praise Can Heal the Heart

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6

When you feel low like you cannot make it another moment, just remember that happiness is choice. Joy is a gift. Sometimes all you need to shake those blues is a praise break. Praising your Creator heals the heart.

Can You See?

Can you see yourself smiling, happy with who you have become? Can you see yourself peaceful, finally content with the life you're living? It's important that you see it if you hope to achieve it.

The life you live can be whatever you want it to be. You can't control who wants to be a part of it always. You can't choose what others do, but you can control how you respond to the actions of those around you. You can choose to settle differences in life quickly. You can choose to forgive quickly. You can choose to live an unburdened life by unloading the weights and refusing to walk in bondage to anything, including anger and bitterness.

Can you see yourself free? I can. I am. I choose it today and each day and so I am as free as my imagination, as free as my heart, as free as Christ died to make me. Want more inspiration for daily living? Check me out at Officially Lacresha Hayes.

Courage to Be Happy

When you've been depressed for a long time, been walking through valleys for years, it's hard to believe anything can really get better. Each time the promise of something wonderful comes, you may remember former disappointments and that gives rise to fear which drains the life out of your hope. But don't despair. You aren't the only person who has experienced that. And like others have come through it better, so will you if you want to.

Truth is, it's easier to be sad, down, destitute and hopeless. When you're there, you can't sink any lower. And for someone who has been sinking for a long time, the bottom may feel good because at least you don't have to worry about things getting any worse. But that kind of thinking is called defeatism. You've already accepted the worst and fear won't allow you to hope for better. When people fall into this category, you see it in their lifestyles. These are women who don't mind finding a little pleasure in the arms of a married man. These are men who don't mind selling their integrity just to have bragging rights of women he's bedded. These are people who no longer believe in anything good so they have a problem producing something good. But this cycle can be broken and should be if you hope to reclaim control of your life and live one you can be proud of.

The first step to change for me was to realize that I cannot change the past no matter how much I grieve. No amount of grief will reverse bad fortune and no amount of guilt will reverse bad decisions. What else is there to do other than let it go and begin again. Realizing that God loves me when my faith is weak or strong, when I believe or walk in disbelief, whatever state I'm in, God's love does not change. Seeing the goodness of God through tragedy isn't easy. But once He revealed His nature to me, my life motivation changed and my purpose changed and so did my mindset. And what once used to tear me apart on the inside now doesn't even tickle. It is nothing more than a testimony to empower you all and anyone else who will listen. It took years, one day at a time, to get here. But you too can get to a place of peace and a quiet knowing that gives you strength, courage, and joy.

For more encouragement, visit my website, blog, or catch me at Officially Lacresha Hayes posting daily!

No More Emotional Scars

For those who once believed a lie about themselves, embraced that they were created to be less than average, less than attractive, or completely undesirable, today's post is for you.

When we love someone, whether parent or partner, we give them the power to hurt us deeply. No matter what the experts say, the opinions and views of our loved ones affect us in every area of our lives. And when they abuse us emotionally, we're left vulnerable to outside attacks as well. We all know what can go wrong and how often it does, but here's how to heal.

Knowledge brings power and application of the knowledge brings healing. The fact is, none of us are perfect. The person you spend the most time trying to impress or satisfy is just as imperfect as you are. A healthy relationship understands this and the people in it attempt to elevate each other and become better because of one another. An unhealthy relationship seeks to debase you because of your flaws and failures. Let go of those debasing words you've heard. Stop replaying them in your mind. Stop replaying the video of the ridicule on the faces of those you wanted to believe in you. Instead, look at yourself and for yourself, make the choice to be the best person you can. Love yourself as you come day by day.

There is no formula to make everybody like you. There is no acceptance potions, no way to please everybody any of the time. To live trying to win approval of people is a lifetime in prison, a lifetime without ever embracing your true self. God created you for more, to give you a future and a hope, not to destroy or constrict you. He gave you freedom and if you choose, you can walk in it every day of your life!

For more inspiration, please visit Officially Lacresha Hayes or connect with me at Twitter. To get copies of my books, including my bestseller, The Rape of Innocence: Taking Captivity Captive, visit my website.

Five Great Things Happened

Today I'm sharing five wonderful things that came out of me being abused. Often, people focus only on the pain and agony. I've been guilty of that myself. But today, I want to share the other side. Here are 5 great features of my life, thanks to living through abuse.

1. It taught me friendship. I'm a good friend, kind and attentive, as well as understanding.

2. It taught me to be strong and independent, but made me more grateful for what good others add to my life.

3. It taught me the power of desperation. Through pain, anguish, loneliness, I discovered a faith in God that showed me how to harness all the negative emotions and actions in life and use them.

4. It taught me to write, since often I could never discuss my pain aloud. 

5. And lastly, it gave me a bestselling book and propelled me in the direction of becoming a nationally and internationally published author, which I am.

I'm not saying that I couldn't have gotten these things any other way, but I'm saying that in my life, those five great things came out of all the pain of my childhood. Yes, it was terrible. I was in pain of heart and body. I wanted to give up, just like you. I wanted to die sometimes. Most of you know my story of attempted suicides. But God had a plan to turn the worst the world could throw at me into a blessing for me. And it has been a blessing!

In the years since my book hit the shelves, I've made a lot of money while making a difference in the lives of people I truly care about. I've met people all over the world in person and online. In some places and circles, my name is now like a household name. I've lobbied for various laws, signed hundreds of petitions and spoken at some major events. I count it all a blessing and if I change my past, removing the abuse, it may also change my present and I don't want a thing to change concerning that. Life can hurt, but God is still good. For more inspiration, catch me on Facebook.

Smile Again

It's hard to smile again when you've been hurt by those closest to you. If only I could say that abuse is rare, I'd be happier, but you are not alone. Many people have been verbally, physically and sexually abused by those closest to them. Statistics vary according to studies, but all of them put the estimate over fifty percent. That's a lot of people walking around feeling alienated, shame and hopeless. That's why blogs like this are so important.

Believe it or not, many of the people you know and look up to have been abused. They may never speak of it, but you can find victims everywhere in all social circles and income brackets. While you're walking around feeling like you'll never be happy again, never be productive, never get over what has happened to you, the truth is you're walking beside someone who went through worse and overcame. And guess what, you can overcome too. You can reclaim your life and your happiness. You don't have to hurt forever, nor do you have anything to be ashamed of. It's time to come out of the pits of despair and trust that life can and will get better. You'll smile again and if you're willing, you may help some other victims get over the victim's mentality and live a full, productive life again too.

For more inspirational messages and posts, please join me on Facebook, Twitter and visit my blog on my website. Happy reading!