Paint your world happy

It's cloudy today, but it is very yellow! 

My husband is a saint! He painted our family room about two years ago and he is repainting it. WITHOUT grumping! Our front room is a soft yellow, absolutely beautiful, so we decided to paint the family room the same warm color. We did not consider the effect of sun! The family room gets a lot of sun, and our soft yellow glows brightly. It just doesn't work. So he's painting again, a gorgeous color called "Beach House Blue." Yep! I'm living at the "beach" year-round.

Our new beach house blue... not done yet.

This change to the house is no big deal. For the cost of a few gallons of paint and some muscle power by my dear husband, "we" can easily modify our home's appearance. Except for those forearm cramps, the process is painless and permanent... until I change my mind again. *wink*

How many of us try to do the same thing in our own lives? We update the wardrobe. We spend hundreds at the salon on hair, makeup, hands and toes. We give up on the hard work of exercise and invest instead in spanx (call it what you want, it's a girdle!).

How many times have you participated in the plastic smile conversation? Someone asks, "How are you?" The instant reply forced between clenched teeth, "Oh, fine. Just peachy." Plastic smile frozen on your face until you turn away and that broken heart trickles down your cheek in a silent tear.

We pretend that we can buy happiness with new clothes, a fresh face, and fake words. Pretenders.

The truth is, we can't make our lives look good with a simple update to our outward appearance. All the money in the world can't buy peace, joy or contentment. The harder we try to paint our world happy, the more we hurt. Proverbs 15:13 says, "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit."

We can't fix our lives with a fresh coat of paint. We can find joy, peace, love, contentment, patience and more when God fills our heart. If you don't know the God of these great gifts, He is already with you, waiting on you to invite Him in. He wants to fill you with his love. When you let Him in, you won't feel the same need to keep redoing yourself. This is the last paint job you'll ever need!

If you'd like to ask Jesus to fill your heart and become your personal Lord and Savior, it's as simple as ABC:
A. Admit you are a sinner who needs God.
B. Believe that Jesus lived, died and rose again for your sins.
C. Confess Jesus as Lord of your life.

You can pray right now and invite Him into your heart:
Dear God, I admit I am a sinner who needs you. Please forgive me of my sins and give me a life with you here on earth and eternal life with you in heaven. I do believe that Jesus died and rose again for my sins. I confess Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus' name, Amen

If you prayed that prayer, congratulations! And welcome to the family. Please visit a church and get plugged in with the people there. God doesn't want you to do this alone! Also, check out gotandem.com for more resources as you take this journey with Jesus. And please let me know too! I'd be honored to pray with you and for you as you get the best makeover ever!

Enjoy your new heart!

Love,