How's your memory? Mine's not good. At all. It's kind of ridiculous sometimes. I remember people and faces exceptionally well. But random facts about the world, conversations I've had, events I've participated in, they all just seem to disappear over time. I'm constantly telling Logan I've never seen a certain movie, to which he responds that not only have I seen it, BUT that we watched it together.... Whoops! It makes for a lot of goods exercises in humility, that's for sure :)

I've figured out by this point that I'm clearly not going to be able to remember everything I should... But out of all the things I would like to remember, the most important has to be the promises of God. Not just those promises made in Scripture, the truths about His character and His love that stand true from generation to generation, but also, maybe more so, the promises He has whispered directly to my heart. It's pretty amazing to think about - the Creator of the universe is so invested in my life and cares so much for me that He speaks words only I can hear. He has plans and dreams written just for my life, and He loves to give me wisdom and guidance when I ask. He only tells us the truth, and when he tells us something is true, it's true forever! How crazy is that?!

What's a promise the Lord has made to you? Maybe in a time of grieving or loss, He promised He would carry you through this darkness and give you His strength. Maybe in a season of loneliness, He promised His presence would never leave you. Maybe you were at a crossroads and didn't know what to do. And He not only showed you the way to go but promised He would bless that path. Maybe it was during sunny days, days where you feel just fine on your own. But He promised that His way is best and if you stay obedient to Him, your life can be more than just "fine".

Moments like this when the Lord makes us a promise should change everything. When we are fully trusting in His goodness and His strength to make whatever situation in our lives a reality, we should live differently! We should worry less and feel more peace and joy. We should walk and speak with more confidence and grace.

But that's not always the case, is it? Far too often in my own life, I hear a promise from God about a specific circumstance and start out so sure and so full of faith. But in only a matter of weeks, sometimes even days, I am completely discouraged and it's as if I never heard from the Lord at all! Have you been there too?

The darkness in our lives makes it hard to remember what God told us on the brighter days. When life is hard, and our strength is thin, there are so many other voices and worries calling out for our attention. We forget His goodness, His faithfulness, and His promises because we can't see past what's in front of us right now. Sometimes, a poor memory like my own may be partly to blame. But more often, I think it slips our minds because we aren't choosing to focus on it. We let other ideas, worries, or concerns take the foreground in our mind and consume our thoughts.

So let's make it real, shall we? In January, I started a new job. It's an amazing job - one that is actually using that degree I worked so hard for, is in a dream field of mine, makes a positive impact on my community, and came with a huge pay raise. But it's a hard job. It's stretching and challenging. It requires a lot of creativity and more leadership than any role I've had previously. Honestly, I was SO nervous to accept it. I was afraid that I didn't have what this job would take and that I would fall flat on my face. I wanted it, I wanted it oh so bad! But I had such a long list of fears and reservations. So, like I have with all my job-related decisions over the years, I went to the Lord. He has been unbelievably faithful in all things career in my life, you all (Maybe that will be another post soon? Let me know in the comments if you'd want to hear about it!). Over and over again, He was gently nudging me toward taking this role. He told me, "I'm in this job. Keep heading this direction. I'm with you and I will bless you." That sure sounds like a promise to me!

I took the job. I went in my first few weeks so unsure of what I was doing but so full of faith! I learned the ropes, I put together my plan, and I got to work. I poured out hours and hours of energy and creativity. I waited, and waited, and waited... and the results didn't quite come. Then, a few months in, some very unexpected leadership changes threw everyone into a scramble. And with every week that has passed since then, the pressure has got turned up more and more. I've worked harder, harder than I knew I could. My coworkers are all stressed and nervous. Our corporate office has made more and more policy changes that are not only annoying and unfair but often make our jobs harder to complete. Weeks keep passing and results aren't showing. I've felt out of control, even though I'm doing everything I can, and I worry I made a mistake taking this job at all.

I found myself afraid again. Afraid the needed results will never come. Afraid I will never be able to reach the usually unrealistic expectations being set by corporate officers who don't understand the challenges in our way. And in my fear, I began to question everything. What am I doing here? Why the heck did I leave my previous job? I couldn't have stayed there forever, but was it really so bad? What will happen if they shut us down? Do I need to start looking for something else? Why did I think I can do this? And it was then the Lord asked me, "Do you not remember the promise I made to you?" Ouch. 

Because of course I didn't remember. I had been focusing so much on myself, my weaknesses, and my unstable circumstances that I forgot how great and faithful my God is. I forgot that He was the one who called me to this job in the first place and that he knew what was coming, long before I did.

God was so generous to remind me of the promise He'd made me. He confirmed once again that He was the one who orchestrated this job for me and that He was still going to bless it. He told me to stay put and to do the work required of me. Our God cares for us so well, and is often over the top in His love and encouragement for us.

I haven't seen the blessing yet... I haven't seen the fruit of all the work I'm putting in yet... But when I'm trusting God's promise in my life, I have so much more peace and confidence. Even if I crash and burn, I know I was where the Lord called me to be.

In the end, I realized not staying focused on God's word for my life was my own fault. Sure, life got busy and a lot more stressful. Situations like that can easily distract even the best of us! But with a few strategic steps, I could have made remembering so much easier for myself. Knowing myself and my pitiful memory, I am confident it won't be long before I start forgetting a promise again. So, I came up a with a few practical ideas I can use to make remembering easier for myself! Maybe one or two of them can be helpful for you too :)

1. Write It and Put It Where You See It 

It's a lot harder to forget something when you have it in front of your face every day! This is one of the simplest tactics there is. Just write it down on a post it or a note card and put it somewhere you'll see it regularly. Maybe it'll help you to have it in your bathroom so you can see it when you're getting ready in the morning and evening. Maybe it'll serve you best in your car so you can focus on the promise He's made you while you're on your way to work. Or maybe you need to take a picture of what you wrote and make it the background on your phone so you're reminded every time you unlock your phone! Since the current struggle I'm facing has to do with work, I'm putting a note on my computer. That way I can be reminded that God is for me and with me even in the toughest part of my day!

Technology... it can be a huge distraction or a huge service to us, all depending on how we use it. By setting a simple alarm, you can have an alert pop up on your phone during the day to remind you of the promise God's made you! You can pick a totally random time, or one that has significance to you. If the truth you're trying to remember is found in scripture, maybe the chapter and verse would be a good time to choose! Set an alarm and when it goes off, just take a moment to focus on that promise. With an iPhone, you can even set the words that pop up when the alarm goes off! In your alarm settings, change the "label" and that's the phrase you'll see on your screen. (I am not an Android user so I'm sorry if they don't have the same capability! You can still set an alarm and intentionally focus on a specific thought). 

Do you ever feel so overwhelmed you don't even have the words to pray? This strategy is so helpful in times like that. When I feel stressed and like I'm spiraling out of control, I find one truth to focus on. It can be as simple as "He loves me" - just anything that I know in my mind is true and unchanging about God, even if it doesn't "feel" true to me right now. And then I just say it to myself, sometimes just in my head and other times out loud. I repeat it over and over again, like a mantra, or a desperate prayer, until it starts to feel true again. Even if everything feels chaotic around me, choosing to focus on just one thing at a time can be so powerful. It slows my racing thoughts and brings a renewed simplicity to a situation that may feel totally overwhelming.

This idea is similar to an ancient Christian practice I learned about in college called "breath prayer". You focus on one phrase or request and repeat it in rhythm with your breathing. I don't always repeat my prayer with my breath, but if that sounds like it would be beneficial to you, I suggest this article as a starting point!

Going to a friend with an area you're having trouble with can be so therapeutic, right? I always feel so relieved when I can get all those feelings out of my heart and onto the table. And if the struggle I'm facing has anything to do with feeling isolated or alone, sharing with someone else is a huge punch in the face to that lie! But at the same time, I know my sharing sessions can easily end up being a huge complaining session... instead of focusing on the positives, I just keep rambling about how much "it" sucks. Anyone else?? The challenge here is to be intentional. Don't just share for the sake of sharing, or share with anyone who will listen. Chose a friend who will challenge you. Tell them not just the difficulties you're seeing, but the promise you've heard and are struggling to remember. Then, ask them to help you remember! You know you have a truly great friend if they'll tell you the truth when all you want to do is complain, or if they'll even follow up with you about how well you're staying focused before you even have a chance to bring it up again.

5. Find Worship Songs that Reinforce the Same Truth

You all, I am blown away all the time at the faithfulness of our God. One of my very favorite verses is all of scripture is 2 Timothy 2:13, which in the NLT says "If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is." He literally cannot be unfaithful to us... it's just who He is! Isn't that such good news?! We will never fail to fall short of perfection. We will never be able to live even one day perfectly. There will always be times when our hearts wander and our minds lose focus. But aren't you glad that your weakness and your situation can't change the power of His Word?! He is so good to us.

What's a promise the Lord has made you recently? Are you struggling to remember it when life goes on and your day gets harder? SHare with me in the comments below! I would love to know I'm not alone! And if any if you're going to try one of these practical tricks, let me know that too!