85-Victory in Jesus....

So the above song has often annoyed me! Victory in Jesus.....la la la la la la.... He bought me and sought me.... I can hear the tune... The annoying part is not the words but the melody and the twang that I heard it sung with the first time. Tonight as I write, I am claiming victory in several areas and I know it is only because of Him.  So this morning I awoke to....

I literally took this picture with my phone from bed.  I love sunrises and this morning it was such a beautiful one!  Chris was getting ready to head out for a day of golf and I love watching him get ready in the morning so everything was perfect.  Then the thought... I should go running.  It is such a perfect day and place for that.  However, I would rather just sit here, actually lie here and enjoy the breeze, the ocean sounds and the amazing sunrise.  Then in walks Anna, asking if I would like to run with her.  I tell her no.  I would rather just stay right where I was.  She then asks if she can barrow my phone to track her run.  I tell her yes, and in that moment realize how stupid it is that I didn't want to go, or more accurately how stupid I wasn't willing to go!  So I got up put on my shoes and clothes and headed out the door with Anna.  We had a wonderful time ran 2.18 miles, Anna found two sand dollars (a whole other story).  It was amazing!  Victory 1... 

Then had a wonderful breakfast with deep and meaningful conversation with just the ladies, Beth, Becca, Katey and Anna.  It was such a blessing.  And then it was time to get ready. I needed a shower after the run, and that meant I needed to spend almost 40 min. getting this hair dry or doing what I do to often, go with a wet head.  I really wanted to look cute, take time for me etc, but the run and the conversation were so important and both took a lot of time, time I needed for this hair.  I took my shower and then constantly worrying about keeping people waiting I ran down stairs to see how much longer.  Becca said she only needed five more minutes.  I was hoping for 45!  I ran back up stairs resigned to wet hair and make up being put on in the car.  Then after brushing it out, I just said, NO! No, to wet hair, no to not putting on make up.  NO No No!  So I rushed through the bare minimum hair dry, and put on make up and ran down stairs.  I apologized and shocker... Everyone was fine.  No one was in a rush or angry and I felt much better than the drowned rat alternative!  Victory 2....

Shopping with people has never been my favorite past time.  Mostly because I am so self conciouse about making people wait on me or go into a store I want to that I do nothing, usually get nothing and just walk around with friends.  This can be very enjoyable, however I tend to fight with myself if I ever see anything I might be interested in because I just cant tell people that I want to go else where.  I know it is a problem... So today we ladies were headed out to shop all day.  I really love and feel very safe with the ladies I was heading out with and I prayed that today would be a day of wonderful fellowship and fun shopping moments for all of us.  I vowed to be willing to stop and look, to try on or to ask to go into a store I wanted to go into.  On our way to the mall, we past a TJ Maxx.  I have been looking for a specific item at TJ Maxx and was hoping to stop and just take a quick look to see if it was there.  So I asked and they agreed and wow what a joy it was.  Terrifying but a joy too!  It was such a blessed day.  We had such a great  time and I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute! Victory 3. 

I am so grateful for these moments where I see God working to give me the strength to fight through some of the issues I have. I really believe that he wants us to be free.  He wants us to find healing from insecurities and victory in Him!  So tonight I am humming that annoying song with new meaning. 

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever. He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.