None of us are perfect. We all have struggles. Some folk's struggles are more obvious to the eye, while many of us are able to hide our habitual struggles from those around us pretty well. I've been thinking on this subject and studying a bit and a friend on Facebook recently broached the subject. He said "Many of us seem to pull ourselves out of destructive routines only to be sucked back into them again later. We are seriously like sheep. Oh look, there's a hole, oops I fell in. *slowly crawls out of whole* - Oh look, there's a hole, oops I fell in again. *slowly crawls out of whole again* - Oh look, there's a hole.......etc."

this was my reply to him - "I'm right there with you... I've been studying this a lot lately due to my own struggles and a couple scriptures have helped me.

Romans 7:14-25 (part of it - please go read the whole thing) - Paul Struggling With Sin - "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do... I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do? this I keep on doing."

If Paul faced this what makes me think it won't happen to me? I'm going to make it through unscathed?! Paul is considered by many as the father of the early church. He wrote like half of the new testament and listen to what he's saying. Satan at work and our own humaness means we will fall.

then here's a word from John...
1 John 1:5-10 (part of it) - Walking in the light - "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

Praise God!

Keep pulling yourself out of the hole. Eventually through the Holy Spirit you'll see the hole and say "Oh look, there's a hole. I think I'll walk around." Keep walking towards the light and you'll be just fine. You may fall into a few holes along the way, but there will always be the strong hand of your Lord and Savior to pull you out.

What are your thoughts?

P.S. I uploaded more family reunion pictures. If you want to see more of my family you are welcome to check them out here or here.