A new book, new lessons, challenges and encouragement

Since finishing "The Power of a Woman's Words" I have been reading thru a book titled "Sandpaper People: Dealing with the ones who rub you the wrong way" by Mary Southerland. This is proving to be another challenging yet encouraging study.

I chose "Sandpaper People" to learn how to better deal with the difficult people in my life; however, God has also used this book to show me the "beam" in my own eyes and how some of my tendencies can be like sandpaper to others. It's been a very humbling experience but also encouraging to see that God does not give up on us...He continues to show us areas we need to change.

While there is a lot I could share about this book (and many lines I have underlined) I want to give you a glimpse by sharing some of the things in one chapter. The chapter is titled "Be Strong: Develop Endurance" while this book is dealing specifically with difficult relationships there is so much wisdom for any difficulty we face. This chapter focuses on the life of Esther and how she endured in dealing with Haman and despite her fears stepped forth in faith allowing God to use her mightily.

"In dealing with people who rub us the wrong way, we need to
embrace the truth that while our strength is inadequate, God's
strength is more than enough"

She lists four choices we can make that "invite Him to permeate every part of a relationship with His persistent love and regenerating power." These choices are based on Peter's words regarding suffering in I Peter 5:6-10

Choice 1: Choose Humility over Pride:

- "Humility is painful at times but is powerful at all times. Humility chooses total abandonment, a complete submission to God."
- "When we choose humility over pride, we acknowledge the power of God and give Him permission to transform every difficult relationship into a showcase for His transforming love."

Choice 2: Choose Peace over Worry:

- "We need to daily, minute by minute, take those difficult people to God and leave them there, in the palm of His hand."
- "When we live in peace, we are paving the way for difficult people to encounter Peace Himself. Choose peace over worry."

Choice 3: Choose Knowledge over Ignorance:

- "We often assign sandpaper people the role of "enemy", when they are not our adversary but rather, our mission field."
- "Faith is our shield of protection in every part of our spiritual walk; it is the covering for every healthy relationship."
- "misplaced faith is powerless. When it comes to dealing with sandpaper people, we must be careful not to place faith in our own human ability to handle that relationship."

Choice 4: Choose Character over Comfort:

- "all through life, the greatest strength is forged in the broken places."
- "Suffering comes in many ways, but always with the purpose of making us strong enough to endure pain and weak enough to rely upon God."
- "We can insist on comfort and forfeit character, or we can embrace the brokenness, knowing that God will use it to make us strong."

I pray that you have enjoyed this glimpse into what God is teaching me in my life right now thru this book and also that it is an encouragement to you to endure...moment by moment...whatever difficulties you are facing knowing that God is very near and that His Word is "true and righteous all together"

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:37-39

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