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Hello and welcome back. We're so happy to have you here with us today. And it's another day that we get to share a devotion and inspiration and motivation that I hope that you will find truly inspiring. It's entitled today, Overcoming the Memories That Bind, Rising from Yesterday's Pain. And our scripture comes from Corinthians, the fourth chapter, verse eight and nine. It says, we face many troubles. And that's the NIV version, by the way. We face many troubles, but we aren't crushed. We are puzzled, but not in despair. We might be knocked down, but never knocked out. You know, in this life, there are things that happen that cause indelible footprints on our lives that can be very painful, that can in fact be a challenge to overcome and to forgive. And today I am challenging you to embrace with me a topic that can be painful initially, but hopefully rewarding in the end. And it's one of overcoming memories that bind. You know, life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. I can tell you at age of 65, I've fallen off bicycles many times. But let me tell you, every scar, every memory and every hurt has its purpose. It's not just about what you know. It's about what you do every day that shapes where you're heading. When you think about the pain that you have encountered in this life and the memories that bind, ask yourself, what will it take for you to be able to move from where you are to a place of healing, a place of renewal, a place of regeneration, a place to where you're not ignorant of the pain of yesterday. You're not one who doesn't know what you've been through, but you've decided that what you've been through was not going to hold you captive anymore and that you were going to begin to take the appropriate steps to use your God-given ability to let go of the pain of yesteryear and begin to walk with a blessed assurance, understanding that Jesus came, that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly. He desires for you to be able to walk in peace, in harmony within your heart, your mind and your soul. As you trust in him with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him and that he wants you to be able to not allow the memories of yesterday to be the pain that binds you today, but that you can cast every care that you have upon him, knowing that he cares for you and that there's nothing too hard for him to do. Think about it like this. Imagine a potter shaping clay. At first, the clay might look messy, but with time and consistent effort, it turns into a beautiful pot. Our struggles and failures and memories that weigh us down are that messy clay, that real messy clay, but with constant action and a resilient spirit, you and I can mold within ourself in the master's hand with his guidance and with his wisdom into a story, that pain into a story of triumphant victory in Jesus. Here's a bit of wisdom on overcoming the past from someone who's been around the block. Step one, stay on track. Consistency is like a trusted old compass. It always guides you in the right direction. Even if the journey gets tough, stick to the path, stick to your path. Your everyday actions are drawing the map of your future. Be consistent, look at where you are, and always be determining true north for you in the Lord. Use his holy word as that roadmap for success and excellence. Step two, you wanna use failure as a teacher. Use your failure as a teacher. I'm not going to read everything that I've written to you, but I want to tell you, you don't wanna miss that step two. It is full of insight, you know, especially it's gonna tell you something about falling down and the importance of not staying down, but getting up. Step three, believe in perfect timing. Believe in perfect timing. There's an old saying, good things come to those who wait. Sometimes life's schedule isn't our desired outcome and it's not on our time, but trust that everything is unfolding as it should. A little faith goes a long way. Step two, turn setbacks into comebacks. You will hear that many, many times with me, turning setbacks into comebacks. Why is that important? It's important because if you have an attitude of gratitude that allows you to look at your circumstances and not allow them to become stumbling blocks or building blocks, you can step up to turning your setbacks into comebacks 24 seven. It's up to you, you got the power. If you're trusting God with all your heart, you got the power. And then step five, unity of strength. Please check that out. I don't have a lack of words, but I have a lack of time. And so my time is just about out, but I wanna encourage you, check out step five. Unity is strength. It's been a pleasure being here with you today. Remember, overcoming the memories that bind starts with a decision. Rising from yesterday's pain starts with a decision and you have the power to make up your mind this time to rise above the pain of the past because it doesn't have to last. This is Dr. J. I trust that you'll have a super fantastic day. Looking forward to seeing you next time. Remember, God's not finished blessing you. Have a super fantastic day.