Let me introduce you to my arch nemesis, Stuff. He is sometimes called clutter or junk. He likes to creep into our homes and take over and cause chaos and discouragement. He is disguised as gifts, heirlooms, and what we think are needs. He wants to bind you up and keep you bondage inside your home in a constant battle that will usually end in defeat. You may have a few wins and feel like you are getting ahead and then another holiday will happen and you have just as much coming in as you just got rid of and the cycle begins again. Although this may not be as much of a battle for some, it has been my battle for way to long and I no longer want to be in bondage to our stuff. Why do we have so much stuff? Where does it come from? We are a greedy society. We never have enough. We get the biggest and best and then another bigger and better comes out so we need that too. We have holidays and birthdays and we think the way to show love is to see how much we can buy someone. We inherit or are given family heirlooms that we simply can’t get rid of because they were our great great grandmother’s. We all seem to blur the lines of need and want. “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” 1Timothy 6:8 Are we content? Is having what we need and being taken care of enough. God said he will never leave us or forsake us. He is not slack concerning his promises. Do we need anything else? I have always been taken care of. I may have wanted better or thought I needed more but I have always had food, shelter, and clothes to wear. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6 We serve a God who owns everything and who made everything. He holds us in His hand. Don’t you think He is going to take care of our needs? He not only takes care of our needs but He blesses us with so much more even when we don’t deserve or appreciate it. I will share more about the specific reasons that we collect and keep stuff in the upcoming posts. I would like to encourage you to take a look around and take inventory of the lack of contentment we all struggle with in our lives. What could you live without? Is your stuff holding you bondage and keeping you from the life of contentment God has for you? Is it stealing your time? Is it stealing your peace? Maybe your arch nemesis is the same as mine. Maybe you feel defeated by all the clutter around you. We serve a mighty God and nothing is to big for Him. Lets fight this battle together and know that God will lead us to victory if we only trust Him and let Him show us His way and His will for our lives. Lets lift one another up in prayer. There is power in prayer. Thanks for reading. God Bless!