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“Do You Know What I Just Heard?”

What?

“The President just said this…”. “Did you hear what Senator _______did?”  Oh yeah, and we can’t forget about the shooting in Texas, the Pastor that said this, the church that has split over that, or the Congresswoman who said…. I could go on and on and on.  I think you all know what I am talking about.  All the things that are happening every day worldwide are astounding and I hardly hear anything because I do not listen to the news or commentaries that talk about the news.

But you may be saying, “You need to keep up with what is happening because we need to be prepared for the crisis that is coming.”  Am I going to be prepared for the crisis if I am focusing on them?  How do I prepare for the crisis ahead?  What does it look like?  And does it matter if I know?

Truth

To me, the only way that we are going to be ready for any crisis is to be focused on the important things.  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” Philippians 4:8.  To me, this verse says it all and should be our criteria for everything that we listen to, watch, read, or think about.  I want to break it down a little and talk about each phrase in the verse.  I am not perfect at accomplishing this verse in my own life but I am striving for it.

“…Whatsoever things are true…”

So where do you get your information is it the news, a talk show guy, a friend, church leader, etc?  How do you know what you’re hearing is true?  I mean let’s face it; everything that probably comes to you has come through multiple people before it ever gets to you.  So how true is it when it does get to you?  And then there is the agenda that the person talking is trying to push so they are coming from their agenda’s perspective.

If you want to believe that there is no agenda and things passed down get accurately repeated then even if it is true does that mean we should be dwelling upon it?  Is dwelling upon these things going to get us prepared for heaven?  But what about…

“…Whatsoever things are honest…”

It seems that true and honest are the same thing.  There are similarities but there is also a difference.  This is where the agenda really falls into play.  Details are presented in such a way to deceive the people into believing that what is said is the truth.  You might call that propaganda.  You know if you tell a lie big enough and long enough eventually people believe it.  And as people believe it someone or something control them more.  And is what they are allowing to control them bringing them love, joy, peace, etc.

“…Whatsoever things are just…”

Is what we are filling our minds with upright (just)?  Is it approved and acceptable to God?  Do we have to dwell upon those things that are not just and right in order to know what is just and righteous?  We should be filling our minds with things that are innocent and holy. We should be doing those things that are innocent and holy.

Instead of focusing on the bad things that are happening in the world and within the Christian community and complaining about it, do Christ method.  It is His method alone that is going to win the hearts of the people.  And what is His method?  Keep reading.

“…Whatsoever things are pure…”

What does it even mean to be pure in our society today?  Everywhere you look purity has been thrown out the door.  I had someone say to me one day, and I don’t even know if he is a Christian, “Most of the TV programs and movies today are pornographic. I won’t even watch them.”

The fact is if what is on media today would have been shown in the ‘40s society would have put their foot down.  But it has come so gradually that people don’t even think about it.  I don’t really know what is on today but you don’t have to watch it to see advertisements plastered everywhere.  And to me, if we are watching those things we are condoning them.  We are in the getaway car so to speak.  If we were in the getaway car at a robbery we would be held just as guilty as the person robbing the bank.

We can choose to be pure in what we allow into our minds.  The temptation is not a sin.  So when we see something that could be sinful it is not a sin unless we continue to look or dwell upon what we have seen.  I wish I could get young people today to understand this concept.  I seen something totally by accident when I was probably 10 and I still have that in my memory.  It comes in a lot quicker than it leaves.  It can be like a virus that destroys your life.  Guard yourselves as much as it is possible to do.  Dwell upon the things that are pure.

“…Whatsoever things are lovely…”

Oh, how pleasant it is to dwell upon the lovely things.  When I think about lovely it makes me think of nature, the birds, deer, trees, flowers, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, etc.  Also, the truths of God’s Word are lovely.  There are so many things within this world that are not lovely.

If every time you went to listen or watch something and you thought about whether it was lovely it would change the trend of what you do.  And I am not talking just about worldly things, like movies, news, and gossip, etc. I am also talking about religious things.  What are the Christians dwelling upon in their sermons, songs, gossip (yes, I mean gossip and it can be more poisonous than worldly gossip), etc.?  Is it lovely?  There may be things that happen in this world whether in the Christian community or the worldly community that is not worth dwelling upon or preaching about.  How do we deal with the crisis we are in today?  Christ method alone will reach the hearts of the people whether they are Christians or the ungodly.  And what is Christ’s method?  Keep reading.

“…Whatsoever things are of good report…”

Good report, something that is well-spoken and reputable, and something that is well thought of, highly regarded, well respected, respectable, and of good repute.

I like what it says in Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  Words usually start with our thoughts.  If our thoughts are going in a line that is unacceptable it will eventually come out via our words.

We think with horror of the cannibal who feasts on the still warm and trembling flesh of his victim.  But here is the question.  Is the ruin caused by misrepresenting motive, blackening reputation, dissecting character any better?  In God’s eyes, I would think not.  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Proverbs 18:21.  Those whom God accounts worthy to be citizens with Him is he that “walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.  He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour” Psalms 15:2, 3.

We need to close our ears to things that are not of good report and also do not speak those things that are not of good report.  Christ method alone will reach the people of this world whether in or out of the church.

“…If there be any virtue…”

We need to have a virtuous course of thought, feeling, and action.  And we need to be full of moral excellence, as modesty, and purity.  We cannot be virtuous in our thoughts, feelings, and actions if we are filling our minds with things that are not virtuous.  We need to guard our ears and our eyes.  What we listen to or see with our eyes affects whether or not our thoughts, feelings, or actions are morally excellent.  This is not easy to do in our society today.  We may be made fun of because we won’t take part in certain things.

I remember being told, as people laughed, “You were born under a rock.”  And this was as an adult.  I then became more “worldly-wise” and believe me it did not help me in my spiritual growth.  Of course, I am still not as “worldly-wise” as a lot of people but way more than I wish.  I was way better off in my innocence.  If I could say anything to young people it would be, “It is really okay not to fit in.”  Once you have made unwise choices life will never be the same.  And remember what did it get our first parents, Adam and Eve, to be more worldly-wise, knowing good and evil?  It got us where we are today and it is not pleasant!

“…And if there be any praise…”

Are the things that we are allowing into our lives praiseworthy?  If we keep our minds and hearts stayed on Jesus it doesn’t mean there will not be bad things that come or happen in our lives or in the lives of those we love.  But through all these things we can still praise His name because “…We know that all things work together for good to them that one God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28.  God has chosen all of us but not all of us choose Him.

The bottom line is we can’t control everything that comes into our lives but we should control those things that we can control.  We need to make sure the things we can control are praiseworthy.  If they are not praised worthy we should eliminate them.

“…Think on these things…”

If we are thinking about “…Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” Philippians 4:8, our lives will be reflecting Christ.

I believe as we choose to only allow these things into our thoughts and hearts we will have a joy that will reflect out to others.  We will have a joy that is overflowing with the love of Christ in our hearts.  There are so many things that the devil wants to use to distract us.  But if we stay focused on the genuine, Jesus Christ, He will be able to mold us into His image.  And we will be able to reach those around us with Christ method.

What is Christ method?

If they are hungry we should feed them, thirsty give them a drink, be kind to strangers, clothe those that are naked.  When there are those who are sick we should visit them, we should be reaching out to those that are in prison.  When we do for those that are in need we are doing for Christ.  This is what will draw people to Christ.

When He went through a town those that were sick were healed, whether they were emotionally or physically sick.  Now we can’t heal like Jesus did but we can help encourage and direct them to things that can bring healing to the body, mind, and soul.  This is my passion!  I want to teach people natural ways to live healthier despite disease, live emotionally vibrant and spiritually uplifted in the midst of depressing circumstances.

Christ method was to teach in such a way as to not condemn but to uplift those that needed Him.  They felt His love and compassion for them.  Sometimes the emotional or spiritual healing is needed more than the actual physical issues people may be dealing with.  And God can show us what is most important in reaching each person as we stay in connection with Him.

Dear Father,

We live in a time where we are bombarded with so many distractions.  Draw close to us and prompt us to stay focused on what You would have us stay focused on so that we can live a happier more productive life for others.  And as we do this it will bring more satisfaction into our own lives as well be more pleasing in Your sight.  Help us not to look at negative things or be condemning but to focus on what You have told us should be our focus so that we can bring joy and happiness not only to ourselves but to others.

Thank You for Your Word that brings hope and courage.  Help us and guide us as we read and study Your Word.  As we continue to study help us to grow in grace and truth.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

As you reach out to others keep in mind Christ method.  Read the Gospels to discover more about how He taught.  Make sure to examine your life and take those things from your life that does not fulfill those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report; and fill your mind with those things that are virtuous, and praiseworthy.

Love you all!

What has been your experience when you stay your mind on what God has in mind for us?  Share your experience below in the comments.  I would love to hear it.

 

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“Is She Going to Make It?”

Anxious!

Have you ever had something occur in your life and you get really anxious over it?  I am sure you have.  We all have events that take place that gets us anxious.  There are things that take place where we need some answers but we don’t know what the answer is and we aren’t sure where to get it.

I recall an event in my life that led me to this anxious feeling.  As far as how old I was I am not really sure but I think I was around 14 or 15.  At that time my dad was traveling on the road for his work.  So he would leave on Monday and then arrive back home on Friday.  We lived in an old farmhouse that was built back in the 1800s.  I loved that house.  We had two little ponds with several apple trees around them.  When we moved into the place we acquired a male and female goose and also one male duck and two female ducks.  They were lots of fun, most of the time.

Devastated!

One morning when my dad was out of town, I went out to feed the animals.  One of the ducks never arrived for the feeding time.  I grew concerned and went looking for her.  I found her in the second pond.  She was out in the middle, soaking wet.  As you know when you see a duck, soaking wet you know that there is a problem.  I don’t rightly remember how I even was able to get her but I finally got her.

As I picked her up I saw that she had a big hole in the back of her neck.  It was around the size of a silver dollar.  I could see the tubes that run through the throat.  She also had received damage to her body and her oil glans.  Things did not look good for her.

Let her go.

My mom was trying to figure out how we could put her to sleep.  I was not in favor of having her put to sleep.  I am an animal lover and I will do whatever it takes to save an animal if I possibly can.  So I said to my mom that I wanted to talk to dad.

For those of you that are younger it is hard for you to believe but cellphones were not a thing then.  And because my dad was on the road we could not readily get a hold of him.  He called us each day, morning and evening.  I can’t remember for sure but it seems the time to talk to him had passed.

I can’t readily remember how we got a hold of him.  But it seems that we had to call the main office.  He called into the office more than once a day at times and then, of course, when he got the message he would have to use a payphone.  He finally called us and I was so grateful.  When it came to animals my dad has the same heart I do.  And the reality is that God has the same concern for His creatures.  He sees when the Sparrow falls!  He loves the creatures that He has created.  My dad told me to call a vet and see what they suggested.

What?

Remember no Internet.  I had to grab a phone book and start looking in the yellow pages.  When I dialed the first vet I was shocked at the response from the receptionist.  She started laughing.  There was no sympathy or concern.  She let me know that they didn’t treat ducks.  I got the same response from one or two more vets.  At that point, I felt discouraged but unwilling to give up.

I finally got a sympathetic receptionist and doctor.  They let me know what cream I could get to put around the edges of the hole as well as her body.  It would take some work putting it on, keeping her warm, and getting her dry.  I did have concerns about her oil glans but the vet assured me that he felt they should heal without a problem if I just followed the directions.  There was still a little question but it was so worth trying.

Preparing

Some of the memories have gone from me, but my mom must have taken me in somewhere so we could get what we needed and get started with the treatment.  We also were able to find a large box to put in the house to place her in.  Somehow we put some heat in the box to help get her warm and try to get her dry.  You wouldn’t think it would be that difficult to get her dry but it was not easy.  It was amazing to be able to learn what those glans do to protect them.  And realizing how the oils coming from the glans keep the water from soaking in and sheds the water was so fascinating.

…Stomach

It did require a strong stomach in order to treat the duck.  I did not really want to do it before or right after eating.  As I recall my mom did not want to do it at all.  We had bought this cream and the vet said to take it and smear it around the opening of the hole.  It amazes me that the hole was not bloody.  So it was not to terribly difficult to smear it on.  I did wear gloves to do it though.

Now when it came to her back and wing area it was bloody.  It wasn’t massive amounts though, thankfully.  I can’t remember for sure but I think I used the same cream on them as well.  If I am remembering correctly it was a process that I did more than once a day.  The poor baby was so scared but seemed to know that I was helping her.  She allowed me to do what I needed to do without any complaint.

Healing

I don’t remember how long it took but her glans started to heal and the oils started to work again.  There was a question as to how long or if the glans would heal.  When we took her out to the pond for a test run I was so grateful that she did not get all soaked again.

It took quite a while for the hole to heal and fill in again.  But it finally did.  It amazes me at the healing power that God has put within our bodies and the bodies of an animal if we give it the right conditions.  God has made everything with amazing wonder.  And as I study more and more about our bodies I am even more amazed.  We definitely did not get here by chance.  All of creation was designed with such amazing intricacy it is impossible to be put together by chance.  We serve such an amazing God.

Thinking…

I started thinking about this experience a few days ago and it made me think of our lives in relation to God.  To most of those around us, we may look like an impossibility.  Our lives are full of holes and so many wounds that they may think for us to be made whole again is out of the question and fully impossible.  How can all those wounds be healed?  How can there be any hope?  I mean they are soaked in sin.  They are bleeding and fearful, which is covered with anger.

They don’t reach out to someone for help because of their fear of rejection.  So you try to find someone that can reach out to them.  Everyone you turn to laughs at you.  “You have got to be kidding me, you really think there is hope for them?  We don’t work on those kinds.”

But then you finally find Someone (the right Vet) that gives you some help in knowing where to turn.  He tells you about this amazing Salve that can help to heal the wounds.  There is no guarantee that the wounds will be healed because there is a factor that can keep those wounds from healing.

Choice…

The most amazing salve that can help heal the wounds of the most wounded soul is God’s Word.  There are a couple of factors that can stop the healing.  First, it has to be applied with prayer.  Because the healing is brought about by the power of the Word as it is applied through the power of the Holy Spirit.  And the second factor is the power of choice.  The person that is wounded has the choice to be helped or not.  Some people reject help.  They are so used to going through life with holes in their heart and with bloody wounds that they feel uncomfortable being out of their “comfort zone”.

They also need to be surrounded by those that are allowing the Word to work in their own lives.  People who have allowed the Word to so pray their lives that they have a warmth that will draw and warm those who are cold.  Assembling ourselves together with others helps to keep all of us warm.  It is like a lump of coal, if you take it out of the fire it will become cold.  Or if you take a cold piece of coal and lay it in a fire it will start to warm and glow like all the others.  Again it is still a choice.  You can’t force someone to join in and be close to those that can warm him or her.  But we can continue to love and to draw them.

Faith

It does require us to have a strong “stomach” (Faith).  Reaching out to people that are wounded requires a faith that will withstand the wounds that may lash out at us.  Wounded people can be full of so much anger that they lash out at those that even love them.  But on the same token we can be so turned off by the way they portray themselves because of their wounds that we may not want to even be around them.

By faith, we need to claim the promises of God and know that the “Salve” (Prayer & the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit) will accomplish the healing.  It may take longer than we think but we need to continue to be consistent.

The healing may take time and may not happen depending on their choice but never give up.  If the duck had fought me and resisted she would have never lived.  The same is true as we work with wounded people.  But we should never give up.  Even if they will not accept anything we can pray for them.

Also, remember as people surround us that there are those that we don’t even realize are wounded.  So we need to be sure that as we interact with those around us that we are much in prayer.  We need to be as Jesus was when He was here on earth.  The method that Christ used on those around Him is how we should treat all around us.  It is His method that will when the heart of each person.  Remember it is not about us and what we think it is about Christ and what He thinks. As you look at people see Christ hanging on the cross for them.  Love them with a Christ-like love that only He can give as we surrender self to Him.

Healing

Healing can take time.  But the most amazing thing is that it will happen and they can be the most amazing people when their wounds are healed.  They become stronger than they have ever been as they cling to the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to wash them clean.

Maybe you who are reading this are the wounded one.  Let people love you.  Read God’s Word and claim the promises that He has for you.  Spend time in prayer pleading for God’s blessing.  Do not let Him go until He has blessed you.  There may be those around you that will hurt you, even those who claim to be Christians.  But don’t get discouraged because no matter what people think God loves you with an everlasting love.

Dear Father,

I ask for Your wisdom, as a Christian.  Help me reflect You to others.  I pray that each of us will see the value to work with others as Christ worked.  Help us to set self aside and only see You.  And allow You to work through our lives.

Lord, I also pray for those who are wounded.  I prayer that You will wrap reaches arms around them and that they will feel those loving arms.  Forgive us if we have wounded a hurting and fragile person.  Keep us focused on You and the love that You would have us spread to these hurting ones.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to draw close to Jesus; He is the healer and reach out to those around you.

Love you all!

Do you have an experience to share about how God has helped in your healing process?  Or maybe it has been a person who has helped you?  Comment below about your experience.

If you are hurting and have no one around you to reach out to, reach out here.

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“What happened to the House?!!”

Things…

This seems to be a topic I keep coming back to but I think it is so important.  We take so many things for granted every day.  We live as if life will always be the same.  You never know when life can change forever.  We need to be grateful to God each day for what we do have.

Beginning…

Many years ago when my husband and I got married we had our dreams.  We started by buying the property.  We could not afford much so we placed an old mobile home on the property and lived hauling water for 2 years.  Our dream was to live in a mobile home for a small amount of time and then build a house.

As the years passed and the children were coming, we did not have the room we needed.  We only had a single wide 2-bedroom mobile home and the one-bedroom we have always referred to as the postage stamp room.

I remember having two kids in a bunk bed in the postage stamp room.  We had a baby in our room and a toddler bed in the living room under the overhanging counter from the kitchen.

Addition…

We finally built on an addition so we had more room.  We designed it in such a way that we could pull away the mobile home and build our house.  The design included an area for taking care of my parents when needed.  This has been the master bedroom, office, music room, etc. But we are coming up to our 30th year of marriage and we do not foresee a house coming into the picture any time soon.

There have been many changes over the years.  In 1995 we put a new kitchen in our old mobile home.  Since my husband is a cabinetmaker and we have our own business it seemed logical.

I don’t even remember the year but we qualified for assistance in making the mobile home better insulated.  They came and replaced all our mobile home windows to really nice windows.  And they sealed up the bottom of the mobile home with more insulation.  It made such a difference in the winter.  One year we remodeled the bathroom, which made such a difference.  We even had a solid surface countertop, leftovers from a cabinet job we did.

Then we remodeled the back bedroom furred out the walls a little and put in more insulation.  I am not kidding when I say, when we pulled the paneling away there were areas that were just paneling space and outside metal, no insulation.  This mobile home was built in the ’60s and they saved money on insulation, Lol!  And another year we remodeled the postage stamp room and made it just a little smaller so it could get better insulation.

Difficulties!

I remember when we first moved the mobile home up to our 10 acres.  We had no clue the amount of snow we would get.  It was a mild winter and we actually moved it on the property in the winter.  And into the snow belt non-the less.

We discovered very quickly the next year that mobile homes, especially old ones, do not hold up to the snow load.  So needless to say our roof was damaged.  Our ceiling started sagging with the water load and we would put holes in the ceiling so the water could drain out.  It also did damage to the roof’s structure.  So we had to build a roof over the top.

But then…

Even though we have had difficulties it has been a roof over us and kept us warm.  It has not been our dream and we still dream of having a house someday but at least we have a place to call our own to live in.  Too many times we are not grateful for what we have and we are always looking on the other side of the fence because we think it is greener.

But then a few weeks ago the reality really hit me how much I appreciate my home even though it isn’t my dream.  We almost lost our house.

We were all gone except one of my sons.  He was working in our cabinet shop and came into the house for something.  He smelt electrical and was going around the house to see where it was coming from but he could not figure it out.  As he was standing in the kitchen, suddenly flames started coming up from behind the gas range.  Thankfully he was able to grab the extinguisher and put the fire out.  But if he hadn’t been in the house it would have been gone.

Grateful

We tend to go through life taking everything for granted.  The thought of gratefulness each day that we have a house to come home to doesn’t really cross our minds.  We don’t think about the fact that we made it to and from work, school, shopping, etc., safely.  It just seems that most of the time we take it all for granted.

A lot of us may even pray before we leave our home asking for safety but do we send up a prayer of thanksgiving when we arrive home safely.  Maybe I am the only one that forgets to be grateful but I have a feeling that is not the case.  We get so caught up in everyday life we take life for granted.

Christians

As Christians, we should always be grateful.  We should understand the sovereignty of God and the life that He sustains us with every day.  I think we often use Him as a puppet.  We expect Him to provide and do in our lives what we expect and how we think our lives should go.

Then when things come along in life that is unexpected it is harder to keep our faith.  But the reality is we need to be so close to God that when those things come it makes our faith in Him stronger.  Because we trust Him so implicitly we can go on with joy in our hearts even in sorrow.

Jesus is our example!  “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2.

Christ

I believe the Father’s presence surrounded Christ when He was here on earth and that nothing was allowed but that infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world.  This was actually Christ’s source of strength. And it can be the same for us.  When we are imbued with the Spirit of Christ we abide in Christ.  So every blow that is aimed at us falls on our wonderful Savior, who surrounds us with His presence.  Everything that comes to us comes from Christ.  The most wonderful thing is that Christ is our defense.  And even greater NOTHING can touch us except by our Lord and Savior’s permission.  We have this wonderful promise that He has given us, “All things” that are permitted “work together for good to them that love God” Romans 8:28.

We can be so grateful for the promises that God has given us to cling to.  And also for His Word that we have available to us at this time.  We need to treasure it.  We never know when we may not have the privilege of having the Word.  But we can hide it in our hearts and minds so we will always have it with us, no one can take that away from us.

Dear Father,

Your love abounds and is beyond our comprehension.  Thank You for Your unfailing love.  You are always there for us for which I am grateful.  Remind me each day, Lord, that without You sustaining my life and I would not be here.  I need You to remind me that You care even when the sparrow falls.  So how much more You care for me when I fail or have any difficulties.

Remind me of the lilies of the field and the birds of the air and how You take care of them and they don’t worry as I do.  I can claim the promises You have given me that You will take care of me.  You will give me a way of escape in time of temptation.  In the time of crisis, You will work all things together for my good and the good of those around me.  I am forgetful, Lord, so I am asking You to do whatever it takes to help me remember.  Prompt me and guide me with Your presence.  Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer for not only myself but for each one of us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Don’t take life for granted!  Be grateful each day!  And give all your worries and trials to Him.

Love you all!

What evidence has God given you that He cares?  It doesn’t matter how big or small I would love to hear your story.

 

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“The Challenge!”

Challenge!

We have all embarked on a challenge in our life at one time or another.  It might have been the challenge of getting a college degree.  Or maybe you have challenged yourself to some physical achievement.  Whatever the challenge is you have to prepare for it.  And when you think you are ready for the challenge some times it is more challenging than you imagined.  My son did a challenge recently.  It was the challenge of climbing a local mountain the equivalent high of Mt Everest from sea level to the top, which is 29,029 feet.  He planned to do it straight.

Why?

Many people would wonder why in the world would he do such a thing.  He had decided that he wanted to do an Everest challenge but wanted to raise money for a local institution.  He had thought about raising money for a place that helps kids that suffer from learning disabilities because of his own struggles with learning.  But he could not find a place that he could involve.

Then he started thinking about a friend who at the age of 22 had committed suicide. Maybe he could find a local place that helps people that deal with mental health issues and help prevent suicides.  He found a local place and they were excited about the idea of being able to receive money.  They do a lot of free help and they need donations to keep going.  And then my brother committed suicide.  At that point, he made the push forward to make this happen.

His desire was suicide awareness.  Suicide is on the rise and we need to be aware.  And there are places that people can reach out to and get help.  A lot of times people won’t reach out to their family or friends.  But there are places that they can reach out to for help.  And he wanted to raise money to help this local crisis center.

Getting started

We got up before 3 a.m. the first morning.  By the time we packed up and got there he was able to start hiking around 5 am.  He had picked the steepest trail of the mountain because it would be fewer miles for the elevation.

We set up an aid station ready to do whatever he needed when he would arrive back after each ascent.  It didn’t take long for us to discover what foods were best for him and what foods did not work well.  One round he ended up sick and threw up because of what he had eaten.  From that time on we kept things very simple.  There were only like 3 or 4 things that he would eat.  He made sure to stay hydrated and kept his electrolytes up.  Another thing that he did was take a complex that helps support the joints and muscles with the discomfort and also a cream that he put on his knees and legs.  He also took a natural energy and stamina complex that helped with endurance.

Enduring

Any time someone enters into a challenge I think if they really knew what was ahead they may not choose to do it.  But thankfully we don’t know.  The hardest part for my son was hiking in the dark.  He was very fatigued and hiking alone.  In those moments he had to keep his mind focused.  Your thoughts can run wild and if you don’t stay focused a person could give up altogether.

When he started his journey his average for one round was about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  But as time went on and he got more fatigued it took him 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Before he ended it was taking him more like 1 hour and 45 minutes.  In order to reach the elevation, he was aiming for he had to hike up and down 16 1/2 times.

Support

As he hiked through the night we were there for him each time he came down.  But I also talked with him as he walked via the phone during those hardest times.  The next morning I decided to go up the mountain on his 15th time to meet him.  I met him halfway up the hill and came down with him.  And then I went up for his last trip, which he only had to go half way up.

I couldn’t imagine doing this challenge myself it was so grueling.  By the time he was done he had hiked for 28-1/2 hours, ascended and descended a little more than 29,029 feet, with only a 30-minute nap in over 30 hours.  It was tough!  What kept him going?  He had to keep his eye on the goal.  If he had wavered on the goal he would have failed.  Yes, he was discouraged at times but he still kept going, keeping his eye on the goal.

Another kind of…

There is another kind of challenge.  This challenge is achieving a higher elevation than 29,029 feet.  And each one of us as Christians has chosen this challenge.  Our goal is heaven.  It is like climbing a mountain.  There are times that it is so “steep” we don’t know if we can keep going.  Then as we get through those grueling times we have a mountain top experience.  And then we have a descent in our lives.

You know how it is when you go hiking.  You’re climbing a path and you’re getting tired you can’t wait to start down.  So you get there and what beauty there is at the top.  You start your journey down and it does not take long to realize that your knees can hardly take it.  Your knees become so painful.

Why?

When we become Christians we may be asked why.  There may be family and friends that question why we would give up the “fun” life and become a Christian.  Why would you want to go up that grueling mountain of “rules and regulations”?

The reasons are similar to the goal of an athlete/mountain climber.  It is to win!  It is to accomplish a goal that has been set.  The difference is that the Christian wants to win the race of life so that he or she can live eternally.  We don’t get a gold medal like here on earth.  But to me what we do get is the best trophy ever.  We get to be with Jesus who gave His very life so that we can be in a world without sin and sorrow.

Getting started

So when it comes to the goal for the Christian how do you get started?  What are the steps to success?  Just like my son started in the early morning for the success of his goal, started early with God is the way to start.  Each day we should start our day with God, reading His Word and in prayer.  We should be communing with Him throughout our day.  Each evening opening our hearts to God asking Him to reveal any sins that we have committed during the day.  As He reveals to us we can confess and forsake those sins.  Sin is a burden that makes our journey harder.

Enduring

In order to make our goal as a Christian, we need to endure until the end.  The journey can be grueling at times.  When we have a mountain top experience in our Christian walk it feels great.  We have struggled and as we get to the top the beauty is spectacular.  But then things happen that start us on a downturn.

We may start to realize that something is not right.  Our “knees”(experience) seem to be “aching” but what is the problem.  The reality is that we have started down from our mountain top experience.  At this point, we need to fall on our knees asking God to show us how to continuing in our journey for the goal of heaven.  And He will help us.  We need to keep our focus on the goal.

Support

We cannot make it in the Christian race without a support team and we have the greatest support team ever, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

It is great to have a human support team.  Having a church family is great for support.  But they will not always be there for us.  We need to have our full trust in God.  God is the greatest support.  We can “call” any time and talk, during the good and bad times.

Just like my son struggled in the darkest hour of the night we as Christians sometimes struggle.  In those darkest hours, God is there and all we need to do is “call” Him and He will see us through.  He will feed us from His Word and give us encouraging thoughts that He brings into our minds.  He encourages us to rest in Him.  This journey can be very tiring if we are not resting in Him.

Dear Father,

Thank You that You are always there as a support team for anyone that will accept it.  Help us in keeping our eyes focused on the goal of heaven.  Keep our minds on You bringing Your Word to our minds throughout the day.  Give us the strength that we need by empowering us with Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Keep your eyes on the goal and don’t waver.

Love you all.

Do you have an experience that you have been through where you know that God was there beside you and seen you through?  Please share your experience below.  I would love to hear it.

Note to my readers:  Due to my limited time, I will be cutting back on how many times I am writing per month.  Instead of writing once a week I am going to start by doing one every other week and see how that goes.  I pray you are blessed by my experiences and what God shows me through those experiences.

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“Preparing for the Challenge”

Challenge!

We all have had something in life that we have had to prepare for that has been a challenge.  Maybe you had a test a school that you had to prepare for.  If you are athletic maybe you had to prepare for a race or sports event.  There are also things that you may have to prepare for at work, whether a report or solving some problem.  Every day no matter where we are and what we do we have challenges that we have to prepare for.

As I write my son is preparing for the biggest challenge of his life.  It is something that he has never done or faced before.  He is planning to hike a local mountain the same elevation of Mt. Everest from sea level to the top, which is 29,029 feet.  How can a person really prepare for such an event?  And why would someone do something so crazy?

It may seem crazy but for my son, it is remembering.  After losing a friend to suicide and then his uncle he wanted to do something to help raise awareness to mental health needs.  And to bring awareness to the fact that there are places available for people to go for help.  Depression and suicide are on the rise everywhere you turn.  And it happens to those that you least expect.  And with this challenge he wants you to help by donating to a local crisis center that helps people who are dealing with mental health issues that could lead to suicide.

Preparing

How do you exactly prepare for such an event?  There is a lot of physical, mental, and emotional preparation.  You have to be eating healthy.  And figure out how to sustain your body through the physical push that you put your body through to do such an event.

My son has been physically training every chance that he gets, hiking, running, climbing, etc.  And making a list of those things that he should be eating or drinking during that time.  He needs to have things that are high calorie but also healthy.  You can get high-calorie items that are so unhealthy that it defeats the purpose.  Many do it but in the long run, what it does to their health brings disaster later.

Another challenge

There is another kind of challenge that came to my mind as we were preparing for this physical challenge.  This challenge is of a spiritual nature.  The Christian walk is a challenge.  When a person decides to become a Christian there are things you need to do to be able to meet the challenges.  And to accomplish the goal, heaven.  Just like we had to know the best food for my son to eat to keep his strength up to endure, we need to keep ourselves fed spiritually.  We need strength each day to endure the testing and trials that may come our way.    We need fuel to keep up our strength.  And it needs to be the right kind of fuel.

Preparing

When you are doing something that is challenging physically fueling with the correct things can help you endure and come out successful.  But if you don’t it can be disastrous.  The same is true of our Christian walk.  Our refueling needs to be something that truly strengthens us in our spiritual walk.  Reading God’s Word and prayer are the key components.  There may be other things that we think could be good to strengthen us but in the long run, it is destroying.  Just like in the physical world you need to be intentional about what you use for fuel so in the spiritual.

Dear Father,

It can be so easy to get distracted and start fueling with things that are detrimental.  Keep prompting our hearts to stay connected with You through Your Word and prayer.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to keep refueling!  And make sure it is of a nature that will strengthen you spiritually and not drag you down.

Love you all.

What challenges have you had spiritually or physically?  What did you do to refuel?

 

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“Fear for the Future!”

Fear!

How often do you think about the future?  Do you have fears about what may happen next?  It seems that there are so many that fear more and more each day.  They see the things that are happening about them and they just can’t help but fear.

It is a fearful world in which we live without a doubt.  And we know it is way worse than we even know or can even imagine.  The atrocities that happen each day are beyond our knowledge and comprehension.  But we fear what we do know and what we don’t know.

There are people everyday that commit suicide because they fear and cannot handle the things that are happening around them.  But fear has a big part to play.  Fear that they cannot financially make it, fear for the future because a spouse, child, parent, someone they dearly love died, fear of being hurt again or killed, fear of failure and I could go on and on.  The fear is real and it is an overwhelming cloud that some can’t shake.

Failure…

I think for a lot of people the fear of failure drives them.  Every day they get up just to prove to the world and themselves that they are worth something.  Everywhere they turn they see or hear something that leads them to believe that they are not worth anything.

When you were a child you may have heard it said by your parents, schoolmates, or even friends.  They said things negative about you.  Some may have been joking and not even realizing how much it hurt.  Others did it to just hurt you or maybe make them feel better about themselves.  The idea is that you want to prove to the world that you are worth something and that you are better than they think.

Media…

Then there is the bombardment of media.  And it doesn’t matter whether you are a guy or a gal you need to look like the people seen on TV, Magazines, or billboards to be popular.  A lot of people try to imagine themselves looking like some actor, actress, or some popular singer.  There is this “ideal” look that becomes the “best” look and all you want to do is look like them.

The truth is that a lot of those people that you think you want to look or be like are the most miserable people.  Remember they are acting but inside they are dying.  And then we hear on the news that one of them committed suicide.  We should never look at someone’s life and think they have it better than we do.  We don’t know what is really going on in their mind and life.

The answer

Is the answer to fear simple?  I believe the answer to fear is simple but not easy.  You may be asking how can it be simple but not easy?  The answer is trusting and surrendering, which is simple but a lot easier said than done.  We are people that want to be in control of everything around us.  And to give that control to Someone else is the hardest thing to do.

Having trust in God and surrendering everything to Him is the answer that will bring peace and happiness.  It doesn’t mean all the troubles in our lives and what is happening around us will go away.  But what it does mean is we can have a life of peace and meaning.  God cares so much for us as well as those around us. We can’t even comprehend it.

Besides trusting God and surrendering, cut the negative out of your life.  Don’t listen to the news or read news magazines or newspapers.  Don’t spend time with those who are doomsayers.  Or make you feel you are worthless.  The devil doesn’t care where he traps us all he cares about is diverting us from the real goal in this life.  Instead, spend that time doing things that bring life to the soul.  Spend time in God’s Word and in prayer.  Pray for not only yourself but for those around you.  You can uplift the souls of others to the One who loves them.  Encourage them directing their thoughts to the One that can give them peace.

We can…

We can have peace in the midst of all the stormy blasts around us. Even though we may think we don’t “look” perfect, God dwelling in the heart is the greatest beauty.   It may not change the circumstances but life will be filled with joy even through the storm.  When we make Jesus our Captain we can weather any storm without fear, knowing that He is in full control.  And then He will shine through us making us the most beautiful people.  And then we bring the truth of peace and joy to others.

Dear Father,

We live in such a wicked world.  People are dying for lack of knowledge about the peace and joy that they can have.  Even as Christians, many times, we are lacking the joy and peace that we could have if we would stay focused on what You would have us do.  Continue to draw our hearts and minds back to You.  Help us to stay focused on the good and right so that we can shine for You and draw others to You.  Because it is only You that can give us true joy and peace.  And You are the only One that can bring us through the other side victorious.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender to the only One that you can trust today.  And let Him have full control.  Spend time out in nature.  I believe it to be God’s second book and we can be revived.

Love you all.

Has there been a time in your life that you have feared something, yet, when you put your trust in God, He gave you peace?  I would love to hear your story.  Share below.

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“The Machine is Down Again?!!!”

Disaster!

Have you ever felt as if everything is against you?  Things don’t go well at home, school, work, etc.  It seems like every step you make fails in some way.  And of course, your stress level is through the roof.

The stress has seemed to build in the last week and a half at my work.  It has caused stress for all involved.  I run a digital machine at a print shop.  One day a little over a week ago I made, what I thought was a routine call for a repair.  It wasn’t a big problem I was having with the print quality but it needed fixing.  The repairman came out the next day “fixed” the problem and we were good to go.  At least we thought it was fixed.

The next day…

The next day the problem started again.  The shop foreman had told me to go ahead and put in a call near the end of the day forgetting the fact that the next day was the end of the month.  We are always pushing as much out as possible the last day.  When digital is down it brings a real problem in getting through the work.

This time when the guy came for repairs he brought a helper and they got into the machine and replaced a lot of parts along with cleaning the machine.  In the process of taking out one of the rollers, which has a small long bulb that runs through it for heat, he broke the bulb.  No big deal right?  Wrong!!  They did not have another one to replace it.  So they had to order the part from back east.  It should be in the next day around 10 am and then they would have to come in and finish the work.  This was around 12 am so for me that meant time off.  So I went home early and didn’t come back in until around 11 am the next day.  Things got back together and I was finally able to print again.

Or was it?

I did start printing and the guy stuck around for a little while to see if things were going to go well.  It seemed good so off he went.  I started to notice that there was some kind of debris coming out with the paper when I was printing.  It was a concern to me.  Then I notice another problem.  There were some marks being made on the paper as well.  I opened up the machine to see if there was anything that I could see and all this debris was coming out of the machine.  By this time it was near the end of the day again.  So again I put in another call to service.

The next day the repair guy came right away in the morning.  He opened up the machine and started to take some things apart.  As he took things apart debris just fell out.  He was amazed that the machine had not thrown an error code.  Something had happened and it had totally shredded a belt.

He got everything cleaned up and got things running.  He stuck around for a while and noticed that there was another problem.  The machine was not heating up right.  And it was leaving a rub mark on the prints as well.  He figured out what the problem was but he had no parts for it.  It was Friday by now and he would order the parts and then be back on Monday around 10:30 am.  In the meantime, I could only run a certain weight paper because the heat wasn’t working for the more heavy paper.

Monday…

On Monday I waited and went into work around 10 am.  There had been some other lightweight jobs that had come in so I started printing them.  My boss came to let me know the repair guy called and the parts he had ordered were not going to arrive from back east that day as they were supposed to.  He was driving to another location, which was a 4-hour round trip drive to pick up the part.  So he arrived at about 12 pm.

The unusual thing is that the heating problem had gone away and we couldn’t see the rub mark anymore.  So he was afraid to even touch the machine since it seemed to be working now.  We didn’t know why but it was.  He stuck around for a few jobs and everything seemed to be fine.  So he finally left.  He wasn’t gone long when I notice the rub mark again.  It was only in a certain area so I could only run certain things that it did not show up on, how frustrating.

By this time we decided to wait until the end of the day to call it in so I could get as much printing done as possible being we had so much downtime.  I tried to put in a request on the computer after 5 pm so that a repair guy would contact us in the morning.  The repair guy had not closed out the last repair so it would not let me put in a new one.  I had his phone number so I texted him.  He said how sorry he was about the digital print not being fix and that he would come first thing in the morning.

Tuesday…

When he got there it did not take him long to see that there was a roller that needed replacing.  It had just been replaced last week but with all the debris from the belt that shredded it probably did damage to it.  He was concerned because that was the roller that the other repair guy had been trying to fix when he broke the bulb that ran through the center.  The new repair guy planned to be very careful.  The way that it is put together is not the best.  He proceeded to remove the roller but yes he broke the bulb.  Afterward, he let me know that it was not a big deal because the other repair guy had ordered two when he ordered.  He said, “I will just go pick it up from him and be back in about 20 minutes.”

When he arrived back I was working in the back in the bindery.  We were all discussing what would happen if he broke the second and last one.  Within seconds the guy came back and told me when he opened the box the bulb was broken in 3 pieces.  The choices were to order another one, which would arrive the next day around 10 am.  Or he could take a 4 hour round trip to the different location, where he had gone the day before and get the part there.  Of course, we asked him to drive and get it.  We needed our machine up and running.

Home…

The repair guy headed off for his 4-hour trip while I went home for a few hours.  The frustration I felt was unspeakable.  Financially we could not afford for me to lose hours and I had lost so many already.  I knew that I needed to quit thinking about it and just make the best of my time doing things that needed to be done at home.  It actually felt good to be home and I do miss it a great deal.

Soon the time came for me to head back to work.  The repair guy was there and things went quickly.  When I started printing the repair guy stuck around for another 30 minutes just to be sure that things were going to run well.  Then he left.

More problems…

He hadn’t been gone 30 minutes when I noticed another problem.  My foreman said let’s try to get through as much printing as we can before we call in again.  So I waited another few hours until the end of the day.

He came the next morning and fixed the problem.  And we were off and running again for a few hours.  It is Friday now and we are now waiting until Monday for another part.  Another repair guy did a temp fix that we know could quick working at any time.  Every time I pushed the print button I prayed it would work and I made it through the day on the temporary fix.  The question is when is this going to be over?  I don’t know!  It has been frustrating.  I have lost money, my boss has lost money and it has affected 3 other guys also in lack of hours.  And it has affected our customers and gives the potential for losing customers.

Learning…

But with all these problems what can I learn.  Because we all go through trials every day, right?  We can always learn things in all our everyday experiences.  God wants to teach us things.  The number one thing He wants to teach us is to trust Him.  He is beside us to guide us through all circumstances.  We just need to reach out to Him.  I am planning on a miracle.  Because even though I made less money I want to see how He is going to bless that money to fulfilled the needs that it provides.

Another lesson that came to me in this experience is that the digital machine is a lot like us.  The machine is fairly new, maybe a year and a half old.  And it reminds me of when a person decides to give their heart to the Lord.  You may or may not have grown up in a Christian home.  But you have to come to a point in your life where you surrender and give your heart to God.  And you become a new creation, just like a brand new digital machine.

But then…

Everything seems to be going well with our brand new walk with God.  We are having victories and we are on fire for God.  But as time goes by we tend to get distracted.  The devil makes sure it happens.  Things in our life start to breakdown.  It starts out small, just a “little print” quality.  Maybe we fail to spend the quality time we need one day.  We realize we need to get back connected so we seek out the Repair Man.  God is always there to help repair our lives and the great thing; we don’t have to wait because He is too busy.  We make things right with God and go on our way.

But the next day something comes up unexpectedly and your time with God is cut short again.  Believe me, the devil will make sure there are distractions if we are not intentional.  We get a little stitch of time with God but not what it should be.  And sometimes it goes into days, weeks, and even months that our quality time is diminished.

Major repair…

Before we know it we have become so spiritually wore out that we need major repairs.  The great thing about God is that when we let Him He repairs everything the first time.  But a lot of times what happens is that we don’t allow Him to get in and do the repairs before we allow life to take over again and get in the way of spending that quality time.  And every time we do that the need for repairs become more major.  The outcome can be different for everyone depending on how long we keep letting things go and not allowing God to fully repair us.

God is the only one that can do the major repairs that we need.  But we have to make a total and complete surrender to Him and allow Him to do it.  And we have to commit to spending the quality time with Him.  Believe me, I am speaking to myself as I write this.  It is so easy to get distracted.  And God also gives us so many opportunities to connect with Him throughout the day.

Time…

We need to have that special time each morning where we spend time in prayer and study of God’s Word.  And if we don’t initially schedule it in it won’t happen.  Besides our scheduled time, we should take advantage of every opportunity to connect with God.

For those of us who drive to work, we can be praying during those times.  Praying out loud can keep us focused.  This is a great time to pray about those things that are really on your heart for yourself, family, friends, etc.  It is a great way to keep yourself on track with keeping connected with God and keep your sanity while driving with “crazy” people on the road.  You can also be listening to God’s Word while you are traveling.  Some may be able to listen to God’s Word while they are working depending on where you work and what you are doing.  I actually have that opportunity at work and I love it.

Dear Father,

We live in such a crazy busy world.  Forgive us for not making you the priority that we should. I want to surrender my time to You and make sure that my time is used wisely.  I pray for the problems with my machine at work and for those that may be having troubles at their work.  Help us to reach out to You more and be a witness to Your power.  Thank You for the lessons that You teach us through the trials.  And I am praising Your name to see how You are going to stretch my paycheck this pay period.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender all to God today.  Be intentional about your time with Him.

Love you all!

What trial has come into your life that you have learned some lessons from?  I would love to hear it.  Please share below.

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“Is There Power in Our Thoughts?”

Power!

Is there power in our thoughts?  And if there is power in our thoughts how powerful are our thoughts?  I am not an expert in this matter by any means but over the years I have learned different things.  I have also learned from my own experiences.  Our thoughts can play a major part in whether we are sick or well, happy or sad, a winner or a loser, successful or a failure, etc.

I have told the story before about how one day I couldn’t breathe.  My husband told me later that I had started to turn blue.  This was due to some physical issues I was dealing with at the time.  I am still not immune to having this happen even today.  So what made the difference in how it plays out today versus then.  It all has to do with my thoughts.  Believe me when you can’t breathe you go into panic mode and your thoughts are not thinking anything pleasant.

At that moment…

When I couldn’t breathe and I was in the panic mode my husband came beside me and calmly helped me work through it.  I don’t remember what he said at the time but it calmed me and helped me get my breath.  When I had another occurrence sometime later it was at that moment I realized the power of my thoughts.  I realized that if I didn’t think about the fact that I couldn’t breathe but focused my thoughts on breathing, and realizing no matter how I felt I was getting air, I was able to get passed the difficulty.  At that moment I took control of my thoughts and every time I have had this breathing issue since that time I keep my thoughts focused.  I even was able to help my father-in-law multiple times when he could not breathe due to his congestive heart failure.

So how powerful…

So how powerful really are our thoughts.  Some say that our thoughts make up 75-95% of physical and emotional issues others say nine-tenths.  The bottom line is that our thoughts play a big roll in our health, whether emotionally or physically.  “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 7:23a.

It is so important not to allow how we feel to control how we think.  Now, this a lot easier said than done.  We have all been there.  We wake up feeling a little down, angry, discouraged, sick, etc. and we follow how we feel.  But we should not follow how we feel because it will destroy our day.

Moral Character

For me, I believe that our thoughts and our feelings make up our moral character.  How our thoughts go our feelings go and therefore we respond in kind.  If someone does something to us or someone we love, we may feel angry about it.  And there may be a good reason.  Maybe your kid got bullied at school or you were falsely accused of something you did not do, etc.

The Bible says, “Be ye angry, and sin not.”  And I think a lot of us stop there.  But we need to keep reading.  “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath” Ephesians 4:26.  So when something initially happens we may be angry and for a good reason but we should not allow that anger to stay with us, otherwise, it becomes sin.  And it has an effect on our behavior, besides destroying our health.  This may be so difficult if you are living with an abusive spouse, parent, child, boss, friend, etc.  But it is imperative that we do this if we want to have our characters prepared for heaven.  If there is abuse involved we may need to physically separate ourselves from it.

Anger never affects the other person it only effects us.  Worry doesn’t help the situation or the person you may be worried about, it only effects you.  As we continue to dwell upon the negative we will have a negative response.  But if we dwell upon the positive we will have positive responses and it will transform our lives.

…Our health

Not only does the thoughts affect us negatively or positively emotionally but the same is true for our health.  Unfortunately, we live in a world of sin and death.  We are bombarded each day with things that can affect our health.  And if we have done all we can to keep the laws of health we may still get some sickness.  But our thoughts can play a roll and we can choose to control our thoughts.

I have seen and heard stories of people that have destroyed their health by their thoughts or gotten better by their thoughts.  When you are sick with something simple like a cold do you wallow in self-pity?  Or do you keep a positive outlook?  Those that keep a positive outlook get well sooner than those who do not.  Two people may be both doing the same things to get well but they are thinking different thoughts and there will be a different outcome.

Believe me, we all have been there.  When things are not going well it is easy to get discouraged and not be able to look on the positive side of things.  So I am not saying that this is an easy task.  But I believe it is possible with the help of our Saviour.  And the truth is that even if they don’t get well and end up dying they have lived a happier life.

I believe…

I believe that the Father’s presence encircled Christ, and nothing happened to Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world.  This was Christ source of comfort.  I believe that this can be the same for us.  If we are choosing to walk with Christ we will be filled with Christ through the Holy Spirit.  The blow (crisis, health issue, trial, etc.) that is aimed at us falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds us with His presence.  Whatever comes to us comes from Christ.  We have no need to resist all the blows, Christ is our defense.  Nothing can touch us except Christ gives permission.  And we know His promise which says,  “All things,” which He permits to happen, will “work together for good to them that love God.”  Romans 8:28

The key is to be abiding in Him.  We can’t be doing our own thing that is going against God’s laws whether they are health or civil laws and expect His blessing.  But if we are fully surrendered to Him everything that comes to us is for the purpose to refine us as gold that has been tried in the fire.  He wants us to see our need and come to Him and lay all our burdens upon Him and allow Him to carry us through.  And in the process, our characters are being refined.  This is not easy but it all boils down to trusting God.  How much trust do we have?

The Red Sea…

I think of the children of Israel when they were at the Red Sea and the Egyptian army was behind them.  Have you ever felt that there was a trial or crisis before you that was as insurmountable as what the children of Israel faced?  I sure have.  Even as I write I am in the midst of a crisis.  I don’t just write this only for you but it helps me to see what I need to be doing during the time of crisis and how I need to trust God.

“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you to day:  for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.  The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” Exodus 14:13-14.  I love these verses.  This is a promise that as I am surrendered to the Lord He is there to fight my battles for me.  I need to follow His direction and trust Him through every circumstance.

This goes back to our thoughts.  We need to keep our thoughts on the promises of God.  And as we do this our feelings will fall into place, which will form a character that reflects Christ.  If we allow our feelings to be at the forefront they will be controlling our thoughts and our characters will be reflecting self.  A life of self is miserable for ourselves and those around us.  We need to keep things in the right order and God is the one that can help us do it.  He is the one that will part the sea.

Dear Father,

We need You so desperately!  We struggle with trusting You through every circumstance.  Lead us to Your promises as we see You.  We lay our plans and our circumstances before You asking You to take them and lead us through on the dry ground.  You have never promised to take the “sea” away but You have promised to walk us through the mist of the “sea” on dry ground.  You have promised to never leave us or forsake us.  We cling to those promises today.  Help us to keep our thoughts in tune with You.  Thank You for Your unfailing love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender your thoughts to Christ today.  Your thoughts are so powerful!

Love you all!

Have you seen the power of thought and how it affected you?  I would love to hear your story.  Share below.

 

 

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“How Dark is Dark?”

Darkness!

How dark is dark?  I mean really what makes darkness?  How much light does it take to see through the darkness?  Are there different kinds of darkness or different levels of darkness?  The reality is there are different kinds and levels of darkness.  Is darkness good or bad?  I believe the answer is that it can be good or bad.  Someone who lives in a city doesn’t even really know what true darkness is because there are always lights somewhere.  They can put blackout curtains on which helps.  But there is another kind of darkness that is more visible in the city.

Darkness is relative

I wear a Fitbit.  For those who may not know, a Fitbit is a kind of watch.  It not only tells the time but also keeps track of your heart rate and sleep patterns along with a few other things.  You can’t see the time without the light coming on.  So if you need to know what time it is in the night you just turn your arm toward you and most of the time it automatically comes on.  Or if I need to see in the pitch black I push a little button on the side to turn on the light.

At night our eyes get used to the darkness.  If you live in the country where it gets really dark you know what I am talking about.  You get up in the night to use the bathroom surprisingly you can see fairly well.

When I know…

Sometimes when I know some object, like the vacuum cleaner, has been left out in my room I will want a little light to make sure I don’t run into it.  My Fitbit doesn’t have a really bright light.  But when you are in a really dark place if I push the button the little light makes my path plainer.  I am astonished how much that little bit of light actually helps.  It appears to be so bright.

At times I have had to go from my darkroom to go check on something in the other room.  At that point, I had to have a bigger light so I have turned on a lamp.  Once I turn the lamp off and head back into the other room where it is really dark I noticed something.  When I have had more light the darkness seems even darker and the little light from my Fitbit seems so dim.  The light from my Fitbit no longer can help me through the darkness.

Darkness is good?

So Darkness is good isn’t it?  When it comes to your room at night yes darkness is good.  We can’t get proper rest if we don’t have a dark room.  God made darkness for a reason.  And when we put light into the darkness that He has created it messes with our bodies.  It affects our melatonin, serotonin, and our circadian rhythm and many other areas.

We have been bombarded with light everywhere to mess up our bodies.  We need to take control and make changes if we are going to help our bodies stay well.  Good sleep is foundational when it comes to being healthy.  Figure out a way to keep your room and the rooms of your family dark.

Darkness is bad?

How can darkness be good and bad?  Darkness is good for sleeping well to improve our health.  But evil often happens in the cover of darkness.  Why do you think there are so many lights in a city?  I don’t know what all the reasons are for having all the lights in the city.  But my guess would be that partly it has to do with trying to keep down the crime.  Most criminals want to do their mischief in the cover of darkness.  And those in authority want to be able to see if there is any mischief going on around town.  Darkness in and of itself is not bad.  It is the things that darkness can breed that are bad, right?

I believe that there is another kind of darkness that is bad and that is the darkness of sin.  I think of sin as darkness in the life.  And the more sin that controls us the more darkness we experience.  There are many that have felt the darkness so deep within their lives that they have finally ended their lives.  This kind of darkness is very dark.

More light needed…

When we get used to the darkness of sin that is in this world we find that our “eyes” have adjusted and things don’t seem so dark.  But when you flood your life with the Word of God and prayer you realize how dark the world really is around you.  You can’t see without the light.  The darkness seems even darker than before.  As we draw closer to Christ the darkness (sin) will become distasteful to us.

But the devil does not give up on us.  He wants us in full darkness.  So he makes us busy or throws some curveball into our lives.  And unconsciously we think a little light, that seemed to work in the darkness when we first started out, will work now that we have been flooded with light.  When you added a little amount of light from God’s Word or a little prayer you seemed to have seen a little better in the darkness of sin and didn’t stumble over the obvious.

Less time…

But as you spend less time with God you are going to notice that the little light is not as bright as it was when you first started.  After being flood with God’s Word and prayer, sporadic or less time does not clearly light the path.  And we start to stumble over what we use to see as the obvious when we first started with a little light.

When we first give our hearts to God he gives us just a little light.  If He flooded us with everything it would be overwhelming.  We have all experienced being in a dark room and then having someone turn on a bright light.  It actually blinds us at first.  That is why God does not give us all the light at one time.  It would be so overwhelming that it would blind us to more truth.  As we accept the little light He gives we will be given more light until we are so flooded with His light that sin will be distasteful to us.

This world…

The things in this world have become so much darker.  Sin has gone way beyond what my imagination could have imagined.  Atrocities that I would have never thought could possibly happen have happened.  But the reality is without God’s Word flooding my soul I can do things that I would have never thought I would do.

The devil likes to bring us into a creeping compromise.  He does things gradually so that we don’t detect what is happening, especially if we are not staying flooded with His Word.  As we gradually compromise different sins seem less and less offensive to us until we are doing things that we thought we would never choose to do.

The devil…

The devil works in reverse to God.  He gives us a little darkness.  We still seem to be seeing okay with the light that we have so we don’t notice when we finally accept that little bit of compromise.  He keeps doing this so gradually that before we know it the little light from the “Fitbit” seems to be bright but it really is not.  We are going to stumble and fall.  Discouragement will come and we will wonder what has happened.  Sin will not seem as bad.

Serious condition…

This is a very serious condition to be in.  We need to be constantly flooding our souls with God’s Word and being in much prayer.  With the technology that we have today, we have no excuses.  We can be flooding our minds with God’s Word constantly.  Besides reading it every day we can be listening to it as well.  As you drive to and from work, instead of turning on the radio listen to God’s Word.  Or spend that time praying.  To keep focused, if you are driving alone, you can pray out loud.  If you are a stay at home mom, listen while you are working in the kitchen.  Use your imagination and figure out ways to flood your soul.  As I write these words I am feeling the conviction in my own heart and I want to make changes.

Dear Father,

Thank You for the light that You have for us to lead us through this dark world.  Thank You for not blinding us with overwhelming light.  But giving it to us gradually as we surrender each area.  Help us to keep growing.  Continue to guide us as we struggle through this dark world of sin.  Protect us from the power of the evil one and his sly ways.  Open our eyes and let us see.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Make a commitment today with me to spend more time flooding your life with God’s Word and prayer.

Love you all!

Do you have an experience where you have had the light of God’s Word shine forth so vividly that you could see the obstacles clearly?  I would love to have you share.

 

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“Shocked!!!”

Shocked!

Have you ever been shocked?  I am not talking about the shock you might receive after walking across the carpet and then touching something.  I am talking about something that has happened that was unexpected.  It is news that you never thought would come and you’re so unprepared.

This happened to me at the beginning of the week.  I arrived at work on a Monday morning.  When I walked into the shop foreman told me to come to the lunchroom where everyone was gathered.  This is the place where we meet for a meeting.  My thought was I wonder what job went wrong.  When I arrived I was given a seat.  Then the news came, one of our coworkers had passed away over the weekend.  Shock ran through my body.  At that point, everything shuts down.  You can’t imagine, think, or even comprehend.

We thought…

He has been sick a couple of different times in the last few months.  We thought he had the flu or a cold.  But because it seemed to hang around some of us encouraged him to go to the doctor, which as far as we know he never did.  Last week was no exception.  On Friday he was doing so poorly he sat in his chair a lot and would roll to where he needed to go and only stand up and walk when necessary.  Other people were secured to help him with some of his work.  All of us were using hand sanitizer because we did not want to get sick.  Little did we know that what he had going on was not contagious.

As each of us worked on Monday it was hard to stay focused.  You just think that you must be in a dream and that you are going to wake up.  My coworker was always there early.  If I got to work and I didn’t see his car I figured something must be wrong.  And that is exactly what I thought on Monday.  I was thinking that maybe he finally stayed home to get well.  But I never dreamed of the reality.

It was sudden…

He was so young, only 55.  It was sudden for us but it wasn’t really sudden.  He was someone who did not take care of his health.  He did things in his life that contributed to these results.  I lost my grandma at 56 for some of the same reasons.  If you feel there is something not right in your body you should get it checked out.

But even if we do take care of our health we never know when it will be our last day.  We live in a sin-sick world and things can happen to the best of us.  Our bodies are so intricate we can’t know all that is going on.  And we could also walk out the door, get in our car, and never arrive to work because of a car accident that takes our lives.  Life is fragile and we should not take it for granted.  We just go on in life thinking that it is going to last forever.  Don’t get me wrong we don’t say it but that is how we live.

What would you change?

If you knew you were dying tomorrow or even today what would you change, anything?  What would you do differently?  How would you spend your time?  We waste so much time each day with things that are not important.  We think they are but when you look at it in the face of death the importance fades away.

You suddenly start to realize that your spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, etc. are more important than things.  When was the last time you spent quality time with a person that you love?  What were the last words you said to them when you saw them last?  You just expect that you are going to see them tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year.  But you may not.

Fear

So you may be wondering if I am trying to create a fear in you.  And I would say yes and no.  We need to have enough fear that it makes us think.  But we don’t have to live a life of fear just a life where we are intentional about the most important things in life.  Suddenly time has more meaning when you lose someone unexpectedly.

I have had my share of losses in less than a year.  And do I have a little fear in my heart about what might be next?  Yes, I do.  But in this sin-sick world, we can’t get away from death.  It is what we do with the knowledge of death that makes the difference.

What makes us fear the future is when we forget how God has been with us in the past.  I can look back and see God’s presence through every difficulty.  And I know He will help me through all the sorrow and pain ahead because He is faithful.  He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us.  And I not only have the promise I have the history behind it.  I can think back and see how He has been there for me.

After loss…

After loss comes it makes you think.  What am I going to change?  I am reevaluating my life.  When my time comes I don’t want anything to be between me and my relationship with God.  The things of this world are not worth it.  I want to have a solid connection with God each day, each moment.  I want to be ready when life is over for me.  And because I don’t know when that is I need to stay connected.

When I go to bed at night I want my last thoughts to be connected to God through prayer or Scripture.  I want my thoughts to turn to Him when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.  When morning comes I want my first thoughts to be surrounded around Him.  And throughout the day I want my thoughts to keep turning to Him through all the trials and temptations.  So that if I go to bed at night and I don’t wake up again I will be ready.  Or if I leave home never to come back again I want to be ready.  I want to be ready when Jesus allows this day to be my last.

Dear Father,

It overwhelms my soul to think about what You have done for me.  Please forgive me for taking advantage of Your love and care without much thought.  I breathe and am alive today because You sustain me.  And I have been so ungrateful, I am not my own I belong to You.  I am asking You to take my heart for I cannot give it.  It is Your property.  Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for You.  Save me in spite of my weak, unchristlike self.  Mold me fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Your love can flow through my soul.  Surround me with Your presence and make me wholly Yours.

Lord, I pray that Your melting love will warm and soften my icebound nature.  And I pray that the mighty energies of Your Holy Spirit with all their quickening, recuperative, and transforming power, will fall like an electric shock on my palsy-stricken soul, causing every nerve to thrill with new life. Restore me from my dead, earthly, sensual state to spiritual soundness.

Thank You for Your power and what You are going to accomplish in my life.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Stay connected with God as if your life depended on it because it does.

Love you all.

Have you had something that has happened and been shocking to you?  What was it and what did you learn through the experience?  Please share below.