Posted on Friday, December 20, 2019

YOU GIVE PEACE TO THE WORLD

There is a type of peace that many do not understand. It is the peace you, God’s child, give to the world. Read on.

There is a reason many people cannot understand your peace. They have glimpsed into your life and witnessed you go through some challenging times. Yet, you never gave up. They heard of your illness, your grief, and your pain, yet never heard you complain.

Here is your secret. On the day Jesus ascended to Heaven, he promised to leave you peace. He did, and you were among the ones who accepted it.

Many others love God, but do they know that, with salvation, God offers the gift of peace to them? Do they understand that this gift only needs to be personally accepted? Do they erroneously equate peace with personal feelings or the conditions surrounding them?

But for you, the acceptance of God’s gift of peace is evident. It shines like a bright light in your daily life. As a result, you give hope to a world filled with hopelessness.

You think, “I don’t always feel at peace.” You are, after all, only human. Remember this. In spite of how torn and troubled you may feel, God’s supernatural peace never leaves you, his beloved child.

You are God’s chosen instrument, mouthpiece, or silent vessel of peace through Jesus Christ. Embrace your role. Be grateful for each opportunity to share God’s peacefulness.

As you celebrate God’s gift of Jesus to the world, also celebrate Christ’s gift of peace to you. Then, as you have always done, continue to give your peace to the world.

Scripture References:

Thank you for sharing your peace with us this year. Merry Christmas! We love hearing from you. Click here to leave a question or comment.

Posted on Monday, May 21, 2018

5 REASONS WHY YOU CAN’T GIVE UP NOW

Today’s post was originally posted on May 30, 2016, but recently re-written with the scripture citations.

5 Reasons Why You Can’t Give Up Now!

James has finally found a job! Just 3 weeks ago, he wanted to give up. What happened? He did not quit. Like James, you may feel like giving up on something or someone. Read on.

There are at least 5 reasons why you can’t give up now!

1.You are not alone. “…for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6.
Stop isolating yourself or burying your distress during hard times. Reach out to someone you trust: a therapist, friend, or your pastor. Use the library, bookstore, or Google, along with your Bible, to research possible solutions.

2. You are on a journey. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” Psalm 23:4
Compare your life’s journey with driving to a location far away. You will come across some lovely places as you travel. You will also see some not-so-lovely places. However, you keep moving down the road.

Keep in mind you are not in either place to stay.

3. You can make it through this day. “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself…” Matthew 6:34
“One day at a time,” sounds simple. It is not. Some days, it takes all your energy to make it through one minute. That’s okay. Keep bringing your thinking back to a positive place.

When you feel yourself obsessing or dreading, try flipping the switch in your mind. To do this, imagine your thoughts are attached to a light switch. You can literally turn off negative thinking by flipping your mind’s “off” switch. Then, you are free for positive and productive thinking.

4. You are loved. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10
Young children need to experience unconditional love from their parents. As adults, we may never find this kind of love in our relationships. However, unconditional love is still possible for you.

God loves you unconditionally. Let go of any pre-conceived ideas about who God is. When you open your mind, you will experience God’s infinite love for you.

5. You are making our world better. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Unbelievably, by going through this difficult time, you are living out your purpose! There is someone who needs to hear your story. By sharing your experience and strength with others, you make our world better.

Finally…Stay on the journey. Don’t give up now. God loves you. He is your navigator throughout your difficult journey.

We love hearing from you! You can leave a comment or question by clicking here.

Posted on Friday, August 26, 2016

IT’S TIME TO PUT YOURSELF FIRST

Are you selfless? You probably spend a lot of energy making your bosses happy. You spend most of your time making your families comfortable. Without a doubt, you are a loving and caring person.

But there is a problem that happens too often with loving, caring people like us. We become so selfless that no “self” is left for us.

There is a better way to love and care for others. Start by putting you first.

Should you always put yourself first? Not literally. However, your spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being must become a priority. By practicing excellent self-care, you will think clearer and have more energy to care for others.

Devote some time each day to care for your spirit, mind, and body. There is no one way to do this. You have to discover what best works for you.

Here are the 3 priorities for putting you first.

1. The Spiritual You– Start each day with prayer and meditation. Talk to God about your problems and concerns for the day. Trust God for guidance with your tasks and decisions.
2. The Emotional You– Whatever is going on in your mind drives your emotions. Let go of past hurts and disappointments by practicing forgiveness. If necessary, find a professional to help you let go of emotional pain. Find a way to relax each day.
3. The Physical You– Practice good health habits each day. Eat healthier. Get a regular exercise routine. Get enough sleep. Start by making small changes and set goals for yourself.

Finally, …

You deserve to be your best self. The people you love and serve will greatly benefit from a healthy and stress-free you!

Question: What changes have you made recently to take better care of you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2016

4 Of The Worse Things To Say To Someone With Depression…

and what to do or say instead!

Snap out of it! If you are suffering from depression, it’s some of the worse advice you can get. If you are attempting to help someone with depression, it’s one of the worse things you can say. Why? Read on.

Depression is a serious illness. It can be life-threatening. According to WebMD, if someone has the following symptoms for two weeks or more, it could be depression.

Feeling sad, hopeless, or tearful nearly every day.
Loss of interest or not getting pleasure from most daily activities that they used to enjoy.

What do you say to someone with depression? Here are 4 comments to avoid, and some suggestions for what to do or say instead.

1. This is just a phase. It will pass soon. Yes, it is a phase, but it may not pass soon. In fact, without treatment, the depression could get worse.
Instead, you can say, “I hope you feel better soon,” or “How can I help you?”

Instead, try encouraging him or her to see a doctor (Matthew 25:36, Philippians 2:4).

2. Just give it to God. They have. People dealing with depression are desperate for help. They may even question their faith because of their feelings of defeat. Worse, some religious groups may equate mental illnesses such as depression as demonic.

Try reminding the depressed person she is dealing with an illness. Reassure her of God’s love for her. Offer to pray for her or with her (James 5:14-15, Psalm 41:3).

3. Happiness is a choice. Given a choice, no one would choose depression over happiness. Depressed people struggle daily to put on a happy face, but they are hurting deep inside.

Try allowing them to share their feelings freely and openly. Be careful. Do not try to talk them out of their feelings. However, if they are having suicidal thoughts, call 911 immediately. Reassure them they can choose to get well (Proverbs 17:22, Psalm 147:3).

4. You should get out more. On most days, depressed people struggle to get out of bed. Their appearances may begin to suffer. They may not have the energy to keep the house clean. They can become withdrawn.

Again, encourage the depressed person to see their doctor. Better yet, offer to drive him there (Matthew 9:12, Jeremiah 8:22).

Finally…There is life after depression! You can read about my struggle with depression at my blog, How Healed Emotions Causes Transformation.

Some links are listed below that will help you determine if what you or your loved one is going through is actually depression.

Families for Depression Awareness

Depression Screening Test (PsychCentral)

Depression Health Center (WebMd)

Depression: major depressive disorder (Mayo Clinic)

We love hearing from you. Click here to leave a question or comment.

Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.
― Mahatma Gandhi

Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2016

SHATTERED HOPES AND BROKEN DREAMS

5 Steps for Recovering From the Hurt

3 True Stories of Shattered Hopes and Broken Dreams

A young man has dreams of escaping the poverty he was born into. He uses his talent to break into the entertainment industry. His first performance fails. Now he is once again staring at the face of poverty.

A 52-year old, former teacher has invested her life in service to others. Sadly, on this day, she is arrested for trying to do the right thing.

A young woman is engaged and planning her wedding . But everything changes when she discovers she is pregnant, and the father is not her fiancé.

Who are these 3 people? See below.

The young man is Tyler Perry. He is a contemporary film producer, director, screenwriter, playwright, author, and songwriter. Also a philanthropist, he has given millions to humanitarian causes.

The 52 year old woman is Susan B. Anthony. She’s best remembered for her role in the Women’s Suffragist Movement. The Susan B. Anthony amendment of 1920 gave all women the right to vote.

The young woman is Mary, Mother of Jesus.

We now see that great things can still follow shattered hopes and dreams. First, we have to recover from the hurt.

Here are 5 steps to help you heal from your setback toward greatness. These 5 steps are far from complete. But we’ve got to start somewhere. So, let’s get going!

5 Steps for recovering from the hurt

Accept it. It is what it is! Your plans failed. Your hopes are shattered. It’s over. Admit to it. Accept the painful truth. But don’t stop here. This is the beginning of your healing process.
Mourn the loss. Your dream meant everything to you. Take time to mourn your loss. Cry hard! Talk it out with a sympathetic friend. Journal your feelings. Pray. Avoid artificial means of coping. Alcohol, drugs, and food, will only temporarily numb your pain .
Keep the faith. This is the part where you get to work on yourself. Forgive where needed. Spend time nurturing your spiritual being. Susan B. Anthony grew up in a Quaker family. Tyler Perry is open about his faith. Mary- well, you know the rest of that story!
Bounce back. As soon as you can get back in the game, go for it! Keep repeating the 3 steps above while expecting your healing to occur. Speak positive affirmations to yourself. Ignore the voices of negativity.
Start now. No more procrastination. Write out your goals and plans. Work on them each day. You are stronger now. You are wiser now.

Use the steps above that work for you. Disregard any that don’t. Whatever you do, never give up!

Remember this; You were created to share your greatness with this world. This is who you are.

For help with healing the toxic emotions that surfaces during difficult times, click here.

Question: Have you recovered from any shattered hopes or broken dreams? How so? You can leave a comment by clicking here. (You can read my Comments Policy by clicking here.)

References:

Susan B. Anthony, http://www.pbs.org/godinamerica/people/susan-b-anthony.html.
Mary,http://www.christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/p/marymotherjesus.htm.
Tyler Perry, http://www.tylerperry.com