There is hope…Blessed beyond Stress (series conclusion)

Lesson 4: Count your Blessings not your Problems… As you read the Psalm below, I want you to imagine you’re holding a spiritual fishing pole.  Imagine holding the hook in your hands.  Just as a fisherman must bait his hook in hopes of catching a fish, you too must bait your hook with your burdens.  One by one cast them out to the Lord, fully believing His promises….He is ready to take your problems and give you a resounding peace that will sustain you no matter the trials you may be facing.  I ask that you take the next 5 to 10 minutes to reflect on the circle of God’s love, His never ending grace and the blessings that are present in your life…As we count our blessings and focus on God, our problems are pale in comparison.  1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you…

I pray that this little series has helped  you by fully knowing and realizing…God is with you, even at your wits end….there is hope!  God Bless each and every one of you…Cindi

There is hope…Blessed beyond Stress (series)

Lesson 3: The circle of God’s love…count your blessings not problems

 

 

The basic secular definition of love is an intense deep feeling of affection.  We have a tendency to apply the word love to many things without truly understanding “what or to whom” we’re attaching our “deep feelings of affection.”   We love everything from ice cream, baseball, to the puppies in the YouTube videos.  We use the word “love” so casually it’s often hard to recognize the difference between love, like, lust, envy and the list goes on and on.  Spiritual love is concrete, never wavering and always complete.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us the blueprint for God’s definition of love:

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  We are all familiar with this passage, but have you ever broken it down and thought about its true meaning?  Let’s take a look at what true love looks like.   “Love is patient, love is kind” this means it can wait and put the needs of others first.  Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the best example of patient love.  Because he loved us unconditionally, he bore the pain and suffering that was necessary for our salvation.  With the snap of his fingers he could have fast forwarded, forgone the physical pain and public humiliation he experienced, but instead he patiently endured it all, so that we could have the eternal life his death offered.  We live in a world where everything is fast and available immediately for our own self -gratification.  Patience is something many of us lack.  Kindness is the attribute of love that affords dignity and respect to all of God’s people regardless of skin color, bank accounts, gender or any of the other things that define who we are.

Love… It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  These three attributes of Godly love are things that go against our basic human nature.  They represent struggles that each and every one of us have dealt with.  Envy is something that destroys finances, relationships and families.  As humans, we are always comparing ourselves, our loved ones and material goods against others… “the grass is always greener bug” infects us, and the infestation spreads like an epidemic.   Envy is a poison that is easy to swallow and often leads to the death of our marriages, jobs, finances and even our health. True Godly love does not boast; it is not proud.  Love is not about boasting or building ourselves up, but rather it’s about lifting up others.  Boastful pride forgets that all of the gifts, talents and blessings we have come from above, and under the direction of our heavenly father.  It’s easy to get lost in a fog of self-pride where we pat ourselves on the back as if we alone make the sun rise and set each day.  ^“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”   When we truly show Godly love we do not disrespect, slander or shame others in order to make our point.  We learn to love selflessly, which once again goes against our natural self.  In Godly love we learn to walk away and hold our tongue before our anger speaks for us.  Demonstrating Godly love means we forgive and wipe the slate clean just as Christ did for us on the cross.  Continually rehashing past wrongs after we have forgiven someone goes against the very principle of God’s love and forgiveness which he shows us daily.    Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  True love doesn’t turn a blind eye to evil under the belief “that’s just the way it is these days, times have changed.”  Love seeks to correct the wrongs and reveal God’s truth.    “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”   True love protects others, while trusting in the belief that righteousness will prevail.  True love always hopes.  Remember earlier where we distinguished the difference between human hope which is more or less wishful thinking, and spiritual hope which is firm assurance.   Godly love is rooted in the firm hope and assurance of our heavenly father and his word.  His promises never waver; they stand true 100 per cent of the time.  I think with odds like that we can rest assured that God will not leave us dangling at our wits end.  He’s with us every step of the way.  Do you really want to give up when God has assured you he will never leave us to handle a problem alone?

 Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 

 

When you are at your wits end and there is a fine thread holding your world together, don’t panic…slow down and have hope (assurance) that God is in control.  Have faith that God will not forsake you because his love is unconditional and he is with you even in your darkest hour.  When you feel you are at your wits end, stop what you’re doing, and begin to verbally list the blessings in your life.  Health, wealth, job, family, friends, the list is endless.  It is impossible to feel stressed and blessed at the same time.  Acknowledging our blessings is often a reprieve from our problems and allows us to put things into perspective.  We often showcase what is wrong in our lives, when in reality the spotlight should be placed on how truly blessed we are.  Our blessings are often the pieces to the puzzle that let us see the big picture, and not just the problems at hand.

There is Hope….Blessed beyond Stress (series)

Lesson 2: The Rock of Faith

Faith is often described as having complete trust and confidence is someone or something.  A young newlywed has faith that their spouse will never stray.  An investor may have faith that his or her new business venture will flourish, but the truth of the matter is this…humans are flawed and so is human faith.  We may have the best of intentions when others place their faith in us, or when we place our faith in them, but as flawed beings we often fail, and that finds us and others at our wits end.  Spiritual faith is an entirely different thing and we often fail to realize God keeps his promises and is incapable of failing us.  Since God is the creator of all things, knew us before we were born, and is the author of our lives, it is logical that we can have complete trust and confidence in his word.  The minute we are fully able to digest that fact, it becomes our lifeline.  A lifeline that allows us to hang on, even when we’re at the end of our rope.  Having the faith and knowledge that God knows how our situation will play out gives us hope to carry on, as we cross the bridge that will take us from despair to solid ground.  Even in our darkest hour we can have faith that God’s light shines before us.  Our faith in God is best defined in Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  This is the lifeline that will keep us hanging on no matter how high the cliff or deep the ravine.  Knowing that God will provide the best possible answer to our problem gives us the strength to keep trusting in his word and forging forward one baby step at a time.  Once we have spiritual faith we can boldly heed God’s word and follow his lead.   Scripture tells us in James 1:6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”  The key to hanging on when you feel like giving up, is to be steadfast in your faith.  To doubt is human, this is why we must stand firm knowing our God is bigger than our problems, and his perfect will is better than any of our man made solutions.  Faith is the key that unlocks the prison door of doubt and fear and allows us walk once again in freedom.

There is hope…Blessed beyond Stress (Series)

Lesson 1….The Bridge of Hope:

We’re all familiar with the saying, “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”  This is generally in reference to a situation where we’re told to walk away, it’s not our problem, but what if it is your circus and they are your monkeys?  Life is often a circus full of monkeys that leave us at our wits end.  The good news is this… God has never left the venue, He knows what we are going through and will be with us every step of the way.  As humans, we lose sight of that, and try to go it on our own.  The sole purpose of this series is to help you hang on, while breaking free of the despair that has brought you to your wits end.  This is not a book that requires you to memorize scripture or debate theological differences, it is simply to remind you, God is everywhere, even at your wits end… he’s got this…Let go and let God work it out~

One definition of a bridge is as follows: a structure carrying a road or path across a river, ravine or obstacle.  Life is full of rivers, ravines and obstacles, many of which center around our health, finances, relationships and life in general.  These obstacles and problems leave us at our wits end, ready to give up and throw in the towel.  We have tried “everything” to fix the problem at hand without realizing, we’re part of the problem to begin with.  “WE” rely on “OUR” ability to fix things and neglect to realize God has it already figured out in accordance with his perfect will.  This is where spiritual hope (assurance) comes into play.  When we hope in earthly human terms we essentially are wishing for something to materialize.  We hope we get a raise at work, we hope our spouse is faithful, we hope we are cancer free.  The list goes on as we hope for the best, while living through difficult times.  Now when we have spiritual hope we are no longer wishing for something, but rather we have the hope (assurance) that God will take care of the situation in his perfect time frame, in accordance with his perfect will.  Spiritual hope is the bridge that transports us from hopelessness and despair onto solid ground where God is in control.  There is no better illustration of spiritual hope than in the book of Job.  Forty-two chapters describe the life of a man who loses everything, his family, health, wealth and standing within his community.  If ever there was person who was at their wits end, it was Job. Through his suffering Job battled physical, emotional and spiritual pain.  Self-doubt was playing havoc with his mind, but through it all…Job had spiritual hope that his God would see him through all of his suffering and deliver him out of the wretched situation he was in.  In his humanness, Job didn’t know the “whys” of his dilemma, but he did know his God.  A God who was above reproach. “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.”  Job 37:23 

Job knew that God would work things out and it was with that knowledge Job was able to cross the bridge of hope.  We too, can have that same hope, but to do so we must first let go of the fear that controls us and take the hand of God, trusting he will resolve our problems in the best way possible.  “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.”  Job 12:13

I Want…

 

I want…how often do we hear this out of the mouth of a child?  Too many times to count would be my guess.  As we try to teach children not to be so “me” oriented, we often miss a valuable lesson that they can teach us.  We needn’t be completely “selfless.”  We all need to find the time to put ourselves first.  I consider it preventative medicine.  If we take the time to care and nurture our own well being, we in turn can nurture those around us.  An emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually fit “me” is able to give you the best I have to offer.  I challenge you to make an “I want” list and look at it daily and try to find ways to achieve whatever it is you desire.  We are mature enough to know that we can’t approach “I WANT” like a three year old, but we can be smart enough to take a lesson from them and acknowledge our wants and desires.  Dream it, visualize it and go for it.

A Dose Of…

A DOSE OF…My Grandma was a firm believer that all kids needed sunshine and fresh air and that applied to ALL children in ALL weather conditions. There was the added bonus of having the “stink blown off us” too!  As much as children need fresh air and sunshine, they also need a daily dose of nonsense and silliness.  It is during these moments of nonsense that a child can be a child.  No hidden agendas, no worries of the future or fears of the past, just the here and now.  Life becomes joyous in a moment of silliness and often is the welcome release from any anxieties a child may be dealing with.  I encourage all parents, teachers, caregivers and grandparents to indulge in 5 minutes of silly nonsense with the children in their lives. It will feel as if the warmth of the sun and the freedom of the wind has circled your heart, without you ever needing to step outside!  Indulge, you know you want to!

Dust Bunnies

Dust Bunnies

Housework…the chore every person who hasn’t been born with a silver spoon attached to them has to deal with.  Something dirty, dusty, stinky or disgusting is in, on or around our households.  I generally can get through my tasks without much difficulty or displeasure but it is the dust that frustrates me.  I cannot vacuum it up like the crumbs on the floor or push a button and make it disappear like the dried on food on the dishes in the dishwasher.  Instead, I CHASE IT!  Someone on a different planet coined the phrase “dust bunnies.”  Well I am here to tell you…MY DUST DOES NOT HOP!  I believe that the dust that lives in my home is a cross between a gazelle and a hummingbird.  As I chase the dust around me it seems to move at a tremendous speed and if I do catch it, it sprouts wings and flies.  The last I knew bunnies don’t fly either.  Some days I convince myself that I am “a one with Nature” kind of girl and decide to live in harmony with these dust creatures.  This is all fine and dandy until I hear my mother’s voice inside of my head.  At the age of fifty-nine,  I can still be shaken by the thought, “what would the neighbors think?”  I was raised to believe that dust bunnies, dirty windows and wrinkled clothing were a sign that a woman was not doing her job in the home.  Times have changed and my mother has let go of a few of these notions but the damage is done….she has impregnated my mind with this 1950’s notion that dust bunnies somehow reflect on me.  But for now, just for today I have decided to hold an OPEN HOUSE for ALL dust creatures and their kin.  Let them come and bask in my hospitality, for tomorrow I shall attack them with vigor only to realize they apparently have the keys to my home.

Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones

We have all tried to cross a creek or puddle using stepping stones which seem to be placed in such a way that we carefully step from one to the other until we reach the other side.  We diligently try and avoid getting wet at all costs.  We have learned from our past experiences what will happen if we slip off just one stone and we avoid the wetness, mud and discomfort by staying on task, step by step.  Children have stepping stones in their lives too.  We call them milestones, but rather than carefully side stepping the muck, they wallow right through it and that is the way it should be.  Children learn to walk by stumbling; they learn to communicate by first jabbering and stammering.  Each time they miss that stepping stone, they arm themselves with valuable information about how the world works.  They miss the mark only to perfect a little piece of themselves that will help them to process the bigger picture and will eventually get them to the other side.  There is nothing more remarkable than watching a toddler perfect a skill after many unproductive attempts. They don’t give up and it is their sheer determination that gets results.  I often wonder if we as adults have become so careful in making sure we land on every stepping stone that we have lost track of this fact….wallowing in murky waters often pushes us to grow.  Sometimes we need to cross that creek without all of the stepping stones in place.  To get to the other side we may need to swim in some uncharted waters to gain our footing but once we have made land, the journey will have been all the sweeter.  Whatever creek in life you must cross, approach it like a toddler and waddle on in…You will figure it out…I know you will, one stepping stone at a time!

In My Nest

My Best Friend

 

Staring at my coffee maker waiting for it to trickle out my first cup of coffee, I suddenly realize that I anticipate this steaming beverage like the arrival of a long lost friend. The seconds it took to brew found me antsy as I waited to wrap my hand around that hot mug.  I am addiction to coffee, an addition I freely submit to.  I love the caffeine wake up buzz, but it is so much more than that.  Coffee is the friend that has been present for every event in my adult life.  It has jump started me in the morning, calmed me when I’ve been upset, and has been my reading buddy for literally every book I have read in the last 35 years.  Coffee is a constant and dependable factor in my life.  It has varied in strength, temperature and quality but it has always been there, good, bad and every form in between.  Whereas a sunset can bring out the poet or romantic, coffee brings out my focus, it somehow says “you can do it, it will be okay, just look around and focus.”  In my head I know that my coffee friendship is a figment of my imagination, but that doesn’t matter.  A cup of coffee gives me what a good friend can, hope, direction and the push to do what needs to be done.  I wonder how many people through the centuries have come to make friends with this brown colored liquid.  It can be served in so many different ways and that makes it the perfect companion for the masses that partake of it.  I love to watch and listen to people as they order their coffee drinks.  The drink they order is as unique as the person who is drinking it. Espresso, lattes, mocha’s Americano, skinny, frappe, iced, sugar and cream to name a few.  I have had all of the fore mentioned but hot black coffee is my favorite way to interact with this friend.  I remember my grandmother telling about the ration coupons during WWII and coffee was one of the things that was in short supply.  I can’t imagine that being the case for me but I know that a day may come when I am no longer able to drink from this cup of friendship, so for now I will enjoy my friend for as long as I can and continue to share my memories with my best bud, Coffee.  Friendship in a nutshell, or in this case…a bean~