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Facing Fear

Facing Fear

by | Oct 12, 2012 | Blog, Faith

Sometimes fear enters your mind when you least expect it–even when you think your faith is strong.

  • Devious. It slips into the cracks of your subconscious mind like a snake, twisting and turning its contorted body around the truth. It grips your emotions, and it paralyzes your belief system. But how does this viper sneak into your heart and mind?
  • Deadly. For me, it only takes a careless word or thought–just a moment of anger, bitterness, or unbelief–for it’s poisonous fangs to sink into my mind. Or I look at the circumstances surrounding my life, and I lose hope for just a second. But just long enough for me to lose my focus on the truth of God’s Word.
  • Deceptive. Then, the lies and deception begin. My imagination takes me to places that I never imagined possible. My thoughts focus on problems, paranoia, or panic, instead of my blessings. And the insanity begins.

So, how do we overcome fear?

  • Focus on our blessings in Christ. Revelation 12:11 explains that Christ provides the power for us to defeat the accuser. “And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”
  • Focus on God’s promises. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7 NKJV)

Photo/KarenJordan

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

by | Oct 8, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Family

Photo/KarenJordanAre you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matt. 11:28-30 MSG).

Yes. Yes. And yes! I’m ready “to take a real rest,” how about you? 

Stress. Most of the time, I must admit that I approach problems in my own strength. I get stressed out searching for the resources I need, and I try to conjure up the motivation to tackle problems on my own. 

But recently I’ve been hitting a wall with my efforts. Even the simplest of tasks seem overwhelming to me–like writing a blog post or even planning a grocery list. 

Not long ago, I could listen quite attentively to the problems of my friends and family. But now, I seem to overreact to the smallest issue. I can feel the stress building in my head, as my blood pressure rises. I tend to want to run from commitments and from heavy conversations. And my mind refuses to consider organizational ideas–I’d rather watch a Hallmark movie

My counselor friend encouraged me let go of the self-condemning thoughts (Rom. 8:1). She reminded me that no one is perfect (Rom. 3:10), and that I’ll never live up to my own perfectionistic standards. So, I’m trying to embrace that truth.

Promise. I want to “learn the unforced rhythms of grace,” don’t you? I’m tired, worn out, and burned out on trying to do the right thing in my own strength. 

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites His disciples to bring our burdens to Him. And He never intended for us to take on the burdens of others. He wants us to encourage others to take their needs to Him, too. 

Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.
(Matt. 11:38-30 NLT). 

Photo/KarenJordan

Where do you find “real rest”?


Lessons I Learned In the Waiting Room: Priorities

Lessons I Learned In the Waiting Room: Priorities

by | Sep 26, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Stories

Image/FreeDigitalPhotos.netSteep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (Matt. 6:33 MSG)

I’ve learned many important lessons in the waiting rooms of my life. I guess it takes some forced quiet time to help me focus on what’s important in life.

What do I need to focus on in my life? If I knew I had only a short time to live, what would be my priorities then?

Deep thoughts. I know these are deep thoughts that no one really wants to consider. But sometimes, it’s important to have a reality check, so we can get our heads out of the clouds and focus on the right things.

Waiting room. A waiting room experience brings my priorities back into focus. What is most important to me? If I could only focus on five things in life, what would they be? 

  • My spiritual life?
  • My family?
  • My work?
  • My health?
  • My friends?
  • My personal possessions?
  • My next vacation?
  • My Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest?
  • My next blog post?

Reflection. What am I willing to sacrifice to assure my focus is on track?

Food for thought in the waiting room ….

Image/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What are your priorities in life? How have your priorities changed over the years?

Considering the Possibility of Joy

Considering the Possibility of Joy

by | Aug 30, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Stories

Consider it pure joy … whenever you face trails of many kinds … (James 1:2).

How can I possibly find joy in this trial? 

Facing a crisis. When I’m in the middle of a crisis, it seems impossible to find joy in the situation.

And when I’m in crisis mode, I usually resist anyone who tries to tell me to look on the bright side of my situation or who appears to judge me.

Observing the wounded. Have you ever tried to help a wounded dog? It will nip at anyone who comes close. And if it’s hungry, you’d better stay away from his food.

And who in their right mind, would attempt to stop a dogfight? Both dogs will both turn from their fight and attack you.

That’s what my emotions tell me to do in a crisis–defend myself. But I can’t count the times that I’ve regretted my emotional reactions.

Considering joy. Is it really possible to find joy in a trial? A few scriptures come to mind.

“Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible’” (Matt. 19:26 NLT)

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:9-10 NLT)

Defining  joy. Joy is the last thing I expect to find in a trial. And when I look at the word “joy” in my dictionary/thesaurus, the word “trial” is listed as an antonym.

But isn’t that just like God, to point out our impossibilities. Then, show us His possibilities? In fact, I rarely can trust my logic or emotions for spiritual truth.

Studying the book of James. This week I began a Bible study at church, using Beth Moore’s study of James. But before I began the Bible study, I read the book of James again.

And my first thoughts focused on James 1:2 and the possibility of joy.

Photo/KarenJordan

Have you ever considered finding joy in the middle of a crisis? 

Mountain Moving Faith

Mountain Moving Faith

by | Aug 29, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Stories

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matt. 17:20 NIV).

“What’s your mountain?” My husband Dan always gets right to the point. Sometimes our morning coffee break brings some deep discussions. But I asked for this heart-rending question. And I knew I needed to find an answer.

It all started with a song.

Wake-up call. I woke up with the chorus of this song playing in my mind.

This is only a mountain
You don’t have to find your way around it
Tell it to move, it’ll move
Tell it to fall, it’ll fall
(“Only a Mountain” by Jason Castro)

What mountain is standing in my way? Good question, I thought. Is is fear or confusion? Or is something specific, like this mountain of paperwork in my office? Or am I making a “mountain out of a molehill”?

Am I trying to move a mountain in my own strength? After Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy, the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” (Matt. 17:19)

Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (20).

Am I struggling with doubt or unbelief? As I began to search the scriptures for other references to moving mountains, I found another example of the disciples questioning Jesus about His miraculous power.

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matt. 21:18-21 NIV)

Am I refusing to offer forgiveness ?  

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:22-26).

What’s standing in my way? It’s only a mountain!

Photo/KarenJordan
YouTube/irock7497 (“Only a Mountain” Jason Castro)

What’s your mountain?

 

A Faithful Friend

by | Feb 28, 2012 | Blog, Faith

” … We could shake our fists / In times like this / When we don’t understand/ Or we could just hold hands” (“I’m with You”  lyrics by Nichole Nordeman and Bernie Herms). 

Tough times come in everyone’s life. And some people face their storms alone. Do you?

Promise of God’s presence. The psalmist expresses his faith that God will walk wil be with him, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside” (Psalm 23:4 NLT). 

Commitment. Not only does God promise to always be with us, sometimes He brings someone along to walk through the storm with us. 

Old Testament example. The story of Naomi and Ruth in the Bible shows us a picture of two women who walked through some tough times together. Naomi’s husband and her only two sons had died. Ruth was one of her daughters-in-law. And Naomi encouraged both of her daughters-in-law to go back to their homelands. 

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16).

Personal example. I’ve been blessed to have a few people in my life that have stuck with me during some of my darkest days. And even when that season of life ends, and we go our separate ways, these people remain close to my heart. I pray that I never forget what a gift they’ve been and continue to be in my life.

Gratitude. Today, I as I listened closely to this song by Nichole Nordeman and Amy Grant, I’m reminded once again of some of my faithful friends, who have been with me during some of the hardest times of my life.

“This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends” (John 15:13 MSG).

Blessings. So, I want to dedicate this post to those faithful friends and family members. Even though they’ve seen me at my worst, they still choose to love me, forgive me, and support me. Blessings to you! [You know who you are!]

YouTube/martinone9 “I’m with You” sung by Nichole Nordeman and Amy Grant)

Do you have a faithful friend? Are you a faithful friend? Tell us your story!