Rest--it's actually good for us!

I was going through the book of Hebrews the other day since our church has just finished a series on it.  Something I read struck me as ironic

Five Ways To Set Goals for 2014

Five Ways To Set Goals for 2014

It’s over now. All the hoopla, all the excitement, planning of family gatherings, parties for Christmas, food to make, presents to buy, wrap, and open—it’s all over. There’s a sense of relief that the anxiety is gone, but there’s a let down too. We take down the tree and ornaments and our homes go back to “normal.” Our lives go back to normal.

But it’s not over—not really. For many people it’s more of a “Now what?” Maybe that’s where New Year’s resolutions come from. We think about what’s next. What we want to accomplish in the coming year.

Personally, I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because I don’t want the let down or disappointment of falling short.

I DO believe in setting goals though. If I don’t, I‘ll have no direction and nothing to shoot for. The difference is I won’t beat myself up if I don’t quite get there, recognizing I have made some progress. It also leaves room for my path to change if God wants it to and that happens all the time.

 

So how do we set realistic goals? Perhaps we could follow a few guidelines.

·       Look at the goals we achieved in the past year and see what we did to make that happen.

·       Congratulate ourselves on those achievements and let them spur us on toward new pursuits this year.

·       Examine the goals we didn’t reach. Were they realistic? Perhaps we need to revise our goal(s) and/or set a better, more reasonable timeline to complete them, recognizing our limitations.

·       Become more conscientiousness of how we spend our time, focusing our efforts toward reaching our goals instead of frittering away our time.

·       Have someone keep us accountable. Someone who will check on us and encourage us to stay on track, or to refocus our energy with the goal(s) in mind once again.

These are some of my thoughts. How about you?  Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? What do you do to reach them?  Don’t forget to join the conversation!

 

Happy Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. It’s probably my favorite holiday of the year. It’s the one time of year our extended family gets together to celebrate the day and each other. It’s especially important as the years go by.

 

Our family has traditions surrounding the holiday, including playing charades, children making projects at the craft table, and having breakfast at my cousin’s house the next morning.  And, of course, there are always stories to swap when it’s been so long since we’ve
seen each other.  

How ‘bout you?  What are you most thankful for?  Do you have any traditions or things you look forward to for Thanksgiving?  Share them here. Don’t forget to join the conversation.

Hebrews 11:1

 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

Hope. It’s that elusive thing we can’t live without.  Like air, we can’t see or touch it, but we can’t live without it.  It’s what keeps us going each day—especially on challenging days.  When I’m overwhelmed and can’t see how negative things can turn around and lead to a positive outcome, we need to remember  that if we persevere,  we may see how and when things turn for the better. Giving up ensures we never will.

 

How do you maintain hope in the midst of trials?  Don't forget to join the conversation.

 

In the midst of the storm

Life can pull us in many different directions. It’s not just physically, when we need to be in two places at once, but emotionally too. I find the latter much more difficult.

There are many times when our lives are going well. There’s money in the bank, our health is good, and we have friends we can rely on. We enjoy it.

If we remember to, we thank God for these blessings, recognizing He’s provided them for us. But when something happens that changes our lives we’re left wondering why and what to do next.

It could be anything—job loss, health issues, death of a loved one, or any host of other circumstances. What do we do then?

I’ve found I have to hold on to what never changes in this world and that there are three things that meet that criteria: God, God’s Word, and God’s promises. We’re going to take a look at these over the next several weeks. I’d love to hear your feedback in the process.

First, God is love. Everything He does is done out of love for us. Sometimes I find that hard to believe, especially when life doesn’t go the way it should. Or when senseless things happen. Often God doesn’t answer our “why” questions. Sometimes we have to wait. I’ve had to wait for an answer to that question for months in the past, regarding my health. It frustrated me, but I spoke to Him more in that time than usual. Perhaps that was part of the point?  Maybe.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been through when you questioned God? How did you make it through? Share your experience here. Someone will benefit from it.

Becoming Like Little Children

Matthew 18:3 And [Jesus] said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

I sat on my front step and looked at the blossoms coming from the euphorbia.

 

 “You bloom?” I asked. (I talk to my plants all the time. I think they appreciate it.)  I had no idea it did. I just knew it had pointed leaves, lasted a long time, and was easy to grow. That’s why I bought it.

God’s Words To Us

 

I know everything about you

Your strengths and your weaknesses

Remember, I gave them to you.

 

Nothing you do or say

Or think or desire

Will surprise me, for I already know it.

 

Trust me even when you can’t see what

I am doing in your life

I will reveal it when you are ready.

 

 

Persevere, for it increases your character

And character will give you hope and assurance

That you will come out the other side

One day you will see how all the pieces of the puzzles of your life

Fit together to form a beautiful picture I have planned
 

 

I will surround you with all you need

Friends and family, wisdom and knowledge.

You will receive them when you need them.

 

Trust me, for I am not a liar.

I speak only truth.

 

I am the path for you to follow

I am the TRUTH you must hang onto

I am the LIFE that you need.

 

I love you to the ends of the earth and

I will never leave you or forsake you.

I am faithful and will bring about my purposes in your life.

I am working to grow you in ways you cannot see.

And my plans will prevail.

 

You must simply hold fast to what never changes.

You must hold onto me.

God tells us all these things in the Bible. Which one(s) comfort or challenge you most? Don't forget to join the conversation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emmanuel--God is With You

"God is with you.” Christians know this is true, that God is with us because He’s everywhere.  But sometimes we fail to personalize it. “God is with you” means he is with YOU, personally, individually, everywhere you go. And he always will be.  He tells us in Joshua 1:5, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”  David also penned these thoughts  toward God in Psalm 139

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me. (Psalm 139:7-10 NASB)

 



It’s easy for us to think God has let us go, that he’s abandoned us when life beats us down. There are times we feel pummeled over and over whether it’s finances, health problems, difficult family relationships, or any host of other hardships we encounter in life. We have to hold onto what’s true. Our circumstances ARE real, they DO matter, and we CAN’T just ignore them.  But, the key is we don’t have to handle it alone. 

God puts people in our lives to walk alongside us. People who will walk alongside us, encourage us, pray for us, and help keep us on the right path toward our goals.

How have you seen God’s presence in your life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing God in the Midst of Crisis

Two are better than one . . . If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” A common joke these days but that’s exactly what had happened.  I was walking my dog and on our way home I tripped. Unable to break my fall, I landed flat on my face, blood streaming onto the pavement.

I couldn’t move.  Fearing I’d hurt myself more than I knew, I tried to get up and managed to crawl to the side of the road. 

Within a few minutes, a neighbor pulled to the corner, ready to make a right turn. Seeing me lying on the ground, she jumped out of the SUV and came to my side. “Are you ok?  

I’m a nurse. Let me help you.” She helped me sit up on the curb and wiped some blood from my face.

“I’ll call 9-1-1. They’ll be right here.”  They were just around the corner.  As we waited, five more cars came by, asked if I was ok, and offered to help.  Jen told them EMS was      on their way. One neighbor came, stopped, took my dog, and watched him at his home until I came home from the emergency room.

After I was x-rayed at the ER and sewn up with three stitches, I was released. Another neighbor picked me up and drove me home.

God was clearly at work in this situation. I fell and hurt myself, but the less than five minutes later, a nurse came by to help me.  Several other neighbors stopped to help and one took my dog home to care for him, taking him off my mind. I didn’t know any of these people, but God brought them to my side to care for me when I needed it.  And now as I heal, friends call and offer to shop, drive me places, or just spend time with me.

God sees us in everything we go through and never leaves our side, just as He promised.  He gives us everything we need. We just have to stop and see how He’s provided. 

Learning takes Practice

I went to observe a class at Greenville Literacy Association and one of the ladies there showed me her work and when I pointed out a mistake she said, “I always do that. I write how I speak.”  I encouraged her by saying that’s normal and that it takes practice to get better. That the more she does it, the more natural it’ll be. And that it’ll become second nature when she does it enough. 

Photo courtesy www.freedigitalphotos.net and
David Castillo Dominici

 

On my way home I realized my relationship with God is similar to that.  When I first set a specific time to read my Bible, it’s awkward, or I forget.  I have to discipline myself to think about it. But the more I do it, the more comfortable it’ll get until it becomes natural. 

I’m not there yet.  It’ll take time, but with practice and perseverance, it’ll get better and easier.  Maybe someday it’ll be so natural I won’t even think about it when I go about my days.