Super Sized at McDonalds by Linda Maynard

Linda…I will never leave you, or forsake you…Hebrews 13:5

In the years of being a Christian, this scripture has buoyed and strengthened me.

Even though it has comforted me, I had often wondered…why this one in particular?

A pervasive abandoned feeling affected me from a very early age. A while ago, I was given first hand information of why I felt so utterly alone, growing up.

Before that, it had been puzzling to me, because I not only grew up in a large family, but we lived in a 4 tenement house, which housed 3 more families of relatives. Up to 22 people lived in this tenement, at any one given time. It was wall to wall people. Each apartment had 4 rooms. Everyone was so familiar with one another that people walked in and out of each other’s apartment, without knocking. I remember only 1 time, that I was totally alone in that house

. 

Everyone in the entire house was gone for the day. It was so quiet and unusual, that, when it finally dawned on me, I felt weird.

Here I was surrounded by many people, and yet it was not my experience to feel part of one big happy family. Being embraced, seemed elusive to me. But, why? I wondered. ... It was mysterious.

What amazes me now, is that God saw my plight. God knew the very depth of my being. He knew what portion of His word would comfort me the most. There are so many other scriptures that I love and could “fit the bill” as a source of comfort and encouragement. But He chose THIS one.

Abandon ( synonyms) = Discard…throw away…disregard…withdraw…abandon…maroon.

Abandon (antonyms) = Redeem…rescue…save…retain…harbor…hold…reclaim

Here I am, saved for 33 plus years. The Lord continues to reveal to me just how intimately He knew me then and how utterly close He is to me now.

Does that make me want to dance a little and rejoice about being so loved and so known? You betcha’! And does it thrill me that I can tell another person, the Good News? They too, may be one who has no clue as to God’s love and care for them.

The other day, I had just the chance to do that. I was in McDonald’s. (It seems like the Lord has often chosen, either McDonalds or the Library, for me to approach people and say something encouraging to them. *grin*)

I was working on my greeting cards. Across the aisle, sat a young businessman. My guess is that he was around 40 years old. He was working on his computer. As I sat there, I felt compassion for him. I had thought of my husband and when he worked in corporate America. He had a high pressure job and was so diligent to provide for our family. I imagined that this guy might be doing the same.

We did not acknowledge one another. I left about ½ hour later.

Walking away, I had the slightest urge to talk to him about the Lord. Honestly, the prompting of the Holy Spirit was so subtle. It usually is. However, I continued to walk toward the exit, because I “reasoned” “why would this young, fairly decent dressed, guy want to hear from a woman, who could technically be his mother?” And besides, I was not “dressed the part” to be giving forth any Godly words.

So, I just pushed the Voice of God out of the recesses of my mind. My excuses made perfect sense to me. I even thought “Well if I missed this opportunity…there will always be the next time”

I got no further than the exit, when the prompting seemed stronger. In a split second I knew 2 things. One was, I had a choice. The other was that God was not going to reject me if I decided not to say anything.. But what tipped the scales to going back, was the realization of how much I love the Lord, and knew it was HE who was asking this of me.

I turned around and approached the man’s table. He seemed to shoot me a look of “Who ARE YOU? And why are you invading my space?” But having already committed myself, I initially said something about how I pray and God sometimes points out people to me, who He wants to encourage. “I just believe that the Lord wants you to know that He cares about you and your life”. Then turning to leave, 

I said “Bless you

To be honest, I was like “whew! Now that is over!”

As I started to walk away, the man said “Thank you!”

What has stayed with me too, is that as I got closer to the door, I heard him call out “Thank you”…3 more times, as the truth of God sunk in.

God chose to have an encounter with a man that day, amidst the Happy Meals and Milkshakes…amazing!

The Extravagant Love of God by Jenna Vick Silliman

This summer when I was in Germany I had a dream one of the first nights I was there. I don’t dream very often, so when I do I pay attention. In my dream Papa God was running towards me with His arms outstretched to greet me. He wore a long coat of many colors, like Joseph, with a rainbow of colors, glistening and gorgeous. As He wrapped His arms around me, the long, colorful robe came onto me. I admired the length of it on myself and smiled at Papa—still wearing the robe Himself. Then He lovingly placed some leather sandals on my feet, a thick wreath of colorful flowers on my head, and a red ribbon sash over one shoulder, like I had won a beauty pageant. He took an opal ring off His finger and put it on mine, with the biggest, most beautiful opal, full of fire and sparkle. I felt overcome by Papa’s love for me to give me such gifts. He kissed me on the head and said, “My child, I will give you everything you need, when you need it.”

Papa God placed a colorful wreath of flowers on my head.

When I awoke I still felt God’s loving presence, sweet and thick around me. I quickly wrote down every detail of the dream and thought about the verse, “God gives to His beloved in sleep.” On the flight to Germany I had read “Dream Language” a book by James Goll  about how God gives His people revelation and encounters with Him, even in our sleep, and we should be ready and even expecting to receive—and ready to write them down so we don’t forget them. In his book he cites the many stories in the Bible of God giving revelations to people in their dreams. After I wrote down my dream, I prayed and asked Papa to give me the full meaning of it.

A few days later, on August 31, 2012, I was privileged to attend a Global Legacy Conference put on by Bethel Church of Redding, California and hosted in Germany by the Duisburg Church of Christ (or as they say in Germany: Cristus-Gemeinde Duisburg) and translated by Pastor Martin Spreer. The speaker was Paul Manwaring from Bethel. I bought Paul’s newest book (It is excellent!) “What on Earth is Glory?” and asked him to sign it inside. As I greeted him I said, “I’m from Washington State—here in Germany for two weeks.” He laughed and said, “Wow! You traveled a long way to come and hear me speak!” Hahaha!

Paul spoke on the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. He said this is one of the most important texts of the whole Bible and the story should be renamed, “The Extravagant Father.” I did not put it together until he said it—this is my dream! I was like the son returning home AND the older son too. These verses have become the some of the most precious Bible verses to me because I came to realize My Papa loves me like that—with an extravagant love! Tears dropped on the pages of my Amplified Bible as the verses spoke straight to me.

Papa says…

“You are always with Me and all that is Mine is yours. You are My heir, My darling child. I have given you My robe of righteousness and you are perfectly sinless to Me and oh SO beautiful! I give you freedom from the law of sin and death to enjoy My love and abundant life now and forever. It is time to make merry, play music, dance, revel and be happy and rejoice in all I give to you! I love you dearly, My child.”

Readers as Disciple-makers

I feel inadequate as a disciple-maker, but I know the importance of the mandate Jesus gives to his disciples in Matthew 28: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

It is easy to give lip service to God: I believe in God, I pray to God, God gave me a job, God is good. It is far less easy to become His disciple. And we certainly can’t disciple others if we are not disciplining ourselves in our own practice of discipleship.  And the first and primary step in growing as a disciple is reading and applying the Word in our everyday lives.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Heb. 4:13

If you believe that the Word is living and active (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1), then you will believe verse 20 of Matt. 28: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus did not leave us to fend for ourselves. He gave us gifts: His Word, His grace and the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, we can understand the Word and have the ability to obey it and to reflect the love and grace of God.

Richard Lovelace once wrote that a lot of the problems believers have in their lives stem from a failure to appropriate the promises of the Gospel. There is truth in this. I am not denying the complexities of genetics and chemical imbalances regarding our physical and mental health: as a mental health counselor, to do so would be irresponsible. But I don’t think Lovelace is talking about that: he is addressing the very real problem of Christians giving lip service to the Gospel, while thinking, behaving, responding and reacting otherwise.

If we don’t know the Word, then our faith will be shallow. Oh, we will be able to walk in the shallows, looking like we know what we are doing,  but when we hit the deep water and our feet leave the shore, we will flail and flounder. The Gospel--the Good News that shouts while we are more sinful than we dare believe, we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope (paraphrasing Jack Miller here)--is our lifeline, our buoy, that not only saves us but propels us through the deep waters of life.

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Cor. 4:2

It can be tempting to use Bible verses to accomplish our own goals or desires. There have been heinous crimes committed using the Word as an accomplice. Televangelists have stolen money from generous people who believed God would bless them if they gave; American Christians in the 19^th century took the Word out of context to justify slavery; there are husbands who distort scripture to abuse their “disobedient” wives; there are those who believe the freedom promised to believers means anything goes, because God will forgive us anyway.

These are not reasons to throw out the Bible. God is not responsible for sin. We are. And these examples prove how important it is to study and grow in the Word as true disciples of Christ.

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4

It's Really Quite Simple by Tony C

Friends...I'm very thankful and happy to be back writing for Kingdom Bloggers. Andrea is taking a break to focus on some other ministry opportunities, and I want to start by expressing my heart-felt appreciation for her leadership for the past year plus. She is both a talented writer and effective communicator. May God keep pouring blessings on you Andrea as you continue to serve the Kingdom for His glory.

So after three years, I've come full circle and find myself in the lead off position again. Cool. I couldn't think of a better topic to start my new stint on KB with than the one Scripture or Bible story each of us relies on most to both grow as a disciple or help others grow as disciples.

After all...isn't growing disciples what the Church is called to do this side of Glory?

I have a number of favorite verses from God's word. On the signature line of any email I send, you will find Luke 1:37. I've probably written or even spoken more about 1 John 4:8 than any other single verse. So, it might surprise you a little when I reveal my personal go-to verse from Scripture is actually Luke 10:27...or Matthew 22:37 if you like.

So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”  









I work hard at being a diligent student of doctrine because I take very serious what James says about teachers of the Word being held to a higher standard (James 3:1). The problem with deep theological study is sometimes the basics start becoming a bit muddled if you're not careful. Nothing glosses over the eyes of a group of college students in Sunday School faster than a dissertation on the relationship found inside the Holy Trinity. Wow. They will mentally check out on you during the very first PowerPoint slide!

But really...why is that necessary to share in the first place?  Sure. I enjoy reading and studying on such complex subject matters, but when you get right down to it, God didn't make the plan of salvation or discipleship complicated...thankfully. Plus, most of the deeper theological stuff gets into educated guessing at best and always back to matters of faith. So again, I say cool.

If I can stay focused on the two greatest commandments as pointed out by Jesus Christ Himself, I will become the disciple God expects me to be. That's a daily reflection for yours truly. Can it really be that simple Tony C? 

Don't just take it from me...read those red letters found in the Holy Word.

Self care? Let’s Unload a Loaded Concept by Linda Maynard

Jesus said “Love your neighbor as yourselves”

So, does that infer that it is OK to love/care for ourselves?

Diving around this morning, a light bulb went off for me about self care. Love and care for others, as you do yourself…as you would want others to do for you.
Caring for oneself is an OK thing.

What do I do for self care? I’ve never had a massage…a pedicure…a spa vacation. If I received a gift certificate for one, I wouldn’t refuse it. (Hint-hint!)

Self care involves eating right…getting exercise…keeping up with medical and dental appointments…getting adequate rest.

To some, twisted as this thinking is, self care can be “having a drink or three”…going to hidden and dark places…eating to excess…buying “things”.

I wonder though, Do you think it is harder for a woman to practice self care and be OK with it? Women are givers/nurturers. Does being so, lay a foundation of probable guilt? I don’t think I see too many guys feeling guilty when they “do their thing”. I am not jumping up and down on an equal rights band wagon. Tell me, am I wrong?

 If I am not, then the Lord never mean for it to be, as there is no male or female in God.

The paramount way any believer can practice ultimate self care is by spending time with the Lord. Call it quiet time…alone time…a time set apart. No matter what, it is a place to not only disengage from the clamor, but more importantly to engage with the Lord. It should not be a ritual but a time of shared communication. A place to be loved and to give love.

Can we ignore the fact that Jesus Himself went away to a quiet plaace to commune with His Father. Can we do any less?

It is precisely in this place, I have chosen the very best self care I could ever have.

During my very early years with the Lord, a concept of loving the way the Lord loves took root, deep within my soul. It is this…

Give away the very thing I need at the moment.

I heard a testimony of a woman whose daughter had serious medical and emotional issues. Listening, you would agree and say “Yep, this woman needs some encouragement and support, BIG TIME!”

That is precisely what Susan thought that day. “Lord, I need some encouragement. I am drowning here!”

The phone rings soon after and she is thrilled for such a quick answer to prayer.

 “Thank you Lord…bless You Lord!” is all she could say. She was about to be loved on.

“Hello” she answered in her most expectant voice. She was sure it was Sally. Sally always lent a hand and had an encouraging word

“Susan? Susan can you hear me? It’s Millie. You are not going to believe what happened!”

Susan had often exclaimed that the Lord had the greatest sense of humor, but no …this was NOT funny! Not one bit!

The “answer” to her prayer for an encourager, was a woman who probably taught WHINING 101, some time in her life.

She was downright ticked. SHE (Susan herself) had REAL problems and this Millie lady’s cares just could not compare.

“Lord how COULD You?”

She dug in her heels more and said “I don’t think so!” No sooner did she say that did she realize that YES, she did need to encourage Millie. She was being entertained at her own pity party for too long.

Sometimes the Lord hits us on the head with a 2x4 and other times He gives us a revelation.

And this is like a tongue twister. The very thing she thought she needed. was the very thing she needed to give, because the very thing she thought she needed, Mille needed more.

I have taken this model of living since then.

Do I do it 100 per cent? Nah, but it is something I do more than not.

I have been working on sets of cards to give out. The Lord highlights people who need a boost. I draw and write personal messages for each person. There are 31 cards in each set.

Jesus never lied when He said “It is more blessed to give than to receive

The very act of doing these cards has been self care for me. As I focus on others, I can get off the table, at the pity party, that I have been dancing on.

Take Care 'a You- by Amanda Elder Silvers

I'm borrowing the title of this blog from a movie quote.  A movie, in fact, which has nothing to do with the topic at hand really other than it came to mind when I was considering how I self care and how important it is that we all take time to do so.

In "Pretty Woman" there is a scene where Julia Roberts is moving away and leaving her best friend Kit.  Kit gives her an awkward hug and says that she hates goodbyes.  When she steps away from Julia she tells her to take care- to which Julia replies, "Take care 'a you." 

In this fast-paced world in which we live I feel it is imperative that we all take a moment to do something good for ourselves.  We need to remember to feed our spiritual selves as well as our physical and mental selves.  We burn on all 4 cylinders and very often may run out of steam before we've finished our unending tasks for the day.  As a mother and a woman who has recently reentered the work force I see firsthand how easily the hours of each day can quickly trickle through our fingers.  It seems we get up and rush out the door in a flash and somewhere between breakfast and bedtime we're expected to accomplish every goal set forth that day.  It can be overwhelming.

One of my favorite verses in Scripture is "Be still and know that I am God." That exquisite verse is found in Psalm 46:10.  What a wonderful statement, but what a seemingly impossible feat most days.  Life can be so loud.  My life seems to sit on volume level 96.  It's challenging between kids, and life, and money most days to quiet myself long enough to just breathe and listen to Him.  It's something I'm currently working on. 

I can't speak for the entire human race, but I'd be willing to say that most of us wear a lot of hats during our day.  We are mother, father, sister, brother, boss, employee, referee, taxi driver, sport fanatic, teacher, leader, play mate, judge, and policeman.  Each of us play a variety of roles from sun up to sun down and it can be taxing.  It's important that we each take time to replenish what the world drains from us each day.  How do we do that?  The first place to start would be in the Word of God.  He has provided us with the perfect manual for daily living.  There is no better salve for the ailments we suffer from the scrapes and bruises of life.  There is no situation we experience that He can't lead us through. 

The Bible as the inspired Word of God is our lighthouse in the storms we experience. In my Christian walk I find that I have times of really digging in and staying in daily communication with the Lord in my prayer life.  It is during those times that I feel most at peace and calm.

Another way I take care of my well-being is by talking with my closest friends.  I am blessed with a wonderful circle of people I can go to through anything. It is so helpful to be able to share my stresses and concerns.  Sometimes we just need to vent or bounce ideas off someone.  Many times what inwardly seems an impossible situation may look very differently to someone a little removed from the problem. 

I hope in the days to come we all will take time to spend a few minutes recharging our batteries.  Whether it's taking a nap, getting a manicure, or soaking in a bubble bath- let's let our bodies catch up with our minds.  Our spiritual beings must be nurtured as well.  While we're taking our quiet time let's grab a Bible and allow ourselves to be still...

Have a wonderful weekend. 

 

How I Strengthen Myself in the Lord by Jenna Vick Silliman

When I find myself in times of turmoil, trial, or testing, I don't give way to them, but PRESS into the Lord more than ever. He is the Prince of Peace for peace to be restored in my life. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter when I need comfort. When things look dark, I go to Jesus for He is the light of the world. His light illuminates my path. I run to my strong Tower, my Fortress and my Rock, as David wrote about in the Psalms. God has all wisdom, knowledge and understanding, so if I have questions He has the answers. I belong to Him and He knows me and loves me better than anyone else; so He is the Person to go to when I need help. When storms hit, I know the One who calms the sea! I am hidden in Christ, a little bird in the cleft of the Rock, in the secret place with my almighty God. I can do everything through Christ Who strengthens me. In the Amplified this verse says Jesus infuses inner strength into me! (See Phil. 4:13.) 

Many times the battle is in our minds. We need to take every single thought captive. The enemy wants to distract us and get our focus off the Lord and onto the trial. When I am down-hearted, depressed, discouraged or any of those awful ‘d’ words, I like to go to be alone in my closet—my prayer closet that is. I turn my thoughts heavenward and tell God all the things I am thankful for. The Message Bible says “Thank you is the password to His presence.” See Psalm 100. When we dwell upon whatever is positive, lovely, beautiful, noble, of good reputation, and worthy of praise and let our minds dwell on all the good gifts and all the awe-inspiring things of the Lord, it lifts our spirits. (See Phil. 4:8.)

A friend told me whenever she is feeling down she will call ten people and give them encouraging words and it lifts her right out of the dumps and she feels encouraged herself. A guy I knew about twenty years ago shared that whenever he felt lonely he went and found someone more lonely and needy than himself and befriended him and then he wasn’t lonely anymore.

I know I need to constantly turn my eyes, my heart, and my thoughts to God and steadfastly fix them upon Him. There are many Scriptures on looking to the Lord and trusting in Him. God is first love, He said to seek His kingdom first, and He said to love Him with all we’ve got. I like how Isaiah says it, “I set my face like a flint.” Jesus tells us to abide in Him, live in Him, and stay with Him. (See John 15.) He cries out in prayer that we would be one—inseparable. (See John 17.) God is my BFF! I want to be habitually walking in intimate fellowship with the LORD of my life 24/7. (We are even right with Him when we sleep, for the Bible says He gives to His beloved in sleep.) This is how Enoch lived and also his grandson, Noah. (See Genesis 5:24 and 6:9 in Amplified Version of the Bible.) This is the life that pleases God. If we live this way as a lifestyle, and not just in times of crisis, we will be ready and right close to God, when stormy times hit.

Three practical things I do when I am struggling. First I put on praise music and start singing my heart out. (Usually I dance too and dancing ALWAYS makes me feel better. Hahaha! A brisk prayer walk with praise music on my ipod/headphones works the same way.) The enemy hates it when we worship the Lord because He knows God inhabits the praises of His people. (See Psalm 22:3.) When we draw near to God, God draws near to us (See James 4:8.) AND that means the enemy exits in a hurry. Yay! Usually while I am worshiping with dance and singing I experience a shift in my thinking and the Lord gives me a new perspective on my life.
 

The second thing to do is to pray in tongues. In the book of Jude verse 20 it says that we build ourselves up in our faith when we pray in the Spirit. The enemy comes against praying in tongues because he hates it when we start praying in our heavenly language those sweet, spirit-filled prayers! Our prayer language is a powerful weapon we have ready to use at any time.

Thirdly, I read and meditate on the Bible—when I’m struggling I read it more. When we think and meditate and mull over the Word, it washes us and renews our minds to be thinking truth and living in faith and trust and hope—the ways of the Lord. Ephesian 6:17, “Take and use the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” We are His children of light and it is His will that we have the Word so much a part of us that we are literally “brainwashed.”  Sometimes a thought creeps in that is ugly, suspicious, negative, or downgrading in some way. I try to ask myself, “Is this from my beautiful, loving Papa God?” If it is not something HE would say, then who is saying it? Ah ha! I smell a rat! The enemy is a sneaky, lying, scheming, and accusing snake that tries to steal, kill, and destroy. (See John 10:10.) Let’s never give him any room in our thoughts and be sure to extinguish his little darts. We crush his head under our heel and quickly raise our faces to the beauty and splendor of the glorious, love-filled eyes of Papa God once again.

Romans chapter eight in my Amplified Bible is a favorite to read when I need to strengthen myself in the Lord. Verse 6 says to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Verse 15 talks about what bliss we enjoy as His adopted sons and daughters, chosen to belong to Him. Verse 31 says, “When God is for us, who can be against us? Verse 35 says, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” Verse 37 says, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us!”

I also like to dwell on how we are dead to sin and instead we get to enjoy eternal unbroken fellowship with Papa 24/7. (See Romans 6:11 Amp.) Eternity is now! Heaven is on earth right here with us! Whooohoo! The Kingdom of Jesus is right here and now and we can reach out and touch it (Jesus said it is “at hand” right?) and we can enter right in, if we haven’t already.

In Acts we read how God’s people seemed to be drunk. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is right here for you and I to tank up on and enjoy. Don’t let the enemy tell you any different. Papa has everlasting joy for each one of us, no exceptions! My favorite verse of the Bible is in two places. “You show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (See Psalm 16:11 and Acts 2:28.)




 

Heavenly Father, we come to You and praise You for power and dominion over darkness and for Your joyful presence that makes the enemy flee. We thank You for the privilege of being Your sons and daughters. We love You, Papa! Thank You Papa for giving us victory in the battles of life!

A Prescription for Self-Care

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Every counselor has an ethical responsibility to practice self-care. It sounds contradictory, since a good counselor’s concern should be for the client first and foremost.  Yes. And no. A counselor who is impaired--burned out, exhausted, overworked, depressed, anxious--will lack the energy to be effective, will make mistakes, use work to block out problems, disrespect the client, use the client to meet her own needs. So, every counselor needs to take time out to replenish her unique well of energy, strength, creativity and joy.

Sounds like a plan for each one of us, no matter the role we have in life. I nearly lost my mind the winter of 1995--endless snow, housebound with young children, my husband having a long commute each day in our only vehicle. I can’t say that I practiced good self-care that winter. Instead, I told myself I didn’t have time to read a book or the ability to spend time with friends (both critical elements of my current self-care). Staying home with my kids was a choice I had made five years before--not an easy one for someone who really wanted a professional career. But as soon as the maternity nurse handed me my son in the delivery room, there was no way I was giving him to anyone else to raise.

But that winter, I knew I needed some breathing room. So, each Saturday for four hours I became the person who accosts you at Macy’s with perfume samples. I loved it: I was paid well to look nice, talk to people, and not a diaper or messy living room was in sight. Working part-time for me was self-care. It helped me to replenish the well and to be a better mom and spouse when I returned home that evening (thanks to my sister-in-law Michele for getting me that job!).

Ethically pursuing our roles is crucial for each one us: loving others as we love ourselves.  But let's not forget the first part of the Great Commandment: when we turn to our Creator and worship Him and pray, putting our circumstances and strife and anxiety in His hands, that is the very best in self-care!

How Do You Self-Care?

If you’re waiting for a nice life, buy a comfy La-Z-Boy, grab a long book and be prepared to wait. But know this, it’s not gonna happen because while you are waiting for our nice life, real life is happening and often, it’s not nice. Not counting how often we sabotage ourselves, stuff (crappy stuff) happens to us – stuff that threatens our peace, our sanity and even our safety. So what do you do when life happens? What’s your secret to self care? What are your habits?

Daniel had a lot of crappy things happen to him – he was [probably] forcibly removed from his family and taken to another country, in school he was taught evolution theories instead of creation, and whenever he thought he was getting ahead, his colleagues manipulated the King and tried to have him killed. What would you do? Probably what most of the young exiles did – conform to the pattern of their world by worrying, fretting and seeking self preservation (there’s a reason only 4 of the thousands are named). Daniel didn’t do that. Daniel 6:10 says when he learned about the new law (to worship King Darius only for the next 30 days), he went home and prayed on his knees, just as he had done before.

He had a holy habit – to pray. No matter what was going on around him, he did as he had always done. We all have habits and we all have our ‘go-to’s when life throws a wrench in our direction. Some console themselves with food, some with drugs or alcohol, some with pornography, some with TV, some even with scrapbooking. Me? I worship.

It’s true. Don’t hate me because I’m spiritual (just kidding). I wasn’t always like that but I can honestly say, over the past 3 years I’ve worshipped my way through problems. For the past year we’ve been dealing with relational issues with close family, job issues which will affect our future, and financial issues. I also help carry the load for others but I can’t carry it all without unloading and I do that through my worship. My Man knows it; when he tells me about [yet] another problem, I listen to him and help him unload and then I go outside and worship for as long as it takes my heart to become still.

A while back, I wrote a post, Offering a Sacrifice of Praise, and I recapped the effect of continual praise and worship even when it’s a sacrifice – it’s the fruit of lips that continually confess that his name, Jesus. It becomes a holy habit, just like Daniel. Do you have any holy habits? Do you want to develop some? Habits are habitual – keep doing them and they become a habit.

It’s been my joy and delight to write with other talented writers on Kingdom Bloggers for almost a year and a half. I marvel at the unity we share even though we’ve never met (except for Jenna Silliman) because there is one Spirit that works among us all. Tony C. will be back in the saddle, this time in the Monday spot.

Be blessed, and God keep you, Andrea York

I Get by with a Little Help from my Friends

“I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high (on the Holy Spirit of course) with a little help from my friends
Mm, Gonna try with a little help from my friends.”
The Beatles

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one, the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-7

This week, on Kingdom Bloggers, we are exploring who each of us would choose for our Board of Directors.
For me, each one would have to have a specific strength and expression of their faith.

I would want a person who operates in the gift of faith. For that position I chose Joni Eareckson Tada.
Joni suffered a catastrophic injury during her teens. She dove into a body of water, hitting the bottom; she became paralyzed in an instant. Initially, right after her accident, she had a crisis of faith. She was able to reconsider after being ministered to by a friend. She then became determined to continue following the Lord. In that crucible of pain and suffering, she gained incredible strength and faith. She founded Joni and Friends, a ministry whose emphasis is to provide hope and assistance to handicapped people. For my Board, she would provide unwavering faith.
The next gifting I would look for is the gift of Wisdom. Instead of being one person, it would be a compilation of three sisters in the Lord. They are Robin, Joyce and Candy.
They each hold the office of Pastor. They each are extremely smart, yet have humility. I know if I would go to any one of them, they would speak the truth and sometimes the hard thing, rather than provide me with counsel that I wish I could get, if it is not God’s best for me.
The third person would be Heidi Baker. Heidi and Roland are missionaries in Mozambique. They are committed to the children there She loves the Lord with her whole heart and soul. She unabashedly expresses this in public and is not shy about it.  She would be an example of what passion for the Lord can accomplish. The Holy Spirit would be the “silent partner” in all proceedings.
 I would definitely angle to have someone on the Board that has a sense of humor. For that position, I have chosen my daughter Melanie. She and I can be responsible members of the family of God. Yet at the same time, we observe the absurdity of life. She would be vital in expressing lightness in situations that have become heavy and unmoving. Her relationship with me is honest and fruitful. We are not afraid to express our opinions on issues to each other, even when they are opposite. But when it comes to humor, we are often in sync.
Lastly, I would choose Jill Austin. She was a child of the Jesus Movement. She was creative and lived outside of the box. She often expressed the nature of her friendship with the Holy Spirit.  She expressed herself uniquely and even at times, in a quirky way. I feel like she jolted people into looking at the Lord in different ways.
So there you have it, my all woman Board of Directors. I didn’t preplan that either!

I see this Board with lively Board Meetings, as we together express the multifaceted nature of the Lord Jesus.
 I see in each one, a spirit of humility, along with a teachable spirit and with u together we could accomplish much for the Kingdom Of God

To me, it would be an honor to serve alongside them.

Linda Maynard