Nourishment and refreshment for the soul!

And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” Joshua 10:8

Too much of my life has been spent fearing the wrong things. Fear of failure, fear of accidents, fear of change, and fear of sickness and death have all cost me plenty, but nothing has been more costly than the fear of man.

Why do I fear man? I fear because perhaps what others say about me is true.

I am nothing.

         I am wrong.

                         I am weak.

                                   I am useless.

                                               I am dumb.

I am broken.

  I am … I am … I am …

I AM that I AM

The GREAT I AM!

In the GREAT I AM …

… I am called … I am chosen … I am gifted … beautiful … redeemed … forgiven … talented, restored, adopted, strong, wise, beautiful, useful, effective, influential, free, justified, blameless, pure, sanctified, holy, alive, secure, complete, victorious, and loved. I am because He is.

Fear of man will cause me to miss my calling; to leave unlived the life God has willed for me. The only thing God wants me to fear is Him. He calls me to lay aside all other fear, and live with boldness: standing ground, slaying giants, and tumbling walls.

Because of the Great I AM, I am.

Action Points:

1. Slowly, with emphasis,  read the I am list out loud.

2. Mark in your mind the most important attributes in the I am list and thank God for what He has made you in Christ Jesus.

3. Make your decisions today based on the fear of God, not the fear of man.

Remember who you are in the Great I AM.

Life is sweet,

For more information on overcoming fear, please click on the links below.

Francis Chan: Fear Not

Joyce Meyer: Choose Boldness

Refreshment and nourishment for the soul!

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21

Today I took a tramp through the woods at an area nature center. As I walked along the wooded paths, I noticed the evidence of new life springing forth to dazzle the senses … trilling birds,  sweet-smelling flowers, prancing deer, velvety mosses, verdant grasses. The warm spring breezes blew away the cobwebs of winter. As I hiked, I thanked God for each blessing; the herd of deer I spooked, the pileated woodpecker hammering on a dead branch, and the Dutchman’s-britches peeping out from under last years leaves.

When I rounded the curve of the Old Field Trail, my eyes met a shocking sight; the scorched lands of the tall-grass prairie. While I gazed on the ugliness of the field, I tried to reconcile the carnage of the seared grasses with the beauty of the woods. I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart to stop and reflect on the object lesson before my eyes.

God, I already know sometimes you have to burn off the old to encourage new growth. But God had a new lesson for me. As I scanned the scorched grasses, I suddenly noticed one thing remained–the green path. Formerly hidden by the long dry grasses, the path was now easily seen.

Yes, God does burn off old growth (humdrum habits and unhealthy relationships) so we can continue to mature,  but sometimes He burns these things because they are clouding our vision of His path. With the briars, weeds, and old growth removed, we can clearly see the path God wants us to take.

Action Points:

1. Are you following God’s path for your life?
2. Is there anything you need to give up to follow God more closely?
3. What needs to go so you can clearly see God’s path?

Life is sweet!

Nourishment and refreshment for the soul.

“Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.” James 5:3

On my earring rack hangs one lonely silver hoop earring.  I lost it’s partner three years ago during Christmas play practice. It fell out of my ear, rolled across the floor, and was crushed beyond recognition underneath the size 12 tennis shoe of a 6th grade boy. Since they were sterling silver, I couldn’t bring myself to throw the remaining earring away. I hung the lone hoop back on the rack and forgot about it … until the other day.

I was searching my rack for a fresh pair of spring-like earrings (yes, the snow has finally melted in Michigan), when I spotted a dull black earring, hanging by itself in a dark corner of the rack. What is this? I asked myself as I picked up the dingy earring. As I turned the earring over in my hand, I recognized my long-ago favorite hoop earring, now corroded from neglect and disuse.

All of my other silver earrings gleamed on the rack. What kept them shiny? Not polish, but daily use. Slowly my mind made a connection to a Bible verse from the book of James. If we do not use our gifts and our resources, but let them sit idly on a shelf, they will corrode. They’ll turn black and dingy from disuse, and will eventually disintegrate. Ultimately, no one will benefit from our gifts; they will be a complete loss.

God gives us gifts to bless others, and we reap blessings in return. Let’s dust off our gifts and use them today.

Action Points:

1. Are your gifts corroded or shiny from daily use?
2. What do you love to do, and how can you use that gift to serve others?
3. Find a way  to use your gifts to bless someone today.
4. Ask God to show you your gifts and how to use them for His kingdom.

Nourishment and refreshment for the soul.

The LORD is my shepherd:I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Psalm 23:1-3

Because Jesus is our Good Shepherd, will lack for no good thing.

Knowing that God supplies everything we need pertaining to life and righteousness, our souls can find rest.

Food.

If your life lacks peace, and your soul is troubled, come to God and rest in His Word.

Action Points:

1. Set a consistent time to read God’s word. My favorite time is morning. Get up 15, 20, 0r 30 minutes early and start your morning feeding your soul with God’s Word. You will find healing and restoration for your heart and soul.
2. Download an audible version of the Bible.  Listen while you are driving, running, or working out at the gym. I listen at night while I’m drifting off to sleep (double peace!).
3. Set a goal for Scripture memory. Copy meaningful verses on note cards and memorize them while waiting at traffic lights, in checkout lines or while walking.
4. If you’re a techy, you’ll enjoy  joining an online Scripture memory group such as Siesta Scripture Memory. Click on the link and sign up today!

Refreshment and nourishment for your soul!

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

If you are tired and weary, Jesus is calling you to come. In the Greek, come is an interjection, which means we must take immediate action. It is not God’s will for us to live in chaos and turmoil. He is the God of Peace. Our health and our relationship with God will suffer if we are torn apart by stress.

Weary refers to those who are exhausted from physical labor or grief. Heavy burdens, (in Greek: phortizo) means a load, a load with a consciousness of sin.

Carrying our sin is a heavy load … one which we cannot carry. Knowing our weakness, Jesus calls us to come to Him, permanently lay down our sin at the foot of the cross, and rest in Him.

Our daily responsibilities can become a burden if we do not take time each day in God’s Presence to regain strength and courage to carry on. I notice my responsibilities become burdens when I start living in the future; trying to figure out how I will manage this present situation for the next 2 weeks, 6 months, or 10 years. The questions roll through my mind; How can I do this another day? Where will the money come from for tomorrow? Living in the future drains my energy and causes me to squander God’s provision for the present day.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, take time to rest in God’s presence. Open His word and find healing for your soul. Ask Him to provide for you. Thank Him for how He is helping you. Rest in Him.

 Action Step:

1. Get a note card and list the situation that is causing you stress.
2. Look up a scripture that applies to your situation and write it down on the card.
3. Pray the scripture out loud into your situation throughout the day.
4. Thank God for how He is already working (even if you can’t see it yet).

“Jane,” my husband said in a tone that got my attention. “Are you even listening to what I just said, because your answer didn’t make sense at all.”

I looked up guiltily knowing that I was caught trying to do two things at once — and not doing well at either of them. Too often I try to listen with one ear to my husband while my attention is wandering to something else.

A few days later, I read this verse in my Bible:

“I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.” Psalm 84:2 NLT

Thinking about that verse and my inattention to my husband, I realized that I often do the same thing to God. “Do I ever do anything with my whole being?” I wondered.

Multitasking = Multifailures

I’ve fallen for the lie that multitasking is a good thing, when in reality it doesn’t play out that way in my life. Multitasking means that my focus is split between multiple things at the same time, so rarely do I ever give my best to any one thing — God, my family, my work, or myself. In Psalm 84, we see that the writer is solely focused on worshiping God: his whole being, body and soul, is consumed with joyfully praising God.

A complete package is what God wants us from us, fully engaged and focused on him. What that involves probably looks a little different for each one of us. For me, that means that I do the following:

• Shut off the notifications on my phone during devotions so I am not distracted by a new message waiting impatiently for me to read it
• Show up at my  volunteer job prepared and ready to work every Tuesday evening
• Look at my husband when he is talking to me
• Don’t check my email when I’m talking on the phone with family and friends so I can focus on what they’re saying

Healthy Body and Soul

With my whole being also requires taking care of my body and soul because if they’re not as healthy as I can make them, then I won’t be able to give my whole being.

Body

 A strong body makes a healthy place for the Holy Spirit to reside. It gives me energy and vitality to do the work God gives me. Believe me, I know how it is to feel weak and helpless.

• Food — Following a gluten-free diet is important to my health. It was one of the things that allowed me to recover from a several-year illness that had me sidelined and afraid to leave my house. I also  avoid most sugary foods and try to eat greens and other vegetables. The further away a food is from the state God made it in, the farther away I try to stay from it.
• Exercise — It has taken me most of my life to get some discipline where exercise is concerned. I still struggle with it, but now love walking, riding my bike, and paddle boarding when I get the chance. I feel better when I am active on a regular basis. It certainly makes it easier that I have a fit family, but you could be the one that starts this habit in your family.
• Sleep — I am alert and energized when I keep a consistent sleep schedule, and for me that means not staying up late.

Soul

• Devotion — Spending time with God keeps me connected and grounded. It gives me the strength, stamina, and joy to live a balanced life and to be a witness for Him. I’m not perfect at this, but I do aim for several days a week.
• Gifts — God has given each one of us gifts to use in His kingdom, so I need to budget and invest time and resources into developing and using those gifts. I’ve learned not to feel guilty about taking a class, attending a seminar, joining a group, or working on a certification. Granted, I take the time to pray about and seek what God has for me to do before just jumping in. Lest you feel like you’re too old and your best years are behind you,  I’ve found that God bestows new gifts on us during different phases of our lives. So, no excuses! Seek what He has for you now, whether you’re 18 or 88.
• Work — Whatever work God has given me to do, I need to make it a priority. Focusing and concentrating on the tasks at hand and organizing  my time wisely help me to be more productive.
• Rest — We all need times of rest and relaxation where we pull back to regroup and take a break. Schedule small breaks throughout the day. Get up and walk around. Take a 10-minute cat nap. Jog in place for a few minutes. Stretch. Go look out the window and take a short walk outside. As the budget allows, plan for longer times of rest, like a weekend retreat. A new perspective makes for a healthy body and soul.

Start Where You Are

Even if you are in a busy time of life, such as a parent of young children, a caregiver, or in a demanding career, look for small segments of time where you are solely focused on the task at hand. Connect with God by snatching 15 minutes of concentrated prayer before the kids get up; take a prayer walk on your lunch hour at work  (phone off); arrange for a family member to give you a break from caregiving and do something that refreshes you. Start small and as the ebb and flow of your life changes, learn how to grab those times of focus in other areas too.

Practical Tip:  Instead of trying to change everything at once, choose one new area of focus. Actually write it in your calendar or put a sticky note on your desk that says: Get up at 5:45 for devotions or whatever it is and then do it. Once you have established this habit, start another one.

I’m finding out that “with your whole being” is really a habit and a choice. Being aware of the tendency to be fragmented is the first step toward offering a focused body and soul to God, a spouse, and others.

How about you? Please share any tips that enable you to be a “with my whole being” person.

Pray on!