Category: Peace of mind

  • Reasons to be anxious flood the news 24/7.  Blog. Attractive-older-woman. 9.16.11

    We listen. We sigh. We pray. We’re deluged with rumors and statistics and more. What  person who’s breathing and has a brain wouldn’t be at least a bit anxious?

    All this goes on while “The Experts” warn that anxiety and stress are bad for our health and could shorten our lives, so we need to remain calm.

    Here’s some good news for a change

    There is a way to drive out fear and find strength for each new day. Best of all, this remedy has been tested and tried countless times, with no ill effects. This “Happiness Medicine” is yours for the taking.

    Directions for use: Take in at least once a day and think what each “ingredient” means to you. Repeat as needed.

    • Remind yourself who’s really in charge
    • Recount the ways God has blessed you in the past
    • Recall his promises to be with you
    • Remember who you are–and Whose you are
    • Relax and enjoy the life he has given you

    This “medicine” is available all over the world, at no charge and has no age limits. 

    Parents will reap a side bonus because professionals agree: When parents are calm, their children are less likely to be uptight and fearful.  

    How could something so simple make any difference?

    Think how light overcomes darkness. When life threatens to overwhelm us we turn inward. Our minds fill with our mistakes and fears and at least for awhile, we lose sight of what’s good in our lives.

    Anyone with a smidgen of faith in God knows that negative mindset doesn’t come from our Friend and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Rather, it’s the work of that troublesome old foe: the devil.

    Satan will never quit trying, but take heart. Jesus Christ sets us free from bondage. .

    So Jesus said … “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the the truth will set you free. … So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  –John 8:31-32, 36 ESV

    Any time you feel that old pull downward, be armed and ready for battle

    Uplifting books you read and podcasts can be helpful, but better yet, have a stash of strength Bible verses stored in your memory. Or keep a list somewhere that’s easy to pull up, because repeating these treasures over and over to yourself will put lift your heat and put starch in your spine.

    We need to put the Good Stuff in if we want to get the good stuff out. To get you started, here are three of my favorites.

    “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10 ESV

    Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4 ESV

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  –Philippians 4:6-7  NIV

    No matter what may come up in the future, those of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior need not quake in fear. In every situation we are not left to cope just on our own.

    I find it helps a lot to start my morning by thanking God for the day and reminding myself who I am in Christ. I have Help.  So do you if you love Jesus as your Savior.

    Help today. Help tomorrow. And for all your life.

    Trusting, too,

    Lenore

    Find inner peace by watching your diet

  • Have you ever sunk into feeling sorry for yourself?

    I confess to being, um, a little bit familiar with that unfortunate state of mind.

    Blog. Sad woman. 2013

    Like the time my husband got transferred in his work. He had studied and worked hard, hoping a move up would come through–and it did. He couldn't stop smiling. 

    I was happy for him, truly I was, but I couldn't quite share his exhilaration. I grieved inwardly about leaving our friends and the community I loved.  

    My sweet husband?  "Yes, but Honey, you know I can start right in and you read the contract. We'll be okay." 

    Logic told me he was right, but logic didn't change my heart. Yet I absolutely knew God arranged this position for my husband, so …

    I kept reminding myself surely He would have something good waiting for me, too.

    But what? Where?

    Once the moving truck unloaded our stuff in our new home, well, you know the routine. 

    Right away my husband had a "place" in our new community. He packed his days with appointments and meeting new people. I kept busy unpacking boxes and finding a place for this and for that. At last it felt more like our home, at least inside our four walls.

    Every day I pored over the local newspaper, trying to get a fix on the place we were living. One day I noticed a small listing for a community non-denominational women's Bible study. What did I have to lose?

    The next day I grabbed my Bible and drove to the host church. To my surprise and delight, parked cars stretched for blocks in all directions.

    Near the closing time all our small groups gathered in the auditorium so the teaching leader could expound on our assigned lesson from the Bible book of Exodus. She vividly recounted the story of God freeing the Israelites from captivity in Egypt.

    That day the familiar story from Sunday School sounded brand-new to my heart. 

    The marvel of God's power 

    You may remember how God set the children of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. Soldiers in chariots came after them all the way to the Red Sea, but before they got there, God parted the waters so His people could walk on dry land across the seabed.

    Once the Israelites were safely across, God released the waters. The pursuing Egyptians, along with their horses and chariots, were lost.

    Now God's people were free, but all they saw around them was dry desert and wilderness, but God did not abandon His people. He provided Manna every morning and flocks of quail every twilight, plus pure water.  

    And yet the people grumbled.

    Exodus 16 tells us they looked back fondly to Egypt–and slavery–because they liked the food better.

    The truth that hit home

    In her talk our study leader kept looking around the room to be sure we all felt included. Then came her concluding applications. It seemed she looked right at me when she asked, "Are you wandering around in a dry, dusty wilderness of your own making?"

    I gulped. Then she asked, "Are you murmuring against God because the specifications of your life are not exactly as you would choose?"

    She couldn't have known, but her words described exactly how I felt about our new life, the one God had given us. 

    That day nothing changed, but everything changed. 

    Once I took my eyes off Poor Pitiful Me and looked for the good in our new situation I found quite a lot.

    My husband said he got his wife back–and here I thought he hadn't noticed.

    I've never forgotten that lesson: Look for the good, whatever the situation

    Recently I ran across an old prayer I've loved for years, ever since I happened on it in a souvenir shop.

    The original was found folded and tattered in the pocket of an unknown Confederate soldier, a casualty in the U.S. Civil War, 1865:

    I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;

        I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

    I asked for health, that I might do greater things;

        I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

    I asked for riches, that I might be happy;

        I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

    I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;

        I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

    I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;

        I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

    I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.

        I am among all men most richly blessed.

    Those simple, eloquent words still touch my heart every time I read them because they remind me of all the times I, too, got "nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for."

    I wish I could say I never lost sight of that truth, but one thing I know for sure. When I focus on the Giver's goodness it's much easier to keep a sunny mood. 

    My friend, I pray that you find many blessings in each day!

    Lenore

    Change Your Life By Changing Your Mindset

  • Are you weary of the constant barrage of news reports filled with angry charges and dissent? 

    Blog. Woman striped shirt. Thinking. 6.27.24Me, too. 

    Let's not get stuck there. Let's step back in our minds to before the United States of America officially existed. The population seethed with unease because this was a colony of Great Britain. For anyone to speak or act against the King's decrees could result in being charged with treason.

    Still, in that setting a small group of men summoned up courage to gather in secret. They labored together for days as they hammered out the unforgettable words of our Declaration of Independence. From the first to the last they knew they were risking their lives and everything they owned.

    When they signed their names it was akin to signing their own death warrants. Yet they did not flinch.

    Even today their words live on  

    "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

    These were audacious words in an era when every man, woman and child within our borders was subject to a powerful Ruler and government headquartered across a vast Ocean. 

    The signers believed in God ("their Creator") and their Declaration of Independence makes that clear. Its adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, marked the United States of America as an independent nation. It took the Revolutionary War to establish this as fact to Great Britain and the rest of the world. 

    Through all the unrest of that time–and so many times in our history, including today–America survives. 

    Leaders, then and now

    Our Nation's Founders believed in God. If you doubt that, read some of their words:

    "We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus."  -John Adams and John Hancock.

    "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."  -George Washington

    "[The Bible] is the rock on which our Republic rests."  -Andrew Jackson

    These Founders stated what they believed. No doubt they also relied on Bible verses like this:     

    God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

    Instead of angst let's take each day as a gift and leave it in God's hands

    Let's substitute encouraging each other for complaining and repeating our gripes and our fears to the people around us.

    We know for sure this is not the first time in our Nation's history when emotions ran high and trust ran low. No doubt it won't be the last.  

    As we take in the news and conversations around us let's use reason and logic to evaluate individuals and current events. After all, since the beginning leadership positions have been held by imperfect people.

    (That shouldn't surprise us since that's all there is to draw on.)

    Finding a place of calm

    The future–all of it–is in the hands of our gracious Father, who loves us with an everlasting love. We can safely rest our hearts in Bible promises like these:  

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7   

    Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  John 14:27   

    The courageous men who signed our Declaration of Independence believed this. This strong foundation of faith has carried these United States of America through many a crisis.

    However flawed we may be as a Nation or as individuals, it takes nothing away from these Truths.

    Choose a new perspective

    Imagine how our society would change for the better if each of us made it our purpose to be a blessing to our family and friends. 

    Think how that would–could–change us. Our street. Our community. Our Nation.

    Whatever our stage of life this could give us a sense of new Life, plus the Liberty of being free of old mindsets. Our personal pursuit of Happiness would result in good all around.  

    Reason to celebrate, for sure!

    Praying for this Nation and for you,

    Lenore

    Remember: God’s got it covered

  • Some of us know anxiety like the back of our hands, the low-level uneasiness that never settles down.

    Take a nap, take a walk, take a pill, it's still there. Sometimes we blame it on current events or relationships or family situations. Other times we can't figure out a cause for the nagging sense that something "isn't right." 

    Could the root cause of our unrest be a matter of the soul?

    Easter, when Jesus set things right between God and us 

    Bog. Heart. Cross. 3.21But first came Christmas and what the angels announced to the shepherds:

    For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.   Luke 2:11

    Jesus, true God and true man, was born as a human infant.

    When Jesus was about thirty years old he began to teach and preach about God the Father and about the reason he was born.   

    "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."   John 3:16

    For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 6:23

    Jesus gave his life for you and me, to pay the price for all the ways we fail to live the way God would have us live. That is, to live a perfect life in thought, word, or deed.  

    It cost Jesus everything. All it costs us is to let go of our easy skepticism and truly investigate God's written word.

    Primary source material abounds. Just read the eyewitness accounts found in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 

    The record doesn't stop there

    Several respected historians of the time described the same events. One was Josephus, a well-researched and respected Jewish historian, who lived from 37-100 AD. He wrote "Jewish Antiquities" in 93 AD. Here are some excerpts from that book. 

    (Jesus) "a wise man … who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly … Pilate had condemned him to a cross … He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him … And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared."   –Book 18, Ch. 3, part 3.

    Josephus, like all historians, recorded facts, names and places. These historical accounts prove it's no myth that a man called Jesus lived and died on the cross, then three days later, he rose again to life.

    What then? After that the risen Jesus, fully alive, showed himself to believers (Acts 1:3). He wanted them to know for sure that he was not a spirit or a ghost, but truly a human being. They touched him and Jesus talked with them. He ate ordinary meals with them.

    After forty days he ascended to Heaven to sit at the Father's right hand.

    The cross was God's way out for you and me

    Our loving God knew we human beings cannot live an absolutely holy life because we all fail, all the time, even with our best efforts. We can't even live up to our own good resolutions.

    For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

    If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:8-9

    That's why Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to willingly die in our place.

    God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21

    Jesus died so we can live free from guilt and fear of punishment and hell.

    He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.     1 Peter 2:24

    He did it all for you and me, so we could have eternal life, life that never ends.  

    Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."   John 14:6 

    What now?

    Once again we find the answers in the Bible.

    If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.   Romans 6:23

    When we confess our sin to God, we hand over all our failures and mistakes and uncertainties. All of it. And we are to leave it there.

    Because Jesus died in our place, our loving Father answers, "What sins? My only Son paid your debt in full. My dear child, I love you."

    It's as if God looks at us through one of those lenses equipped with a filter and sees only his perfect Son.

    We can swap anxiety for peace. For good

    Jesus living within us means we are never left alone to fear what comes next. Not even death, because we know that's not the end of our story, either.

    This is only the beginning of the good stuff.

    So let the anxiety go. Take a deep breath and relax. Let yourself believe in Jesus as your Savior, knowing he will not deny you. Feel the peace of being loved and accepted by God, without any ifs, ands or buts.  

    Next time anxiety comes knocking, turn your mind to the chorus of the beautiful old hymn, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,

    And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.

    Happy Easter! May you know the lasting the deep-down peace and joy of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ as your forever friend and Savior.  

    I'm praying for you, gentle reader,

    Lenore 

    Swap Anxiety for Peace That Lasts

  • Blog. Woman. Thoughtful 2. 3.24If you're a second-guesser like me, you wonder why we keep replaying what we should have said or done. 

    I got new insight the day I once again recited my failures–real and imagined–to my friend "Connie."

    She interrupted me with, "Cut that out already!"

    Then Connie smiled and told me how she stopped second-guessing herself. "Russ and I have three kids and we've moved around a lot. Early days I wasted too much time fretting about all the ways I coulda/shoulda/woulda been a better person.  

    "If I bawled out my tale of woe to Russ, hoping for sympathy, he would hug me and say, 'Aww, just let it go, Hon. It's no big deal.' Most of the time he was right.  

    "Still, I couldn't stop myself. Then another friend shared how she managed to stop dredging up times she wondered if she had said or done the wrong thing.   

    "She said talking to herself helped. Every morning she spoke Philippians 4:6-7 aloud and asked God to help her live out those verses. Whenever old regrets taunted her, she deliberately turned her thoughts back to those verses. Little by little she gave up blaming herself for being like every other human being who ever lived: Imperfect."  

    Finding help

    Later I read those Bible verses more slowly and let them play in my mind–and heart. It sounds too simple, but I felt more at peace after that. Here's Philippians 4:6-7 from the NIV:   

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

    Even now, the hardest of all for me is to leave my burden with God, so this verse speaks to me too:

    Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.     Psalm 55:22  NIV

    Forget overnight transformation 

    By now I've relearned this lesson often and my perspective on life has changed. I spend way less time on useless replays. If I do start second-guessing myself, I turn to Philippians 4:6-7 to recover my calm and peace.  

    These same verses from The Message paraphrase broaden our understanding of what the Apostle Paul meant:

    Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

    Be patient with yourself 

    I long to tell you I am perfectly calm, day after day, but not yet. Still, I have changed.

    Any time I catch myself replaying what is behind me I turn it over to my loving Father and say something like, "Sorry, I blew it again. Lord, help me leave the past in the past. Let me be done with all this angst."

    Whenever the nagging thoughts resurface, I repeat the Philippians verses already mentioned and of course, Philippians 4:8:

    Finally, brothers (and sisters,) whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.    ESV

    Think on these things

    Whatever else is happening–or not happening–in our lives, we can only find the good if we look for it and fix our thoughts on Jesus instead of ourselves. 

    The bottom line, of course, remains the same. When we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are forgiven for all our failures, all our sins. Period. 

    That's why we can trust promises like Romans 8:28:

    And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.

    Anytime we catch ourselves worn out from running on our mental  hamster wheel of regret, it's time to call a halt. For most of us, our failures in living are more likely an annoyance than a crisis. In other words, they are not worth all the drama.

    Loving the adventure of life,  

    Lenore

    Simplify Your Life: Be Done with Old Failures

  • That sounds impossible, doesn't it?  

    I used to think so, too. Then one day what I considered an inconvenience turned out to be pure blessing.    Blog. Costco checkout. 7.09 

    There I was, stuck in a line of shoppers waiting to check out at a local warehouse store. As usual, the place teemed with shoppers. Most of us were scowling and fidgety, checking our phones as we remained parked in line.

    Not the petite older woman ahead of me. She seemed to have all the time in the world and looked around with a half-smile, as if she were slightly amused. 

    Finally she reached the checkout stand and the checker suppressed a yawn before saying, "Hello! Hope you're in the middle of a good day."

    She smiled, then said, "Yes, of course I'm having a good day. I always have a good day."

    "Really! How do you manage that?"

    "Oh, it's easy. I decided a long time ago that I was done with having bad days. They're nothing more than a huge waste of time.

    "I told myself that from then on I would have only good days–and I do, I really do. It took a little practice but now I refuse to get upset, no matter what happens."

    The checker looked a bit flummoxed at that, but then said, "Um, that's great. You make it sound really simple."

    "Well, I look at it this way: I'm the one in one in charge of my mind, nobody else."

    As she put away her wallet and prepared to walk away she said, "I'm not handing that control over to anyone else."

    She pointed upward

    "Besides," she said, "I know who's watching over me, so I just figure one way or another, whatever happens HE will make everything work out okay." 

    By then all three of us were smiling.

    The checker said, "Thanks, I needed that reminder today. When I get uptight I make myself take a few deep breaths. Then I shrug my shoulders a few times and try to relax."     

    As the little lady started to walk away, the checker said, "I like your way better. You decide beforehand your day will be good. I think I'll try that myself."

    Our "teacher" flashed a parting smile and said, "You do that! Bet you'll be glad you did!"

    I watched her while waiting for the checker to finish my order 

    She looked to be an oasis of serenity as she strolled through the crowd of hurrying people, many of them texting or talking on their phones while shushing their kids. 

    Her body language communicated that she possessed what I wanted for myself: A calm spirit. Inner peace. Smiles instead of frowns.

    As I walked to my car I knew I would remember that encounter. My fellow shopper reminded me of what I had believed all my life, that yes, God is still in control and yes, I do have a will and and I choose how I look at life.

    Before I even drove home I promised myself I would follow her example–and why couldn't I? She obviously drew her strength from the same Power Source I relied on, the One who never fails us. 

    I stuck with that resolution and began learning all over again to remember that each day is a gift from God. My call is to regard every day as a good day even before I began it.

    She was right. I like this way much better, too.

    Strength for the journey, especially on those "Who cares?" days

    The Bible is filled with verses we can use as hand-holds whenever the climb feels too steep. Verses such as these: 

    This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24  

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.   Philippians 4:6

    "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."   John 14:27

    "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."   John 16:33

    Growth can take awhile

    For me it often feels like a two steps forward, one step back process. I came to understand that's okay because I still move one step closer to my goal.

    I have learned over time that my nameless friend spoke deep truth that day. It makes all the difference to decide beforehand that our day(s) will be good  That simple move changes us, changes how we see ourselves and our life situation.

    Inevitably, how we relate to the people around us changes, too–and that can bring the sweetest reward of all. Every day of every year.

    Blessings to you and yours,

    Lenore

    Here’s the simple secret to having only good days

  • If someone asked, "Tell me about you and your life," how would you answer?

    We all have a mental picture of who we are.

    Maybe we lost track of where it came from but we're used to it and it feels like fact. Every moment this inner picture either lifts us up or drags us down. 

    Our thoughts–and our words–can hem us in or set us free. 

    Does that sound like an exaggeration? Take a listen

    Sometime back a popular radio talk show host announced the day's topic: "Are you a victim?"

    He introduced his guest, a professional counselor, and then opened the phone lines. One of the first callers was "Rita," whose tears kept interrupting her story  

    Blog. Troubled woman 2. 7.19"Am I a victim? Absolutely! Last fall I was beaten up and raped. That attacker ruined my life!" 

    Asked about her family or friends, Rita replied they kept trying to reach her and her fiancé still wanted to marry her. 

    "I don't want to see any of them!" she sobbed. "Everyone just feels sorry for me, so I don't go out. Anywhere. With anyone.

    "They tell me I'm depressed, but why wouldn't I be? My life was good and I had a happy future planned with the man I love. Now I know I will never be the same. I can't ever be the same.

    "Once you become a rape victim it changes everything."

    "Mindy" called next

    She said, "I was raped, too, by a neighbor I thought I could trust. That horror followed years of my stepfather molesting me.

    "Like your last caller, I saw myself as a victim. I lashed out at anyone who came near me and kept asking, 'Why me?' Night and day I hugged my pain around me and inside, I shivered in misery.

    "After a long time I realized I had lost myself. When I thought of myself as 'the victim,' I locked out everything and everybody. I decided I didn't want to live like that anymore, so I searched out a good counselor and worked on building a new life. A better life.

    "I want to say to the woman who just called, it's true you never will forget what happened. But you decide what you will do with this experience.

    "You can rename it, like, call it a pothole in the road you were on. Everyone has those. Hitting a bump in the road can give you a bad jolt and leave you shaken, but it doesn't have to stop you in your journey–unless you let it.  

    "I hope you can hear me. I know your pain, I really do because I've been there. I came to understand that I was choosing to see myself as injured. Damaged. Powerless.

    "Forgive me, I know this sounds harsh, but that awful man did not make you a victim. You are doing that all by yourself."

    Could there be meaning for our lives? 

    Here's my number one takeaway: 

    In every situation, how we think and speak of ourselves not only impacts our lives, but can determine our lives.

    Once we plug that into our thinking it can help us deal with whatever comes. 

    Whatever the reason, we all have times we feel unworthy and unlovable. Some of us ache with regrets over past or current failures or problems we can't fix.

    Some of us loved and counted on a person who let us down in some way. Some of us constantly replay hurtful conversations that haunt us. Some of us got a raw deal from an employer or a co-worker and can't let go of the injustice. 

    Whatever is on our personal list, here's the truth in all of it: All these circumstances are the ordinary stuff of life.

    Simply put, life can be hard. How do we live with the day-to-day?

    Always, the same truth applies

    We get to choose how we label–and view–our lives. And ourselves. Every. Single. Time.

    We can stay in the "pity pit" and be stuck with its lousy view. We can vow to trust no one ever again, as a way to protect ourselves.

    We can put up emotional walls against being wounded, essentially living as loners, even within a marriage. 

    Or–and I know this may sound too simple–we can dig deep and decide to leave our heavy load behind, with the One who knows our everything and loves us still:  

    "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed … There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus … "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." 

    John 8:36, Romans 8:1, John 14:27  -ESV

    Millions of believers around the world know that no other way brings real inner peace  

    Faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior gives us a new identity: "Child of God, Washed Clean and Set Free by Jesus."

    This identity cancels out harmful labels, whatever they may be. It enables us to let go of what weighs us down and to finally be at peace. With God. With ourselves. And with the people in our lives. 

    It's as Jesus said to his followers in John 14:27:

    Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

    Praying for you, my reader friend,

    Lenore

    How Do You See Yourself?

  • Have you ever realized you walked blind and deaf through the day you just lived?

    Blog. Little girl w. grasshopper in jar. 7.15I have.  

    Times I listen, but do not hear and look, but do not see.  

    If you asked me I would reply, "Oh sure, of course I see the people and I know there is beauty all around me."

    But that's a ho-hum response, isn't it?

    Yes, I make it through the routines of the day, but here's the problem: My heart isn't in it.

    This happens most often when I feel overwhelmed by some knotty issue I have to work through. Or some not-very-important choice between one thing and another and I can't make up my mind.

    Whatever the reason, life feels full of stress and even though I know it makes no sense, I can't find calm.

    Ever been there?   

    Proven ways to recover sight and sound–and joy in living

    I learned a long time ago that at least for me, positive thinking and power affirmations are not enough. Mindfulness and meditation are trendy, but their power doesn't last long. Only some form of a strategy like this wakes up my senses and gets me back on track.

    • Realize the root cause almost always traces back to getting too wrapped up in myself and what I can do on my own. That usually follows a spell of neglecting to regularly spend time in the "Manufacturer's Handbook," aka, the Bible. 
          Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105
       
    • Remember who's really in charge of the future.
         For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11   

    • Remind myself Jesus walks with me through each day–and night.
          "… And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:20   

    • Recount God's blessings, past and present. Often.
          From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.  John            1:16   
    • Recall his promises. Daily.
         “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

    • Relax because I know who He is and I know who I am in Jesus. 
          "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that     bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”   John 15:5   
    • Rejoice in the peace he gives.
          "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to      you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”  John 14:27 

    •  Revel in the magnificence of it all, including the world all around me.
          Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.  Psalm     136:1 
       
                And God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good.   Genesis 1:31 
                
        “Be still and know that I am God.        Psalm 46:10  

    This last verse is a good place to park my mind because it lays out the order of things.   

    Recalling what’s true resets our perspective

    It's as if we look at our life and our world from another angle and it opens our eyes and ears. As Grandma used to say, we “get our heads on straight.”

    Don't expect instant breakthroughs or sudden insights that solve problems. Most of the time the people around us stay the same and our lives look the same from the outside.

    Rather, this is an inside job. We see more clearly the wonder and the joy of living that God showers on us every single day. 

    And that, my friends, makes all the difference.

    Here’s to living life–fully,

    Lenore

    Don’t miss the wonder of your life

  • Every one of us runs out of optimism and hope once in awhile.  

    Or is it just me?

    I remember one day of despair as vividly as yesterday. Warm sun coaxed forth spring blossoms and leaves on all sides and life was good, yet that day I couldn't see it or feel it–and I couldn't have told you why.

    I drove home along a beautiful tree-lined boulevard, glad no one could hear me screaming.

    At God. The same God I've loved and trusted since childhood. The One who said in Scripture his plans for us are good, plans to give us hope and a future. Right then He seemed cold and distant and I felt abandoned–and guilty for even thinking that way.

    Do you ever have times like that? 

    Blog. B. C. Easter cartoon. 4.15

    That's why Easter matters 365 days of the year

    Easter means we don't have to beat up on ourselves because we blew it. Or questioned. (Or screamed at God.)

    How can that be true? Because Jesus paid for all our failures on the cross.

    That's not all. He conquered Satan–the devil, the author of despair and failure–when He rose from the dead. 

    What's more, Jesus came back to earth and showed himself to His followers several times, fully alive and fully human, as all four 
    Gospel writers recount for us. These sorrowing believers touched His human flesh and were overwhelmed with rejoicing. He walked with them and talked with them and ate regular food with them. Jesus' presence transformed their depression and fear into joy and renewed faith.  

    Because of Easter you and I can have hope, even in our lowest moments.

    Because of Easter God will never turn away from us when we get discouraged or feel we've let down everyone we love.

    On our dark days we can clutch onto these promises from Scripture and hold them close to our hearts:

    But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life… Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.   -Romans 5:1, John 3:16, Rom. 5:5:8  

    It's not about how good we are or whether we checked all the boxes. The Good News of Easter is that when we believe in Jesus as our Savior, God looks at us through Jesus and sees us as if we were perfect, like His only Son. 

    It is all because of Jesus that our Heavenly Father counts us worthy of love, no matter what.

    Even "heroes of faith" sometimes get discouraged  

    The Apostle Paul often is labeled this way because of all the suffering he endured in his life. Yet he was human. Just like you and me, he asked God, "Why?"

    For example, he pleaded repeatedly with God to take away his "thorn in the flesh," that mystery problem or medical condition that dogged him.

    Each time God answered, "No."

    Paul could have given up in despair, but he responded this way:

    But [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."   -2 Corinthians 12:9 

    Whatever it was, that "thorn" troubled Paul all through his life. Every day Paul counted on the Lord's strength, not his own, to get him through. 

    Paul's humble, teachable spirit enabled the Holy Spirit to use him to spread the Gospel widely and with power. We call Paul's letters "Epistles" and they constitute 14 of the 27 books in the New Testament. We believers still count them precious.

    Doesn't this prove that God will not turn away from us if we dare to ask, "Why, God?" Or when we sometimes give in to despair?

    Easter means we don't have to stay stuck in our pit of gloom

    His grace is sufficient for you and me, too. In our times of weakness we can count on God's promises and by faith, find courage and strength to go on. 

    Many of us know by experience how these words of Paul still bring strength, whether we say them in our minds or aloud–as often as needed:  

    I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  -Philippians 4:13                  

    Easter is our guarantee that we are not abandoned. Easter is our reason for hope and our comfort in despair. 

    It's all because the tomb was empty

    Our pastor makes sure even the young children know that. Every Sunday when they come forward for the children's message, he asks, "How do we know Jesus loves us?"

    Somebody always says, "'Cuz He died on the cross for us."

    "Did Jesus stay dead?"

    They always answer with a shout, "NO! He rose from the grave! He's alive!"

    Then he asks the kids, "So where is Jesus now"

    With one voice they answer, "He's in our hearts! He lives in our hearts!"

    That's exactly what Jesus told His followers when He came back to be with them for just a little while. Here's Matthew 28:20:  

    "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

    He is alive! Now. With us, living in our hearts. We're not in this mess alone and despite our failings, he never gives up on us. Never. Never.

    Let's consider that light for our dark days!

    My friend, may you know the truth of the Apostle Paul's words. They are Truth for you and for me still today–and every day. 

    May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

    Lenore

    *"B.C." cartoon by the late, great Johnny Hart

    Let the Light Shine in Your Heart Every Day

  • Maybe you've noticed this phrase here and there on gift shop plaques and posters and wondered where it came from.   

    Blog. Keep calm and carry on. 3.23It traces back to a motivational poster printed by the Government of the United Kingdom in 1939 as Hitler's troops were rapidly advancing through Europe and it seemed inevitable that Great Britain would be invaded.

    Some months later the Nazi Blitz actually began. A woman I knew was in her twenties at the time and worked in London office. She told of her experiences. "Night after night the Nazis rained bombs on London and other vital towns and seaports and mortars boomed. Every night we headed for the safest place to be, which was in a bomb shelter or in a subway (Tube) tunnel. Truth is, hardly anyone really slept.    

    "Our lives settled into a dreary, endless routine. When mornings finally came we dragged ourselves up to the streets and picked our way through the rubble, determined to carry on with our work as best we could."  

    Strangely, Hitler never invaded the British Isles. Even the keenest military experts never could explain why he didn't seize his advantage and put his troops on this island nation.

    Brits who believed in God proclaimed with confidence, "It is purely by grace, God's grace." 

    If we have eyes to see we'll know that explanation also fits our lives 

    As we comb through our personal history we find times when things "worked out," although we couldn't explain how or why.

    At some later point we may discern a sort of pattern we couldn't make sense of at the time. Perhaps we finally spot a connection in what had appeared to be haphazard occurrences. "Ah, coincidences," we say. 

    My friend, with our loving God and his people there are no "coincidences."

    Our bottom line is the same as Christians in all times have found to be true: It is by God's grace. Remember Romans 8:28?

    And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  

    Did you catch that? ALL things 

    The goods. The bads. The boring hours that tick by too slowly.

    The growing and exciting times. The times we waited for a diagnosis and prayed for a miracle.  

    The will-this-never-end periods. The how-did-it-all-go-by-so-fast years. 

    ALL of it.

    You and I never will understand everything that comes into our lives. We cannot because only Almighty God is all-knowing. Only He knows the end before the beginning.

    As Christians we can be sure of this: Our gracious Lord loves us. HE will work all things together for our good. In His time. In His way.

    This is true even if it seems that right now, nothing in our life makes sense.

    All He asks of us is that we keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep trusting him and live our days in faith.

    Handholds for our hearts

    Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.–John 14:1  (ESV)

    But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  –2 Corinthians 12:9a ESV

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.                              –Philippians 4:6-7  ESV

    Whatever is going on in our lives, in every moment of every day we have all we need.

    God still holds the world–and us–safe in the palm of His loving hand. This means you and I truly can Keep Calm and Carry On through whatever comes.

    Living it out, too, 

    Lenore

     

    Advice that Fits Every Situation: Keep Calm and Carry On