The Thank-You Cure

When I was a kid, when the fall colors started to appear and the weather grew crisp in the Northern Hemisphere,  we began to look forward to a holiday that we in America simply call, Thanksgiving.  It was a time to celebrate God's mercies to us throughout the year and to join with extended family members and spend a weekend enjoying food and each other's company and to discover your place in a shared family lineage as the stories were piled one on top of the other and laughter and love seemed to rule the day.  

It seems as though, in our current era, we have no time to celebrate Thanksgiving, as the retailers would have us jump from Back to School Sales to Halloween Sales and then straight to Christmas.  And we have all but forgotten Thanksgiving.  Were it not for grocer's who still want to cash in on the reminiscent holiday, it would probably totally be skipped.  But the Thanksgiving holiday is not what I am trying to champion here.  While I think it is still an important holiday, I would suggest that it is what is behind the holiday that is really important.  Thankfulness.  The act of being truly grateful for what we have.  I even believe that being thankful could help us with the worry fear, anxiety and other things that we struggle with on an almost daily basis now.  Which reminds me of A. J. Cronin and a story he once wrote.

A. J. Cronin was born in 1896 in Cardross, Scotland. He was educated at Dumbarton Academy where he received baccalaureates in medicine and surgery. In 1914, he entered the Glasgow University Medical School, graduating in 1919. During World War I Cronin served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy. After the war, he worked as a ship's surgeon on a liner bound for India, and then served in various hospitals. In 1930, his health broke down and he turned to writing as a profession. In 1931 he produced his first novel, "Hatter's Castle," which became an immediate success. He followed it with several best-selling books including "The Citadel," "The Stars Look Down," and "The Keys of the Kingdom." 

Once Cronin told about a colleague who gave an unusual prescription to patients afflicted with worry, fear, discouragement or self-doubt. The doctor called it his thank-you cure. "For six weeks I want you to say thank you whenever anyone does you a favor. And to show you mean it, emphasize the words with a smile." Within six weeks most of the doctor's patients showed great improvement.

Are you down to try it?  As you consider your answer, here are a few other things to think about.

"Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies." - Charles E. Jefferson

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." - Colossians 2:7

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Giving thanks should not be a once a year event. Nor does it necessarily need to be smothered in food and feasting.  Rather, it should be practiced daily for all the blessings that we receive. Are you feeling worry, fear, discouragement or self-doubt? Today in prayer, thank Christ and thank others whenever anyone does you a favor.  And to show you mean it, emphasize your words with a smile!

Who Filters YOUR Air?

So I changed my a/c filter the other day and it was filthy. I couldn't believe all of that stuff would have gone through my a/c unit if not for the filter. And then I began to think of all of the filters on all of the A/C units in the Western part of the US in recent weeks, working hard to filter out all of the smoke from the forest fires, leaving people able to breathe much better than if they were out and about with nothing to filter the air in their environments. It was then I came to a brilliant conclusion on the matter: Filters are good things.

It's true in the spiritual realm too. By spending time in God's Word, you allow God to put filters in your mind that will help you screen out a lot of the noise and the peace-wrecking static. God-filters can give you perspective that filters out the minutia that destroys the bigger picture that lets us know that God is in control even if things appear bad. When we run the noise of the world through God-filters, a lot of the junk just won't go through, which leaves us breathing healthy, purified and peaceful spiritual air. You don't have to be subject to every wind of fear that blows through. You can live a life of peace by breathing the air from God's life-giving filter.

But the devil has filters too. He will filter out the good and cause you to believe the worst of others. He will create suspicions and angst and cause you to be short of temper and long on criticism. He will only let you see what causes you to despair. His filter system will lead to panic attacks, heavy heartedness and a loss of focus as he gets you to hone in on hearing all of the wrong voices. Worse yet, the devil specifically filters out the calming, peace-giving voice of God leaving you with spiritual air that is as toxic as smoke over the Western US during forest fires. You can't live on it long without succumbing and going down.

In this age of where the news blows in rancid, toxic air on an hourly basis, and where people have breathed hate-filled, or despair-filled or conspiracy-filled air for so long that they have become increasingly polarized on issues and many are now ardently defending things that they once said they detested and abhorred.

See, without a God-filtered perspective, the devil can twist our minds and bend them to accept logically-based conclusions that only make sense if there is no God. And it doesn't matter whether you say you believe in God or not, as long as the devil can filter your spiritual air, he can lead you to a functional atheism that concludes, "well, if that's the case, then..." without ever questioning whether that indeed IS the case.

What if Daniel had only accepted the devil's filtered air when told he could only pray to the king? "Well if that's the case, it's only for 30 days." (And some of us have gone longer than that without going back to God to breathe His air.)

What if Joseph had said, "Well she IS my owner's wife, therefore, also my owner...so I guess I have to do what she says."?

What if Moses had said, "Well, that's it folks...it was a good 3 days while we had it...but looks like we are trapped between the sea and the mountains now."?

Each of these was able to keep their perspective, because they filtered their circumstances through a better, bigger filter! The filter of God's life-giving, life-saving, peace-filled, redemption-based reality.

Question: Who filters what is currently going through your mind? Not sure? Look at the air on the other side? Is it peaceful, focused and calming or are you given more to fear, anxiety, and suspicion? If you aren't getting the results you desire, change filters.

Step Away Before You Re-engage

Hey Christian Leader…are you tired?  Mentally exhausted?  Physically drained?  Emotionally spent?  Me too. What we have been going through the past months (and especially the last 2 weeks) is enough to drain the life out of the best of us.  Unless you are a person who thrives on quarantine and conflict…or conflict in quarantine…or some other combination of the same, if you are like me (and because you are human…I know that in at least some ways you are) you can only take so much of the fevered pitch before you have to step away.

And that’s ok.  You can’t sustain the emotional knife edge for very long anyway.  So, let me invite you, first, to step away. Perhaps for only a few hours, or just an afternoon. Maybe a day or weekend.  Step away and unplug.  Disconnect from the news.  It will be there when you get back-and it will still be mostly bad.  Take leave of your social media platforms for a while.  The discussions will be still be there, and just as heated, when you get back.  For your own mental health’s sake, back away, unplug, disconnect and take some time reconnecting to the Source of peace and mental health.

As I look around at the events in today’s world, I see the social injustice and racism, the riots and demonstrations, the verbal volleys on social media, the political posturing and the name calling.  My emotions run higher as I come to understand the intolerable things that people of color continue to have to bear and the senseless killings of innocent people.  It IS an outrage.  And it NEEDS to stop.  MUST stop.

Alongside that, protests that start peacefully enough suddenly turn violent, and more lives are lost, buildings are burned and looted and justifications are put forth as to why it should be that way.  And dialogs that could be productive, cease.  And defensiveness escalates with emotions that are already running high and understanding ceases.  Battle lines are drawn and enemies are declared.

But stop.  Step back and consider.  PEOPLE aren’t our enemies.  They are simply victims of our one great enemy, the devil.  He has sold us all different versions of the same lie… “YOU can be like God.”  In essence…YOU. CAN. BE. GOD! (really only for you, but that’s in the fine print). But we take that to mean that WE are the ultimate cause in the Universe.  

But we, who belong to the King of Kings, must look at thing a bit differently.  We must recognize first, that He is God…and not we ourselves.  And as God, He does call His followers to right the wrongs and lift the lowly and champion the cause of those who are oppressed.  But we must do it in HIS way in order for lasting change to take place.  All other methods simply breed resentment and when the time is right, resentment spews forth hatred, which ends up bringing death.

This is why it is so important to stop, step back and unplug for a bit before we re-engage.  In fact, before any of us go running off to right wrongs, we must be under HIS control and not our own.  How do we do that?  Isaiah 1 gives us a clue.  Isaiah is addressing the church and the inherent problems that come with a group of people who are only partially committed to the Lord.  Here is a sampling of the things that God was saying in a vision to Isaiah.

Is. 1:2               Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth!

                        This is what the LORD says:

            “The children I raised and cared for

                        have rebelled against me.

³           Even an ox knows its owner,

                        and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—

            but Israel doesn’t know its master.

                        My people don’t recognize my care for them.”

⁴           Oh, what a sinful nation they are—

                        loaded down with a burden of guilt.

            They are evil people,

                        corrupt children who have rejected the LORD.

            They have despised the Holy One of Israel

                        and turned their backs on him.

He goes on to list some of the problems the country was currently having.  The country was in ruins.  Towns are burned.  Foreigners are plundering and destroying.  Sound familiar?  And how did God’s people respond.  By doing more of the same thing they were doing that caused their destruction in the first place.  Gave more offerings.  Said more prayers.  Offered more sacrifices and hoped for the best…with no internal change.

And God said. ¹¹         “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”

                        says the LORD.

            “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams

                        and the fat of fattened cattle.

¹³         Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;

                        the incense of your offerings disgusts me!

            As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath

                        and your special days for fasting—

            they are all sinful and false.

                        I want no more of your pious meetings

¹⁵         When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.

                        Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,

                        for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.

Then God comes to what He is really interested in.

¹⁶         Wash yourselves and be clean!

                        Get your sins out of my sight.

                        Give up your evil ways.

¹⁷         Learn to do good.

                        Seek justice.

            Help the oppressed.

                        Defend the cause of orphans.

                        Fight for the rights of widows.

Is. 1:18           “Come now, let’s settle this,”

                        says the LORD.

            “Though your sins are like scarlet,

                        I will make them as white as snow.

            Though they are red like crimson,

                        I will make them as white as wool.

Did you catch that?  And some are saying…. “Yes!  Let’s go fight and help the oppressed!  Let’s defend the cause and rights of orphans and widows”.  But not yet.  Stay unplugged for just a little longer.  Because in verse 18 God says: Let’s settle this. NLT. Other versions say “Come let us reason together.”  In other words, before you run off, there is something that needs to happen in your life.  You need to let me get rid of your sins and your evil desires.  You need to be washed!  Your words, your actions, your attitudes all need to be laid down so that you can accomplish things in the way I want them accomplished.  Through Love.

That means that, no matter your color or ethnicity, as a child of God, after letting Christ deal with your sins, you see His call to take up the cause of the oppressed in the way that Jesus would have you do it, rather than through use of the world’s might-makes-right-tactics.  

What would that look like?  It would look like you using whatever gifts and abilities the Lord has placed within you, and utilizing those as you follow the Holy Spirit’s stirrings in your heart to work to alleviate injustice no matter where it is found, in a manner in keeping with how you were created.

It means you put your shoulder to the wheel and utilize your influence for lasting change in a way that the outside, unbelieving, world can respect. It means you refuse to use their catchphrases that would inflame, choosing thoughtfulness and carefully chosen words instead, that can bring calm.  It means that you recognize the diversity that God has put into all people and you celebrate, rather than denigrate that.  Beyond ethnic differences, expand your view to include gender, generational curses, culture (community, church or school) and even personality types.

Wait, what?  I was tracking with you until you made that last turn.  Ok.  Let me break it down.  We are all different.  VERY different, which, if you haven’t noticed in all the realm of creation and nature, is exactly the way our Father likes things.  Which means that I don’t have to respond exactly like you in order to support you, whatever your race, circumstances, etc. might be.   I can be free to support the cause of justice in ways that you might not have even considered.  

For example, I’ve seen many in recent days write an iteration of this idea.  “If you are silent, you are complicit to the problem.”  Meaning, basically, if you are not saying something against this, you are guilty of spreading it.  I get the ideology behind that statement, especially coming from a non-believer, but what that statement actually does is simply shut off every other avenue of support I may have been able to offer if I happen to be, say, an introvert.  If I were an introvert, I wouldn’t want to march and shout things out.  I would probably shy away from conflict or controversy, and I wouldn’t want to post on my social media because I don’t want to be noticed. But, if encouraged in a more constructive way, I might donate to a cause or work behind the scenes in silence, or reach out in love to a friend of another race.  But if my silence is my complicity, then with one broad brush stroke, I have been de-valued and my potential contribution reduced to nothing.  That too, is an intolerant act, against someone whose only crime was to be born with the "wrong" type of personality.

So perhaps, instead of those type of statements, often written when emotions are running high and passion is running deep, what if we ran our emotions and passions through the filter of the Holy Spirit and in an attitude like that of the early church facing the injustices to the Greek widows,  engaged in dialog to see how we might, together, move as God’s people to address the issue of injustice in practical ways using all of our combined gifts?  Dialog in the Spirit and then implement in His power.

James gives us good counsel when it comes to how we might proceed.

James 1:19    My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Work on yourself first.  Then look out for others.

James 1:26    If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

May we allow God to change our hearts and then may that change help us to reach out to right the wrongs, bring justice where it is needed, stand with the oppressed and lift the fallen.  And may He accomplish it, not through our anger, but through His love and the power of His Spirit living in each one of us.  

Ok…now you can go re-engage...with a regenerated heart and with the love of Jesus.

Exhausted, Overwhelmed and Anxious? 5 Tips to Living at Peace

As the days of isolation roll on during this time of Covid-19, I find that working from home has both a relaxing and yet, draining effect.  I have actively been seeking ways to be supportive of youth pastors and local youth and young adult leaders and trying to give ideas on how ministry can be done during this crisis to lots of pastors, and just realized this morning...I'm exhausted.

And as I listen to people going through all that we are going through right now from all different perspectives, with all sorts of circumstances, many way worse than mine, I can hear exhaustion in their voice and on the Zoom calls I've been on, I can see anxiety on many faces.  And day after day of that type of drain can quickly lead someone to feeling overwhelmed...especially in light of the 24 hour news cycle which keeps it ever before our eyes.  So how do we deal?  How do we take care of ourselves so that we can continue to be useful to others?

I think first, we have to return to our faith.  I know some of you may have been away from your faith for awhile and may even have a running anger fest at God, but maybe now is the time to let that go.

Recognize that faith is not faith without the possibility of doubt.  To have faith in anything is not to remove all doubts, but to believe that there is enough evidence to believe in and then grow it from there.  For with faith, come a host of promises from God that will help you through the crisis at hand.

First, understand that Jesus never said that this life would be pain free and a smooth ride for the believer.  In fact, he said just the opposite.  In John 16:33 Jesus was speaking and he told His disciples this:  I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. (emphasis mine) But take heart!  I have over come the world."

Even before He tells us about the trouble, He informs us that in Him we can have peace.  Suddenly, with the eyes of faith, I can gain a different perspective on the grim outlook.  I can let go of some of the anxiety and I can surrender the feelings of being overwhelmed by recognizing that the arrival of the Coronavirus and Covid-19, did not shock God off the throne.  It didn't take Him by surprise.

Did He cause it?  No.  I believe it was caused by living in a sinful world and the fact that the devil is looking to find anyway he can to sweep millions into an early grave.  Can God use it for His ultimate good?  I believe He already is!

In my own life, it is amazing how much more focused I've gotten on the things in life that really matter.  My family.  The people I serve. Relationships.  And those things that I've been leaning on to keep me propped up, distracted and unfocused suddenly aren't that important anymore.  It's surprising how my priorities are coming back into focus!  And my realization of how much I (we) truly need God.  So I would say a return to faith in God and a settling into His promises can help alleviate the exhaustion, anxiety and feeling overwhelmed.  Here's a few more promises before we move on.

Psa. 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD,

and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.  NLT

Or how about this one.
1Pet. 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. NLT

The NIV even renders 1Peter 5:7 as: Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Secondly, I would say, take this time to catch up on your sleep.  I didn't realize how sleep-deprived I was until I started staying home and suddenly began getting more hours of sleep per night.  Just getting good sleep can help you begin to relax a little more.  As we adjust to this "new normal" it is easy to begin staying up later, binge watching TV and missing sleep.

Thirdly, establish a new routine so that you aren't just totally burning the hours on Facebook or Instagram or the news channels.  Don't stay in your PJ's all day.  Getting up and getting ready for the day can actually help you feel more productive and contribute to an overall feeling of well-being.  Choose one or two things that you want to try to accomplish by days end.  Organizing a room.  Cleaning out a closet.  Catching up on your around the house to-do list.  Anything that will call on your concentration on something besides the Coronavirus will help you begin to help you regain mental health ground.  And if you feel productive, you are less likely to slide into a depression.

Fourthly, Unplug for a given amount of time each day.  You don't have to be glued to the news cycle 24-7.  As a matter of fact, I can tell you that about 95% of it will be bad.  And right now...it will be ...are you ready for this...very bad.  More deaths.  New outbreaks.  More shortages.  More political posturing.  More anger.  More frustration.  More anxiety over what else the "experts" are predicting is to come.  And the fact is, all it does is keep invoking your "fight or flight" mechanism and dumps large quantities of adrenalin into your system and simply causes your fear factor to rise.

Unplug from social media as well. Constantly checking your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or whatever feeds, will only show more of the same you have on the news.  I'm not saying to never check them, but I am saying take some hours each day and unplug from it all to allow your anxiety and adrenaline levels to fall.  Keeping them on a knife edge all the time will only lead to exhaustion and the lowering of your body's immune system.

Here's a few questions to consider:  Are you already doing what you can do to keep you and your family safe?  Will knowing the absolute latest as soon as it hits keep you any safer?  If you are already doing everything you know, then go ahead and unplug and do something productive and let your energies be channeled towards that.  Let your focus be absorbed by that and you will find your anxiety levels beginning to drop.

And last...seek to get in some form of exercise every day.  If you have a nearby park and can still get outdoors,  try to get a walk in-of course, keeping social distancing rules in play, if not, maybe use the old treadmill and exercise equipment you've had rotting in a room for a while.  But move your body some every day.  This will boost your immune system, and help get rid of the excess adrenaline your body has been pumping out, and leave you more relaxed and able to sleep better.

Let me leave you with this: Quite a few years back, I watched a Mark Lowry video as he shared his "favorite verse."  He then quoted. "And it came to pass..."  He stopped and smiled...then continued.  "Do you get it?  It didn't come to stay!  It came to pass."  So with a nod to Mark, here is my take on his "favorite verse".

Whatever you are facing today--just know that it will pass. Corona Virus...As hard as it is to believe...It will pass! On the flip side...are you having a great day? Enjoy it! It will pass. Facing tough stuff? Endure it. It will pass. It came...to pass.

God never leaves us stuck. Time moves on and it will pass. Focus on that and these little tips and you can come into a "new normal" soon.  And 

Be Still--and Breathe!

It had been a week on an emotional roller coaster. First the people’s hopes were lifted, and then they were dashed. They were trying to follow God, but it didn’t look like they had always dreamed it would. The political machinery of the day looked as if it were going to swallow them once again and relegate them to the bowels of society. They had been there long enough. They knew what that was like and they didn’t want to go back!

And now the Lord had finally freed them. They had put blood on the doorposts—not the typical way of finding relief from oppression, but it had worked. The command came to leave and they instantly obeyed before Pharaoh changed his mind. He always did. It was just a matter of time. So they left Egypt both rejoicing and looking back to see if they were being followed.

And about the time they started relaxing, someone sees a dust cloud on the horizon behind them. Looking ahead at where the giant pillar of cloud was leading, all they could see was water. They were trapped, and they knew the outcome of dealing with Pharaoh’s army. Many of them would die. Most would be re-captured and re-bound into the very slavery they had just escaped. Let’s pick up the story in Exodus chapter 14. Beginning with verse 10.

Ex 14:10-14 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Some things never change, do they? At the first sign or even sometimes, at the first hint of trouble, we grow terrified. And we start complaining and even believing that the very things we are being rescued from would now be preferable to what we are now facing. Look at vs. 11, 12 again.

Ex 14:11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

Why do we do that? Why do we, at the first sign of anything remotely threatening to our security and well-being, start complaining and crying out in fear? To be sure, because we are human. But might it also be that we haven’t developed the ability to be still and trust that God is still in control? Could it be that we feel like we have to rescue ourselves and we don’t see how it’s going to work out? Look, once again at Moses’ command in vs. 13 and 14.

Ex 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

And you probably remember the story, don't you. God provided a path through the sea and when Pharaoh and his armies tried to follow them, the walls of water came crashing down on them. The Lord had done their fighting for them. They only had to stand firm and watch the Lord's deliverance.

Either we never knew, or we have already forgotten that the Lord will fight for us, we only need to be still. That’s harder than it sounds. Be still. Ok…and do what? Ponder the problem? Seek solutions? Wring your hands in anxiety? No. Psalm 46:10 says:

Psa. 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

That’s what Moses was trying to get the Israelites to see in the middle of their crisis. They didn’t have much choice, did they? The sea on one side, the army on the other…they had to be still…physically. But not all who are still physically are calm emotionally and spiritually. Have you noticed that? But they have no where else to go. So they wait on the Lord to do something. And He does.

What solved their problem? Did they solve their problem? Did they form a giant think-tank to discuss, deliberate and vote? No. How was their problem solved? They waited on God. They had to be still. Was that all? No. They also had to obey God and walk the direction He led. If they hadn’t done the walking, they would have stayed on the other side of the sea. They had to be still. Then they had to obey. Inhale, exhale. Be still, inhale, obey, exhale. We have to learn to breathe spiritually.

We talk a lot about our need for prayer, about how good prayer is, about how necessary it is to our spiritual walk, yet we seldom seem to take the time to pray. It has been said that prayer is the breath of the soul. If this is so, then perhaps the reason we so often feel anxious or overwhelmed in life is because we are not breathing!

In order to do away with the anxiety and panic in our lives, we must allow our souls to breathe deeply. And one of the primary reasons we are not breathing deeply enough is because we are not still long enough to do so. “Be still”, God says. Being still is the first requisite to breathing well.

When difficulties come; breathe. When it feels like life is going to run you over; breathe. When you feel uncertain or scared or anxious; breathe.

Ellen White, in her book Desire of Ages, page 667, says, “The path of sincerity and integrity is not a path free from obstruction, but in every difficulty we are to see a call to prayer. There is no one living who has any power that he has not received from God, and the source whence it comes is open to the weakest human being. {DA 667.4}

In every difficulty we are to see a call to prayer. A call to breathe. A call to Be still. Why? So we can

gain perspective. So we can live life without having to panic. So we can know that He is God. Being still allows God the chance to work in our lives before we go out and do something stupid in our typical reactionary mode. Being still allows us to realize Who is fighting for us. Being still will allow us to remain at peace. Isaiah tells us that.

Is. 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

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

Do you want peace in the midst of life’s storms? Learn to breathe. Be still. Seek God. Keep your mind fixed on Him. Allow Him to bring you peace.

The Roller Coaster...of Life.

Have you noticed that life is just like a roller coaster ride? You spend years notching up for it, anticipating, waiting, kind of knowing what’s in store because you’ve watched others go around on the coaster. As you get close to the top of the coaster, you start yelling, “Can’t turn back now boys!” and then you hang at the top for just a brief second and all of a sudden, you’re holding on for dear life! There are tons of twists and turns and rises and drops and you are moving so fast, you can only see what’s coming right in front of you, all the while anticipating the next big drop. Your blood pumps faster, adrenaline races and without really meaning to, you hear yourself screaming at the top of your lungs. And then, you come into another long climb.

Your heart slows down a bit, but now that you know what is in store, you realize that the climb is really only a catch your breath place. It’s a little relief before you go into part two of the ride. The ominous clack, clack, clack of the chain below you tells you that you’re in for another gut-wrenching series of twists and turns. You’re up and over the top, tossed to the left, then slammed to the right. Now your stomach is in your throat and now it’s in your toes and just as suddenly, it’s over. And when your body fully understands that you’ve actually survived, and a rush of adrenaline and relief washes over you, then you are suddenly free to enjoy the ride.

What a tragedy!   What a tragedy that we have to go all the way through life, anxious and worrying over every last thing only to look back and say, “that wasn’t so bad.” What if you could enjoy every part of the journey? You can.

Listen to what Jesus said: John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

There it is! Hold onto Jesus...and enjoy the ride!