Renewing Your Mind

Do you struggle with Anxiety? I want to encourage you that you are not alone. It is more common than people realize. First we want to look at what anxiety is before we can address how to deal with anxiety. A summarized definition of anxiety is: Having a uneasy, overwhelmed, apprehensive, fearful, concerned, and worrisome state of mind with the feeling of inadequacy to cope.

Anxiety also affects us internally to where we can become physically ill if untreated. There are different levels of anxiety but we will be dealing with anxiety in general. If you feel you are dealing with severe anxiety I encourage you to see a doctor who can give you a full diagnosis.
…continue reading: Dealing with Anxiety

This month’s Q’s and A’s:

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I recently saw your movie, “No One Would Tell,” on TV, and loved it! It was eye-opening and powerful. Even though I thought that the overall message defeated some of the sinful things in the movie, it didn’t make them go away. I’m wondering what your thoughts on the movie are from a Christian viewpoint.

The only thing that really bothered me was when your character slept with Bobby (even though we didn’t see it, it was definitely implied), and when I found out you were a Christian, I was a little torn on the judgment there. I’m not even sure if you were a Christian when you shot this movie, but I really just wanted to know your thoughts on some of the things that movie portrayed.
…continue reading: Candid Candace - August 2008

I wrote a devotional about how excellent God’s plans are; the following is an excerpt from my cookbook/devotional, From the Land of Milk and Honey.

“ ‘I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.’” JEREMIAH 29:11
…continue reading: Interior Decorating

An acquaintance of mine, a new Christian, was asking what scripture she might use to win over an unsaved co-worker who was caught up in a promiscuous lifestyle. Ah, I remember my days as a new Christian, full of intensity in seeking to know God’s will, full of fervor for telling people about my salvation, hoping some might “see the light” through my sharing.

As I thought about my friend, I could imagine her concern over the unsaved co-worker. I could imagine her saying, “Because I love you, I want to see you get saved!” I know that was my inner mantra on many an occasion. But as I thought about that mind-set, contrasted with Jesus’ mind-set, I realized: It’s not the wanting to see anyone get saved, that actually saves them. That’s like me saying, “Because I care about my health, I want to eat healthy.” It’s not the wanting to eat healthy that accomplishes the task of improving my health. It’s through the actual eating of healthy foods that I reach my goal!
…continue reading: Witnessing to Acquaintances

I removed some pictures from the wall last week as I redecorated just a bit. At first, I would see the holes in the wall every time I walked by. I’d see them out of the corner of my eye, and do a double-take, thinking, “Oh, a bug”. But I noticed that, as the week went on, I stopped noticing the holes. It just hit me today that sin can be like that.

At first, we might notice something’s wrong; it stands out like a blotch on the wall. But after awhile, if we leave it there, eventually, we become calloused to that sin. After awhile, it doesn’t seem very bad at all. We can successfully ignore it!
…continue reading: Overlooking Sin?