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.
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I confess I am a bit of a junk food junkie. When faced with the choice of fresh fruit or a handful of chocolate chip cookies, I’ll take the cookies every time. Within an otherwise balanced diet, I know there is nothing wrong with enjoying a few sweets here and there, but it’s up to me to make sure cookies don’t replace the healthy foods my body needs. In the same way, when God gives us material possessions and experiences to enjoy, He wants us to derive pleasure from them, but He doesn’t want that pleasure to take the place of the spiritual and emotional sustenance only He can provide.
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When you hear talk about “the good life,” what comes to mind? A new car every two years? A spacious home in a well-to-do neighborhood? Fortunately for us, God’s definition of the good life is much better than that. It’s something we all can have—something we already have, whether we realize it or not.

The good life is simply a life showered with God’s goodness. Psalm 116:7 says, “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Regardless of your income or social status, God has showered and will continue to shower his goodness on you again and again. You don’t have to fret if your piece of pie doesn’t seem as big as someone else’s. You can rest in thankfulness and appreciation for what you do have, knowing that God has been good to you.
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Luke 10:38-42
“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’* feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus* answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” NKJV

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by Teresa Carnes

I gave Rascal, our dog a bath tonight. We have a border collie who is certain he’s a house dog. Of course, he loves it outside too, but at night time, he’s ready to come in for bed. The thing about Rascal is the nastier he can get the happier he is! His favorite thing to do is to find something dead or some dog doo and roll and roll and roll until he’s covered from head to toe. Now, if you know anything about border collies, you’ll know they’re long-haired dogs, and they’re not especially small. They’re not large either, but he probably weighs about 30 pounds. Anyhow, I’m sure you can see how this might not work well with him being a house dog and all. Read the rest of this entry »

by Nancy Twigg

For many years, I was able to think of contentment only in terms of material possessions. During that time, if you asked me why people are not content, my automatic answer was, “Because they want more and more stuff without appreciating what they already have.” Unfortunately, my canned response didn’t bring me much comfort as I worked through my own issues with contentment.
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Hosea 14:4
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
Have you ever loved someone so deeply that it hurt? You would do anything for them, love them, care for them, and protect them, so much so you couldn’t put your love into words? You could never show them enough love and when you did it wasn’t reciprocated?

Here is a love story you will want to hear:

Ezekekiel 16:7-17 "I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. ‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. "NIV.

What a heart break it must be, to pour your heart out, give them everything you could in the name of love and to have your love turn away and give themselves to another.

I have also been hurt in the past in fact I don’t think I know one person that hasn’t experienced a broken heart at one time or another. But looking back it was devastating, it hurt so bad and there’s nothing you can do to stop the pain.

I don’t think we should ever think that God is not heart broken over us and Israel. That He doesn’t grieve over us when we turn to other idols. That it doesn’t affect Him when we receive His love and grace and then turn around and walk in sin.

I thank God that He is God and in spite of sinful mankind that He is faithful to keep His covenant with Israel and now to us because of Christ. That He loved us even when we were still dead in our transgressions and that we are saved by His grace that no one can boast.

I also thank God that He loved us enough to cover our nakedness and more than that He gave up His only Son in order to bridge the gap that we could turn and run back to Him. That He may love us freely.

There is nothing on this earth that compares to His unfailing love and I hope that you are inspired and motivated to fall in love with God all over again. The bible says that he draws us with cords of loving kindness and that His love never fails.

I don’t know about you but that is a love that I have been searching for my whole life and God says to come to Him and He will love us freely.

I want to challenge you that if you have strayed away from God, or if you have turned to idols or put other things or people before Him that God is saying turn and repent and I will love you freely. I will forgive you, I will throw my robe around you as the prodigal son and kiss you much for you are mine and you belong to me.

I hope this note of love convinces you that you have a good God who loves you deeply more than you know and wants you to come to Him with all your heart, mind and soul and allow Him to lavish you with His love. Let us fall in love with God and remember that His love and grace is better than anything this earth can offer.

Scripture References:
Deut 7:7-8 "The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, "NIV
Zeph 3:17 "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."NIV
Rom 3:24-25 "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. NIV
Eph 1:5-6 "through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — NIV
Eph 2:4-6 "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. NIV
2 Tim 1:9 "who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. NIV
Titus 3:4-5 "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." NIV

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Download my new FREE eBook "How Do We Deal?" a compilation of my 6 most popular "How to Deal" Lay Counseling articles as my gift to you.

Filoiann M. Wiedenhoff is a Pastor’s Wife, Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Pastoral Counselor, Bible Teacher and Christian Author. You can visit her website and sign up for her monthly newsletter on www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com.

Matthew 16:15

I love the story from the book of Matthew when Jesus and his disciples arrive in a particularly pagan area. At that time Jesus asked his followers, "Who are they saying that I am?" The disciples answer with a variety of names given by a mixture of ideologies.

Jesus then presents his twelve with a single pop quiz question asking, "But who do YOU say that I am?"

Most everyone has a favorite scripture, and this is the one I call my "signature scripture". Several years ago, I found myself in a place of searching. I had known and revered the Lord since I was a small child, but had grown complacent in my faith walk. In fact, I had become quite stagnant. So, I began to pray and ask that God would create a hunger in me, not only for His Word, but simply for the things of God.

I already owned a great Bible given to me as a gift a few years earlier. My plan was to start with the New Testament, beginning of course with Matthew. I was familiar with many of the stories already, but as I continued to read, something else was happening. My understanding of what I was reading was changing. And it was when I reached verse 15 of the sixteenth chapter that a light came on.

"But who do you say that I am?" The words nearly exploded off the page. I couldn’t go any farther. I was hung up on those eight tiny words. But who do YOU say that I am? Suddenly, I sensed that I was being given a pop quiz…..the one truly revealing question of where we are in our walk with the Lord. I was now confronted by my own life as I contemplated the depth of that simple yet profound question.

Who did my language say that He was? Who did my thoughts say that He was? Who did my actions say that Jesus was? Everything I said or did, I realized was a reflection of who Jesus was in my life. I had been guilty of putting Him in a box, pulling Him out on Sundays and using Him only in the case of emergencies. My heart was heavy and I hung my head in shame.

But…restoration and joy came in the next two verses. Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!"

Then Jesus answered, saying "Blessed are you, Simon, for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven."

It was in that moment, I knew God was revealing Himself to me in a way that would impact me forever. It would be the scripture that held the mirror to my soul and became the springboard of my faith.

But…who do you say that He is?

ARTICLE BY:
Shari England

Though my mother held no college degree, she was an amazing teacher. At a very young age, I became enthralled by her ability at the sewing machine. So, little by little, she began instructing me in the craft of sewing. As genetics would have it, Mom and I were both sticklers for detail, so were a good match as teacher and student. I learned to pay attention to every notch and marking and to follow the pattern guide precisely. Most important however, was preparation and layout of the patterns, in order to have the best possible foundation for my creation. In addition to that - pin, pin, pin and pin some more - in order to hold my project together until it was permanently stitched.

But the greatest thing she did as teacher was to trust me completely. She would make sure I had everything going in the right direction and before walking away, she would always add, "You can do it!" She did not stay and hover over me. Instead she went back to the work she was engaged in. I remember at times being somewhat fearful at her leaving, but I also remember feeling empowered. I truly believed that if she trusted me enough to leave, she must also believe I could handle the challenge. My mother did well in teaching me a powerful principle. She trusted me and I trusted her, and followed all her instructions, knowing that I could still call on her at any moment and she would be there.

Scripture also teaches us a powerful principle. God will not allow anything to come into our lives that we are not capable of withstanding.

1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also provide a way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." Just as one can be tempted to sin, one can also be tempted to doubt God’s sovereignty.

When I became gravely ill several years ago, there were times at first I questioned whether or not I was able to handle such an enormous challenge. But I remember specifically the day I was reminiscing about what my mother had taught me as a young seamstress. And something clicked in my head. Immediately I became empowered and oddly enough, almost excited when I stopped to realize that God must trust me completely to allow me to bear such a difficult burden. Thankfully, I had spent years "in training", so I had an excellent foundation laid and was fully prepared with all the directions and instructions I could possibly need. And I learned to pray, pray, pray and pray some more, as prayer was a necessity in holding it all together in those days. I simply trusted and obeyed.

Doubt is destructive. God knows this and wants for us to know it too. Philippians 4:13 declares, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." I would not be the seamstress I am today, if I had doubted my mother. Likewise, I would not be the believer I am today, if I had doubted God.

ARTICLE BY:
Shari England

Each and everyone of us can surely say at one time or another we have been tested, tried and pushed into situations we weren’t proud of. In spite of what the situations have been - we have to learn to hold onto our peace. Going pass peace will cause frustration and a lot of time results in a moment of resentment. Having our buttons pushed is not a pleasant thing, however continually speaking God’s Word to any mountain in our life, will allow maturity in that area of our life. The Word is the beginning of everything! Planting the Word in our mouth and our heart results in transformation.

When we learn to hold onto our peace, it is a sure sign of maturity and growth. Everyday is not going to be the same. The enemy will surely try his game. Even if it results in an unpleasant situation, we have to remind ourselves who we are in Christ. We can’t let condemnation take root in our life.

Holding onto our peace will allow us to go to another level. It will cause advancements and promotions to come our way for the mere fact that we surrendered to the Word of God. The peace God gave us is for us. It is not intended for issues to rob us instantly of our peace. Losing our keys, hung-up in traffic, and the children acting like they have lost their mind is just a few situations that sometimes come upon us. God will allow us to continue to go around the same mulberry bush until we totally surrender and show we are ready for the next level.

Peace is so powerful! It will prevent you from making a wrong decision. Whenever you are somewhere you don’t belong - peace will allow you to be uncomfortable. Never go past your peace.

Philippians 4:7 ….and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Let’s be determined in 2007 to continue to grow and move past the things the once bothered us. There is always someone, somewhere that we can touch in a special way. Holding onto our peace and letting peace be our guide will help us to develop and fulfill God purpose and plan for our life.

About The Author:
Iris Shamble has been sharing her writings for several years and has contributed to the "International Library of Poetry". She has been a devout Christian for 15 years and is a devoted wife to Darryl Shamble, and mother to two lovely daughters. Iris currently works in the Virginia school system, where she has become an expert on the social and cultural pressures facing children everyday. She has spent the last five years gathering and substantiating information and interviews for "A Christian Mother’s Guide". Iris is also a youth mentor, women’s ministry leader and speaks before woman’s groups. For a full resource of work at home information and inspiration visit: www.achristianmothersguide.com . The Ultimate Baby & Resource Guide: www.parentingguide.biz