Speak the Word

2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 56: 3,6

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

While I am okay with acknowledging these are fearful times, I am just as comfortable saying God is not the one tormenting us with fear. So, what are the practical applications of these verses in the present COVID-19 disaster?

First, look for the good news. Consider the statistics on the number of people recovering and where the curve is flattening indicating a lull in the number of new people being infected. Let’s start by limiting the amount of news we are ingesting as this also feed fear. Most importantly, lean hard on the Word of God. In the words of the Psalmist, “When I am afraid, I will trust” Trust God’s care and protection for you, personally. Fill your mind (and mouth) with the Word.

The power referenced here comes from the same Word of God and from his Holy Spirit. I have inner strength because of where my faith lies. I walk confidently that even if the worse happens, to be absent from the body (die) is to be present with the LORD. This gives me power over the fear of death. The power of love causes me to be unselfish as I practice self-care. I think about others, I pray or intercede for others at gut level, the same way I pray for myself. And, by all means, we help others as much as we can.

Now help can take myriad forms. Many people with full pantries and a little bit of a financial cushion are running empty on emotional support. This forced isolation has effectively closed them in with the demons they normally escape by being busy with work and the everyday association with others. There is nowhere to go and seemingly no reprieve. I hope as you read this post, you will think of someone you can call, or text, or reach out to and let them know they are still a part of your community. Loneliness is not a condition exclusively assigned to seniors. It’s widows and orphans, and single-parents who long for the sound of another adult. It’s the divorced or separated who are now trying to figure out the next page of life and suddenly in the midst of everything, the world has gone silent. Bridge the gap.

Last, God gives us self-discipline. One of the most weapons in this particular arsenal is the words we speak. “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” God has graciously given us a molecule of the power of the spoken word, a seed of the power that spoke creation into being. We just need to be disciplined enough to use it as a verbal agreement with who God says you are. When fear comes activate self-discipline, refuse to give in, and speak the Word.

I am a child of God, I am loved by God, I am valuable – a pearl of great price

I am surrounded by his presence; God places the lonely in families – I am not forgotten

God knows and sees me – even the number of hairs on my head …

Don’t underestimate the Word in your mouth. The Bible says we overcome by the blood and the word of our testimony. Speak faith, speak life, and be encouraged.

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk - Winning and Losing

Surely this COVID crisis ranks as one of the worse in our time.  With death and sickness upon us, we are concerned with containing the immediate threat while remaining acutely conscious of the psychological fallout ahead. In the midst of the losses, however, let us not lose sight of our gains. 

I am in no way saying God did this to us. But in his sovereignty, he is redeeming this outworking of evil and from the tragedy, he is creating beautiful things.

In this 21st century, we glory in doing everything at once without being fully present for anything. But a short few weeks ago, routines came to a screeching halt. 

We quickly learned the world still turns if we are not each moving at the speed of light.

We have relearned the importance of spending time with family, rough places, and all. There is nowhere to run so we learn coping strategies and peaceful resolution instead of avoidance.

For many, creative ideas are once again in full bloom. Without external voices to coach our every move, we find ourselves embarking on our overdue voyage of self-discovery.  

We all take pride in being independent and we proclaim like the toddler, "I can do it, I can do it." Wonderful — until we forget we are but finite people. Our current calamity has reminded us we have a heavenly Father and many are running for help, without restraint, into his arms. And while the losses in pain, suffering, and death cannot be accurately tabulated on this side of eternity, we have gained much. 

There is indeed a renaissance, an awakening, as we are relearning the basics of life, returning to our values, and becoming stronger as a people. We are rediscovering the joy of being our brothers’ (each other’s) keeper, and caring for others as we do ourselves. There is a global effort toward healing; a mission to reverse the work of the few who hide behind science and mindlessly destroy innocent lives.

The challenge will be to internalize these lessons we have learned and bank our gains so we will never again be emotionally bankrupt and socially disconnected. It should not take another disaster to cause us to live like the people we were created to be.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moments-with-jesus-lauren-erika-myers/1136648015?ean=9781973685852

The Matter of Obedience...

It’s super easy to quote Scripture. I mean, all one has to do is memorize and speak. This, however,

does not make one an expert or even a follower of Christ. Jesus said the demons believe, not just know, but believe in his claims as Messiah and tremble. However, the component of faith and even more specifically obedience, is completely lacking.

Our obedience is not dependent on what we think of the subject. It should be enough to submit to God’s directive. It’s about now that we begin to wish the Christian walk was just a leeeetle bit easier.

Jesus says to be his disciples we must love. Love our enemies. And the instruction book may well be 1 Corinthians 13. On my part, let me hasten to say, I have the textbook and still fail the test!

Jesus says we are to give thanks in everything. It is the will of God for us.

How about this one: Rejoice always (evermore). Mood swings are not even “a thing” where this is concerned.

I will close with the command that is going to get me in trouble. See, I already admit it. But I have to mention it because this is God’s idea and I teach the whole truth (as much as I am able).

So, here goes: Pray for your leaders. What? The Bible says that? Yes, it does. But let’s finish the quote.

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people, for [a]kings and all who are in [positions of] high authority, so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (Timothy 2:1-2 Amplified Bible).

Do we see what the benefits of this particular act of obedience are: peace, a quiet life, godliness, and dignity. If you have never obeyed in this area, please, do so now when the fate of billions are at stake.

The takeaway is, God’s purpose behind obedience is not just to honor him (the universe already does that perfectly) but to enrich our lives.

And quite frankly, if Christ’s followers do not obey Him, who will?

God loves Me

Yesterday as I walked I began contemplating the thought God loves me, and what it means. It is:

Not my service

Not my accomplishments (such as they are)

Not any expectation of perfection

No. Just me.

God loves me and that means:

He appreciates my honesty - about everything

He sees my heart when it is right and when it is wayward

He knows my thoughts before I think them, and he still loves me.

The more I thought about this amazing love the more it became evident "Just as I am without one plea" is not just for those whom we are trying to get to the altar. It is in fact for us who are laid out on the wood, waiting for the fire to the fall. I have nothing to recommend myself, therefore no reason for God to care as he does, But, He loves me still.

This does not mean he is not in the process of changing somethings in my life because the master plan is that I will be conformed to his image. But, no matter what is happening as a result of what God is stripping away or polishing to reflect His beauty, His love for me is not in question.

When I fall, when I stray, when I am lonely, when I am confused, when I am appreciated, when I am on top of the world, when I am hanging between yes and I am not so sure, God loves me.

So my word for you is, wherever you are and whatever you face this week, don't ever forget: God loves YOU. Not necessarily the image you have of yourself. Just you. Let that be enough.

God With Us

Be encouraged...
In these days of physical and economic darkness, we search for meaning, a way to make sense of the turmoil. It is not as easy to mouth platitudes or to find comfort in anything other than genuine faith.
I have said before the theology of suffering is as much a part of the Christian experience as is prosperity.  In fact, a backwards look into history would reveal suffering occupying a more prominent place. Just as certain is the evidence of God's presence. He is with us in the good times as well as the bad; when we understand and when we don't. Be reminded Friends, GOD IS IN OUR DARKNESS: "We should not assume that if darkness surrounds us the presence of God has somehow left us." ~ Lauren Myers (In the Presence of Grace). Moses was willing to go into the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21). Neither darkness nor light can hinder God. In our worst circumstance, if we look long enough, we will find Him. Jonah, in complete darkness in the belly of the great fish at the bottom of the ocean, cried out and God heard him. DO NOT RUN from the darkness. Run to the One to whom darkness and light both shine as clearest day.
PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, help us to remember you are everywhere and to find you even in the dark circumstances surrounding us today. We pray for the dying and those who care for them; for the hearts that are broken and those burdened with a sense of hopelessness. We ask you to  be provider, sustainer, and the I Am, in every situation. Amen.

Health Matters

      As we are inundated with information on COVID-19 and its effects on the world its easy to be so awash in externals we miss our own internal responses. Speaking as a health educator, there are several signs we miss, all indicators our “cope is empty.” Here are a few:

a.        Changes in sleep pattern – this may be sleeping more (an escape) or sleeping less, which could be a response to struggling to make sense of all the bad news

b.       Irritability – a sure sign of being over anxious, a way the mind and body says, “I can’t handle one more thing”

c.       Changes in eating pattern – eating more (a distraction or simply boredom), or eating less because of being worried

d.       Hives – an unexplained rash may also be an outward sign of severe inner unrest

e.       Stomach upsets – to include indigestion, nausea, or diarrhea

What should one do?

First, limit the time spent listening or watching the news. This is not proof one is insensitive or in denial. Rather, it says we are all finite beings and there are limits to how much the human mind can handle without having a very personal, physical response. Limiting daily caffeine intake, especially from early afternoon onwards, may also tend toward relaxation and rest.

Second, practice emotional intelligence. Know where you are in time. How am I responding to others? Is my frustration or feelings of helplessness coming through in my speech? Am I seeing this person as one more problem or am I hearing what they are saying? Once those answers are determined, it’s easier to temper our speech to a more appropriate response.

Third, I’ll tell you up front: its easy to eat more than normal because it’s a pleasurable activity with which to occupy time. Portion, type, and nutritional balance are key, just as they are at any other time. If appetite is small or failing, then try small nutritious snacks at intervals throughout the day. Focus on more protein, less sugars, fats, and processed foods, and drink lots of water. I am aware processed foods may be what is available now. In that case, do the best you can to follow healthy guidelines.

Fourth, if hives is not a result of medicine or food and purely a stress reaction, then controlling the stress MAY control the symptoms. How do we control stress? Prayer, meditation, and exercise are all helpful. As anxiety decreases so MAY the symptoms of stomach upsets. I did not mention blood pressure spikes but I want to add that here if you are hypertensive, take your medication.

Last, recognize none of this dilemma is within any one person’s control to solve. When we have done all exhausted our abilities, or reach the place where there is nothing we can do, remember God is still fully capable. Our unbelief does not hurt his power but it certainly impacts how well we survive and thrive in adversity. As bleak as today may seem, it is temporary. It came and it will also pass.

To Your Health!

Anyone else feels like they are going to be in the dietary doghouse when this quarantine is over. We are officially in a comfort food lollapalooza. With time to burn we turn to Grandma’s favs and try our hand at creating our own culinary masterpieces. Naturally, we can’t share our creations with the gang at work, and no one could do something as horrific as throwing out food in a time like this. The only sensible option then is to eat it. As one humorist quips, “We need to wear masks indoors not so much to prevent COVID-19 as it is to stop eating.” Jokes aside, how do we propose to come through this time without the added burden of significant weight gain?

I will give you my best guess and say, the first thing to do is remember, that food, is going somewhere —stomach, hips, thighs, arteries — you get the idea. Mindless eating is not an option.

Second, with less exercise, our bodies' demand for calories should be less. Practically speaking, even if we are eating the right things and the portions are friendly to generous, we may still have calories to spare or to deposit in the fat bank.

I love starches. Don’t you? Everyone has a favorite staple but enjoy sparingly. Balance with plenty of vegetables (fortunately this is moving slower off the shelves), moderate amounts of fruits (since that kicks back to sugar), and lots of water. Meat may be limited which is not terribly bad because our bodies do not need the whopping great portions of meat we tend to ingest at each meal.

Try to exercise. Walking is excellent and can be done safely as an already socially distancing activity. If you have stairs at home, walk them a couple times a day and get the additional steps in. I hate squats (my knees hate them even more) and crunches are only good when covered with chocolate. Still, you know what I mean. Be intentional about burning a portion of what you eat. Don’t just hang out in the kitchen. Get your food and go. Study, read, work, or game somewhere else.

Last, this ordeal has spiritual as well as physical components. Don’t forget to pray, meditate, grieve, read, or worship — whatever it takes to make you whole. This too will pass.