Have you ever? Why?

Hey everyone, it’s been a while! We have been busy and active raising our little ones, but we will try to post a little more frequently again. There has been a lot that has happened in the past year and half, including a lot of questions about God and faith.

Have you ever questioned God? Have you ever doubted your faith or His existence? Have you ever lost hope? How did you overcome those feelings? What was your experience?

For me (Lisa), this past year has been a difficult year of doubts. I’ve questioned about God and good.

Why God do you have to bring bad into the world? Why God do we have to suffer? Why is there such evil in the world? Why can’t you fix things? Why can’t we all just feel good and be happy? Why is there violence and pain?

Where are you God? When will things get better? Why aren’t you listening? Why aren’t you helping?

I know these are lots of questions and not really anything positive, but I ask you, how do you feel with these questions? How did you overcome these questions yourself?

And to try to end on a happy note, what makes you happy?

Create a HAPPY LIST! Here’s my HAPPY LIST:

1. sunshine
2. animals
3. good food
4. family
5. outdoors
6. books
7. traveling
8. dark chocolate
9. music
10. funny sitcoms
11. Ellen DeGeneres
12. crafts
13. charity
14. good sleep
15. baking

Journaling

I saw these photos about journaling and thought to share… As a member of a minimalist group on Facebook, our challenge today was to journal for 15 minutes. This morning I went ahead and quietly journaled for 15 minutes, and it was quite therapeutic. During and after, I felt calmer, happier, more peaceful, more energized, and ready for the day ahead.

What did I journal? I wrote down positive encouragements for myself, prayers, and bible verses, such as:

“Today will be a great day. I will feel good today and find the good in every moment. This morning I feel good because…”

“I am a healthy and happy person, and I will be kind to myself. I think of Ellen Degeneres’ saying ‘Be kind to one another’. We need to be more kind to all people around us, but also be more kind to ourselves.”

“I pray for peace, love, compassion, good health, happiness, and strength for all people all over the world. I pray for healing for those that are sick. I pray for renewed strength, calmness, confidence, and happiness for myself.”

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar above on wings of eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

“Be humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

How do you journal? What do you journal about? 

  

Inspiration For Rest In God

This year has been a difficult year for me, in regards to my faith, my energy, my mood, and my peace. For all those who are struggling to find peace, keep focusing on God. I know it’s hard. It’s so easy to waver and question God in difficult times. But we must stay focused and find rest in God. Below are positive affirmations and quotes to encourage you to rest in Him.

I rest in Your peace, and I surrender myself to You.

I let go of all worry and receive Your peace.

I fill my soul with Your goodness.

I am rooted and grounded in Your love.

I have all the strength I need.

I pause before You and rest.

By trusting in You, I experience calm.

I let you in, and experience complete joy and peace.

I turn the matter over to You, Lord, and You will work out all things for good.

I fill my mind with positive thoughts.

I have inner peace.

I breath in peace, and release all worry.

Your calmness, O Lord, washes over my entire body, mind, and spirit.

 

“May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound and be overflowing with hope.” – Romans 15:13

“Lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.” – Proverbs 3:4

“Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and you will.” – Mark 11:24

“Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you…” – Psalm 55:22

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

“The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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

 

Meditation Benefits

I have recently been interested in meditation and mindfulness, and I came across this website: http://www.calm.com

Do any of you have any tips for mastering meditation?

My husband and I have been particularly interested in the benefits it provides for sleep and reducing anxiety. We’ve been practicing yoga now right before bed, and meditation along with it would be a great benefit!

Here’s an article on the types of meditation techniques.

Here’s an article on the benefits of meditation.

1. Emotional Well-Being – decreases depression, anxiety, stress, and worry, and improves your mood, sleep, & relationships. This benefit is a big one for me. By relaxing your body and mind, you can improve your psychological well-being.
2. Super Mind – improves mental focus, learning, thinking, and creativity.
3. Healthy Body – manages blood pressure, heart & respiratory rate, and pms symptoms, and reduces stress and other health conditions.

 

Let It Fade – You Will Find Rest

Jeremy Camp’s song, Let It Fade, resonated with me when I heard it this morning, after a rough night of not sleeping well. I have been dealing with sleep trouble for this past year it seems, especially the last few months. And because I am tired (and so tired of being tired!), I have been questioning God and wondering why I can’t just sleep well again.

Is God listening? When will I have good rest again? When will I feel good again? Why do I have to deal with this? I can’t deal with it anymore.

If these thoughts sound familiar to you, then I feel a little better that I am not the only one. I keep hearing God answer through the music that I listen to, or the devotionals that I read. And yet, I still falter and doubt him and get mad and frustrated.

This is what I want. What I need. Rest. Good rest.

But God tells me that I need Him too.

Have you been walking on a surface that’s uncertain?
Have you helped yourself to everything that’s empty? yeah!

You can’t live this way too long.
There’s more than this, more than this.
Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?
You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest, you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Have you been holding on to what this world has offered?
Have you been giving in to all these masquerades?
It will be gone, forever gone.
It will be gone, it will be gone.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Let it fade.

Are you carrying the weight too much?, are you running from the call?
Let it fade, Oh yeah.

You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?

Ways To Beat Anxiety

I am currently reading The Anxiety Toolkit, which is a great resource on dealing with and overcoming your anxiety. I’ve only read the first part of the book, but there are a lot of insightful advice about overcoming anxiety.

Author Alice Boyes describes three main components to overcoming anxiety: 1. “Self knowledge about the thinking and behavorial patterns that have caused your anxiety”, 2. Building “resiliency”, that is building up the strengths and tools for coping with challenges, 3. Self confidence in yourself.

The author of The Anxiety Toolkit wrote this article on ways to beat anxiety, and I thought to share.

1. Take a slow breath. Continue slow breathing for 3 minutes.  – I like to breath in for a count of four, hold for seven, then breath out for a count of 8.
2. Drop your shoulders and do a gentle neck roll.
3. State the emotions you’re feeling as words, e.g., “I feel angry and worried right now.” (Aloud but to yourself.) – I try to think positive emotions in my head to counter the negative and make me feel calmer.
4. Massage your hand, which will activate oxytocin.
5. Put something that’s out of place in its place. (Physical order often helps us feel a sense of mental order.)
6. Take a day trip somewhere with natural beauty. – I find that getting out of the house and in sunshine really helps my mood.
7. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then, ask yourself, “How would I cope if that happened?” Now answer those questions.
8. Take a break from actively working on solving a problem and allow your mind to keep processing the problem in the background.
9. Take a bath. – I like using Epsom salts in a foot bath each evening.
10. Forgive yourself for not foreseeing a problem that occurred. – This is hard for me. I’m often too hard on myself. I need to focus on letting go, having peace of mind, and being kinder and more patient with myself.
11. Throw out something from your bathroom. (The order principle again.)
12. Take a break from watching the news or reading newspapers.
13. Make a phone call you’ve been putting off. – For me, making phone calls is something that actually makes me anxious. So do what you think is best.
14. Write an email you’ve been putting off. – I find that writing my thoughts down, typing them, even making these blog posts, really helps my mood.
15. Take another type of action on something you’ve been putting off.
16. Throw something out of your fridge.
17. Try a guided mindfulness meditation. (Google for free mp3 downloads. There are some good ones out there.)
18. Take a break from researching a topic you’ve been over-researching.
19. Cuddle a baby or a pet. – Hugging really makes me feel calmer and more peaceful.
20. If a mistake you’ve made is bothering you, make an action plan for how you won’t repeat it in the future. Write three brief bullet points.
21. Ask yourself if you’re jumping to conclusions? For example, if you’re worried someone is very annoyed with you, do you know for sure this is the case or are you jumping to conclusions? – I often jump to conclusions regarding what other people think of me; I’m working at focusing on something that I like about myself that people WILL notice versus if they might be thinking badly of me.
22. Ask yourself if you’re catastrophizing, i.e.,  thinking that something would be a disaster, when it might be unpleasant but not necessarily a disaster.
23. Forgive yourself for not handing a situation in an ideal way, including interpersonal situations. What’s the best thing you can do to move forward in a positive way now? – Again, try not to be so hard on yourself, and think positively about conquering the situation next time.
24. If someone else’s behavior has triggered anxiety for you, try accepting that you may never know the complete reason and background behind the person’s behavior.
25. Recognize if your anxiety is being caused by someone suggesting a change or change of plans. Understand if you tend to react to changes or unexpected events as if they are threats.
26. Accept that there is a gap between your real self and your ideal self. (This is the case for pretty much everybody.)
27. Question your social comparisons. For example, is comparing yourself only to the most successful person you know very fair or representative? – I find myself comparing to others, feeling confused as to why others can cope but I can’t. I need to accept who I am and look at being stronger.
28. Think about what’s going right in your life. Thinking about the positive doesn’t always work when you’re anxious, but it can do if anxiety has caused your thinking to become lopsided and you’re not seeing the big picture. – When I’m feeling bad, I immediately go through the alphabet and recall positive words that make me feel calmer and happier.
29. Scratch something off your to-do list for the day, either by getting it done or just deciding not to do that task today. – Writing down a to-do list really clears my mind, and then I am able to focus on what’s important to do first.
30. Ask a friend or colleague to tell you about something they’ve felt nervous about in the past, and to tell you what happened.
31. If you’re nervous about an upcoming test, try these quick tips for dealing with test anxiety.
32. Do a task 25% more slowly than usual. Allow yourself to savor not rushing.
33. Check if you’re falling into any of these thinking traps.
34. Try gentle distraction; find something you want to pay attention to. The key to successful use of distraction when you’re anxious is to be patient with yourself if you find you’re still getting some thought intrusions about the anxiety-provoking topic. – Great advice for getting rid of those negative feelings! When I feel anxiety coming on strongly, I force myself to focus on a photo of my dog or a memory of being with my family on a vacation. Make me focus on the good in my life.
35. Go to a yoga class, or do a couple of yoga poses in the comfort of your home or office.
36. Get a second opinion from someone you trust. Aim to get their real opinion rather than just reassurance seeking.
37. Allow yourself to do things you enjoy or that don’t stress you out, while you’re waiting for your anxious feelings to naturally calm down. – I’ll go read something positive, watch Ellen or something that makes me smile, or walk outside in the sunshine.
38. Go for a run. – Exercise in general really helps my mood. Going outside and exercising is even better!
39. Find something on YouTube that makes you laugh out loud. – I love watching Ellen or The Tonight Show video clips on YouTube!
40. Lightly run one or two fingers over your lips. This will stimulate the parasympathetic fibers in your lips and you’ll feel calmer.
41. Look back on the anxiety-provoking situation you’re in from a time point in the future, e.g., six months from now. Does the problem seem smaller when you view it from further away?
42. Imagine how you’d cope if your “worst nightmare” happened, e.g., your partner left you, you got fired, or you developed a health problem. What practical steps would you take? What social support would you use? Mentally confronting your worst fear can be very useful for reducing anxiety.
43. Call or email a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile.
44. If you’re imagining a negative outcome to something you’re considering doing, also try imaging a positive outcome.
45. If you rarely back out of commitments and feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, try giving yourself permission to say you can no longer do something you’ve previously agreed to do.
46. Do any two-minute jobs that have been hanging around on your to-do list. It’ll help clear your mental space. – Very true! When I have something that I don’t like doing on my to-do list, even if it takes only a couple minutes, I have to remind myself that I CAN get them done really quickly, and then once I do them and finish them in just 5 minutes, I feel so much better.
47. Jot down three things you worried about in the past that didn’t come to pass.
48. Jot down three things you worried about in the past that did occur, but weren’t nearly as bad as you imagined.
49. Do a form of exercise you haven’t done in the last six months. – Exercise has been such a wonderful outlet for me to clear my mind and improve my mood. I love FitnessBlender videos.
50. Allow time to pass. Often the best thing to do to reduce anxiety is just to allow time to pass, without doing the types of activities that increase anxiety.

 

Exercise Your Mind

Choose your thoughts.

Sounds simple, but it’s so hard to fight those negative thoughts and feelings that can quickly jumble in your mind.

Changing your thoughts to positive thoughts requires work and effort.

When we exercise, we must train our bodies to get stronger, to get fit, and to be healthy. Likewise, we must train our mind to think positive and be stronger. Feed your mind with good thoughts.

I came across this article on exercises to train your mind to be positive:

1. Daily Gratitude – No matter the time of day, focus on something that you are grateful for. Just focusing on the blessings in your life can boost your mood. When you find your mind slipping into negative thoughts, just force yourself to think of one thing you are grateful for.
2. Stay Centered – Make an effort to calm your mind. Even try for just five minutes in a quiet room. I find that focusing on my breathing helps. Breath in and out deeply and slowly. Acknowledge your thoughts and try to release them. Breath in, acknowledge, breath out, and let go. Breath in good thoughts. Breath out negative thoughts. Quiet your mind.
3. Stay Active – By keeping your day busy (but not overly cluttered), you will be less likely to focus on the negativity around you. Find things that you enjoy doing to lift your spirits. Try keeping a schedule and then check off each thing you accomplish. Well done! Those feelings of accomplishment will cover up negative feelings.
4. Eat, Drink, & Sleep Well – Be committed to your health. Your body is a temple that God created and should be taken care of with love. Eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Your mind will thank you.
5. Help Others – Support others through your positive example. Volunteer in your community, be there for someone in need, give gifts just because, and hug. Being generous can make you feel better.
6. Inner Healing – I think reading devotionals, counseling, and being apart of a like-minded group or church family can help with healing. Let go of the past in peace. Find new growth, new love.
7. Follow Your Passion – Fill your time with things that you love doing and with people that you care about. Do something fun. Be silly. Spend time with people you love. If you aren’t currently doing something you love, write down what you love doing. Try scheduling in your free time to do something you enjoy doing.

 

Doubt & Confusion

I’ve been struggling with doubt and confusion, questioning God as to why I have to deal with my struggles as a sleep-deprived mom. This month I was at an all-time low, and the day before Easter, I decided to open up my book, The Battlefield of the Mind, by Joyce Meyer.

There were two chapters about doubt and confusion and with her insight I felt more calm and again more focused on my faith. I know in life Christians will flutter in their faith, and that’s why it’s important to have a good strong support system and a sense of where to go to re-align. I find focus and strength through reading bible verses and positive quotes and through prayer. I mindfully focus on those quotes over and over in my head, especially when I’m in a difficult situation or when I feel my worst.

 

Here are some of Joyce’s words and Bible verses that helped me calm my doubts:

“Even in adverse circumstances and storms and spiritual warfare, keepy your mind on God to build up your faith.”

“Get quiet and still, turn off your head, and look into your heart.”

“May the God of hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound and be overflowing with hope.” Romans 15:13

“Take captive every thought into the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

“Experience the peace of mind and heart that comes from trusting in God.”

“Turn the matter over to God, trusting Him to work out all the things for good regardless of what happens.”

“Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and you will.” Mark 11:24

 

Here are four more posts that we’ve done that include quotes from The Battlefield of the Mind. 

Change Your Mind To Be Obedient To God

Choose To Follow

Humble Yourselves

God Keeps Us Going

Seeds to Scatter – Fasting

I receive Seeds to Scatter emails this Lenten season, and this weekend’s email was about fasting. Some great ideas!

https://www.seedstoscatter.org/home/2017/3/22/day-22

“Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” –Isaiah 58:3-7

Today, we ask you to take up — in any way of your own imagining — the practice of fasting in order to bring about justice, as described above in the Torah. Here are some ideas of different kinds of nontraditional “fasts” for justice to get you started:

• Perhaps, in order to bring about environmental justice, you might fast from eating meat today. Did you know that cutting out meat can cut your carbon footprint in half?
• Another fast for environmental justice would be a “carbon fast.” You could do this by tossing your keys and choosing to carpool, walk, ride a bike, or use public transportation for the day.
• What about putting your pantry on a fast? Do you really need all those canned goods and unopened dry goods? Drop them all off at a local food bank.
• Put your closet on a fast as described on the website http://bemorewithless.com/project-333/, where you dress with 33 items or less for 3 months. At the end of 3 months, donate the clothes you realize you actually don’t need to charity.
• How about a “credit card fast?” Can you go a whole day without swiping or buying anything? Now, donate whatever you think you would have spent to the charity of your choice.
• You calendar definitely needs to go on a fast. Write down your top three values. Then, look at your calendar. Try to eliminate as many things as possible on your calendar that do not align with your top values. Be ruthless. Now, with the added room — if you don’t already — schedule in sacred time for seed-scattering — whether that be volunteering, attending activism events, booking self-care practices for yourself, or carving out quality time with those you love.
• The ultimate test: how long would you go on a screens/tv/internet/social media fast? Now, use whatever time you would have wasted on your media vice playing this addicting vocabulary game instead: www.freerice.com. You won’t believe it, but for every answer you get right, advertisers pay for 10 grains of rice to be donated to the World Food Program.

Be Kind

I love Ellen Degeneres and her motto, “Be kind to one another”. It’s really resonated with me recently, particularly with the negativity going on in our country with our new president. I am saddened to hear about how our president and his fellow supporters are leading this country, and how they interact, communicate, and work with others is disrespectful. We shouldn’t be disrespectful or rude. We should be respectful and kind. Our leaders need to show more respect and kindness. 

How can you be more kind in your day-to-day life, in your interactions and communications with others? An easy one is to smile! How about opening a door for someone? Why not tell someone one thing that you like about them? So many simple gestures of kindness can bring so much more joy into the world.

We have many posts on our blog about kindness. Here are a few of our favorites – go check them out!

Kind Words: “If we speak more kind and positive words, perhaps there will be more peace and joy within communities and within people’s hearts. Wholesome words help build-up people, help make a difference, and empower people to live in God’s grace. Something so simple as “You are special” or “Awesome job” can be so profound.”

Spread Kindness: “Spread love everywhere you go… kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”

Respect: “Think about your words and your actions towards others, that you may show respect… Show respect to all people. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Respect all opinions.”

Take Time to Care: “Take time to care, by expressing love to everyone, inspiring people, encouraging people, and being sensitive to others. A hug, a smile, a listening ear, and kind word can make all the difference…Kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You’ll never know how much your caring matters. Make a difference for another today.”

Pray For Kindness: “Loving God, There are all kinds of people that I come in contact with during my day. I may not know them like you know me, so please give me kindness and understanding as I interact with them. I pray that I may remove any judgement and pride that I may have, and instead, show love and kindness. May I consider these people as brothers and sisters in Christ, full of love for you, Lord. Amen.”

Welcome All People With Love

I posted this on my Facebook page last month, and I’d like to share it here. It’s an important issue to share.

Alicia Keys made a beautiful and sad video portraying what it might be like if Americans faced the struggles of refugees. What if you were in the refugees’ shoes? What if you saw your children struggling like this? How would you feel? We need to stand up for love.

We need to help the refugees, not ban them. They are women, men, children…families just like yours. They are people who are wanting love and peace. And America should be a place that they can go and live in peace and love.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” (Matthew 25:35)

#loveothers #refugees #peace #opendoors #immigration #helpothers #compassion

 Let Me In – We Are Here

Pray for your spouse

I receive the Crosswalk Marriage newsletter, and last week it was about praying for your spouse.

As a wife, I always hope that my husband has a good day at work, that he’s healthy and sleeps well, and that he’s happy. But I sometimes fall short with actually praying to God about these things.

“Prayer is always the answer and the best assistance we can give to our husbands.”

How can you pray for your spouse? Janet Thompson writes in Dear God, He’s Home! A Woman’s Guide to Her Stay-at-Home Man, that you can pray persistently, pray as couple, and pray by reciting scripture. Also, ask them daily how you can pray for them, or journal in a prayer notebook.

Below is a prayer written by Janet Thompson,that I hope will inspire you in your prayers to your husband/wife. This prayer is particularly regarding prayer for your husband who may be struggling.

Lord, you know that my husband is struggling with something that he cannot fix. You are the Lord of our home and the head of my husband and I ask you in the name of Jesus to take control over our home and let your will rule in our lives. Thank you God that I can come before you and take whatever is bothering my husband and put it at your feet, fully trusting that your will is done in his life. 

Father, help my husband not to harbor under the weight of a guilty conscience, but remind him that because of his salvation, the blood of your Son Jesus Christ will make him clean again if he will only confess his troubles to you. If he has done something requiring repentance, Lord humble him to repent and ask for forgiveness so he can once again feel the spiritual cleansing that comes from your grace and mercy. 

Lord help us both to hold tightly without wavering in the hope we affirm, for you God can be trusted to keep your promise to us. Help me to think of ways to motivate and encourage my husband with acts of love and ways to make his life easier. Please don’t let this struggle come between us so that we stop having times of conversation, recreation, and intimacy. Lord, help my husband to feel your love and know that whatever he is struggling with pales with the knowledge that someday we will be with you in Heaven. 

Give me courage and patience, and guide my husband in the way he should go. Amen.