For Your Mental Health's Sake~

New Year’s Eve already? Shocking, but true.

This morning I was listening to a jazz version of “Auld Lang Syne,” and I realized that even though I have mumbled the words to that song for ever, I don’t really know what they mean. I looked it up, and the first line in this song is basically asking, “Is it right that old times be forgotten?” The implication is that friendships should always be treasured and remembered.

The Bible has an answer.

Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “…hold onto that which is good.”

Take just one more moment to think about 2013. What was good, beautiful, and memorable about it? Whatever was good—hold onto it. Treasure it in your heart. Keep it nearby when you hit a rough spell because it will bring a smile to your face. Like when my handsome son-in-law held my infant nephew for the first time and the baby vomited a half gallon of milk all over his guayabera. It was so funny, and the rotten suntan lotion aftersmell was even better.

What about the rough parts? The heartbreaking parts? The scary parts? The embarrassing parts? FORGET THEM! Don’t dwell on them. Leave them filed away forever in a folder labeled, “DO NOT OPEN.”Since I am practicing what I preach, I will not share any of the negative stuff.

By the way, I am not being bossy; I am passing along some really smart advice from God.

Why would the Lord go through all the trouble of telling us these things? He cares about our mental health.

Proverbs 23:7 “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is his.”

We become what we think about. If we constantly engage in depressing “what if” scenarios, we become depressed. If we always meditate on the things that scare us, we start to live in constant fear.

Conversely, if we forget the junk and embrace the lovely, we become lovely, happy, delightful people.

So tonight, when we mouth the words to “Auld Lang Syne,” (cause we all know we don’t know the lyrics), let’s make having good mental health a priority in 2014.

Happy New Year!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We choose to think straight and think right. We choose to forget the bad stuff from the past and treasure the good beautiful moments of life. Thank You for helping us each step of the way. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

A Gift From the Heart~

A rainy, post-Christmas day greeting to all:)

I trust you all had a lovely day yesterday.  Today's DEVO might have come in handy, but I couldn't find the time to write it.  Then it occurred to me that Christmas time isn't the only time to give gifts.

Joni Tada, one of my faith heroes, wrote something earlier this week that once again struck a chord and a nerve and my conscience. 

For those of you unfamiliar with her, over 40 years ago she was in an accident as a teenager that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down.  God opened a door for her to minister to disabled people, and she has reached out to MILLIONS.  Therefore, when she speaks on the topics of suffering, contentment, faith, fear, you name it, it is so profoundly credible that it always stirs my soul.  

She writes:

"Every Christmas I think about what it was like to be on my feet during the holidays.  There were parties and plays, decorating, hitting the malls.  Then came my accident.  That Christmas I spent at a rehab center.  Adding to the hurt I was already feeling was that I couldn't but gifts for anyone.  The way I saw it, God was asking too much of me. The use of my body was taken away at Christmas time, but also the joy of giving.  On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I felt like a martyr.

"But Christmas morning my heart softened...as I focused on Christmas's meaning, I realized the best gift I could give was myself.  My mom didn't want a new dress; she wanted to see me smile.  My dad didn't need a new bridle for his horse; he needed to see me laugh.  My sister didn't need another sweater; she needed to see my grab hold of hope."

Joni's point, and it's a great one, is that there are some gifts we can't buy, but they are extremely valuable because they are "gifts from the heart."

Maybe you've been grumpy lately and everyone in your family knows it.  Maybe you've been self-absorbed and your spouse feels it.  Maybe you're dealing with a big problem and haven't smiled a lot lately.  Joni is not saying we don't have good reasons to feel these ways sometimes, but she is saying that everyone can benefit from a gift from the heart--especially those closest to you.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I already know who could benefit the most from a gift from my heart. I already know who would love to see me enjoy life and smile.  Give me the strength to follow through.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

BEHOLD!

Luke 2:10-11
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.




Merry Christmas Eve!  I pray for all of you to be richly blessed today and everyday:)
Even though today's verse was yesterday's verse, there is one word I want to focus on: BEHOLD.
Look at all these synonyms from dictionary.com--consider, contemplate,discern, distinguish, earmark, eye, eyeball, feast one's eyes, note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, survey, view, watch, witness...
Fear will come, but the angel who spoke these words really wants us to actively engage--to purposely consider how great and incomparable our Jesus is, to keep our focus on Him, to get Him into the depths of our souls through prayer.  Yes, it takes effort, but it's so much better than being passive and allowing fear to consume us.   
We have a choice to make; let's choose to behold.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for Christmas, for family togetherness, for good food, for presents, and most of all for the good news of great joy, which is Jesus.  Amen~

Our Savior is Born~

Luke 2:10-11"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Good morning, and Merry Christmas Eve Eve:-)

It is no secret that I love this time of year, and it's probably not for the reasons you think.

Yes, I have fun shopping, and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas – especially those who say Seasons Greetings or Happy Holidays. I also have fun spending time with my family, which is growing by leaps and bounds, and I enjoy opening gifts!


This year, my super amazing generous boss gave us the whole week off, and I can't wait for the ugly sweater contest at my mother-in-law's house, which I know I am going to win. (On a side note it's a little unsettling that both my daughter and daughter-in-law have asked me if they could borrow one of my sweaters).

But even though all these things are awesome, they are not why I love Christmas.

I love Christmas because of the verse above. My Savior was born, and it's the best news ever.

I love how the angel who spoke this verse powerfully reminds us that because the One Who saves has arrived, we do not need to fear ANYTHING!

Anything?

That's right--NOT ONE THING!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for sending the baby Jesus. Because He lives in us, there is nothing to fear--ever! He has us covered! In Jesus' name, Amen~

Make Room for Christ~

Christmas greetings!

Today let us all rejoice! A precious DEVO reader who has been carrying a heavy burden received an awesome answer to prayer today. Her father had a successful operation, and is expected to make a full recovery. Her load just got a little lighter! AMEN!

Yesterday we looked at how Christ strengthens us for EVERYTHING we have to do. A lot of difficult stuff falls under the definition of "EVERYTHING," but He's ready, willing, and able to help.

Before He can help, however, there's one thing we have to do.

Luke 2:7 "And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

There was no room...

Look at what a tremendous blessing the innkeeper missed out on because he had no room for Jesus.

What's that one thing we have to do to access Jesus' help? MAKE ROOM FOR HIM!

Once You invite Him into your life, then everything else is taken care of.

Matthew 6:33 "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for answering prayer! Every time we gather here to pray, we are making room for Christ. We invite Him into every area of our lives and ask that He fill us up with blessings of peace, joy, and health. In His holy name we pray, AMEN!

Christ Gives us Strength

Good afternoon all you beautiful and blessed children of God!

Monday's DEVO topic continues to bless our hearts. A lovely gal reached out to me to say that she is so very weary of carrying the load she has been carrying. Sometimes--okay--most of the time lately--she feels she can not take one more step.

Well, that got me thinking. I guess we all have felt, at some point or another, that we are at our breaking point.

Now is a good moment to think about Christ. We are all bustling about preparing for Christmas, and the whole point is that He was born. And because He was born, we have a Savior Who understands us. And one of the things He repeatedly teaches us is that He is with us to help us carry the load.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Christ, Who gives me strength."

Here's an assignment for all of us to keep in mind. The next time, which could be just a few minutes from now, that you feel you are about to be crushed under the weight of your load, take a moment to tell the Lord that you believe this verse. Tell Him that you receive by faith the strength He gives to do EVERYTHING that you need to do. Amen!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank you that you put no limitations on the things we can do when Jesus strengthens us. Glory hallelujah! Strengthen us now in Jesus' name. Amen!

Encouraging Words~

My dearest brothers and sisters,

I love love love it when a DEVO hits home, and yesterday's did. An overwhelming amount of you wrote back and said things like:

"I have a renewed sense of purpose when I pray. Even though I am tired, I realize that my efforts are not in vain."

"I have been struggling so much lately, but now I clearly understand that each labored step I take brings me and my family one step closer to a place of joy and well-being."

"Life hasn't been easy lately, but now I suddenly understand that as a wife and mom I have a clear purpose. I must love my family and pray for them. Every time I do that, we all grow closer to God."

"Sometimes I feel as though God is not listening. He seems so far away...But I will not give up. I choose to activate my faith and pray, and I have been encouraged to believe that my life is meaningful and beautiful, especially because I am hanging in there!"

"Like most people I guess I feel confused and afraid when something bad happens, but I have been learning to pray through things. This DEVO has reminded me that no matter how heavy the load, I have a positive end in sight."

And some of you wonder why I write these DEVOs. It's because I am selfish! My heart is so blessed right now! Glory to His name.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We praise You and thank You for these encouraging words. Our lives are beautiful, every single word we utter in prayer is valuable and precious to You and has purpose, we choose faith over fear, we will not give up, and we thank You for the glorious and happy ending that belongs to all of us. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN!

A New Perspective~

My dearest brothers and sisters, Thank you for your patience these past few weeks while I have been away. I was busy as a bee preparing for Rachel's wedding, but it was truly a beautiful and sacred experience. I will share pictures soon. But for now, let's re-focus on what is most important: Our relationship with Christ. That is the only thing that lasts forever, and it deserves our loving care and attention. And even though I haven't written in a while, I did take many notes for DEVO topics, and I am eager to share these insights with you. Today's DEVO was inspired by Joni Tada. I have never met this amazing woman, but you all have heard about her before because she is one of my faith heroes. The morning of Rachel's wedding, amidst all the controlled chaos, I took a moment to read an email she sent, and it changed my perspective forever. These are her words... Suppose you're walking down a street when suddenly you're forced to carry a huge and heavy basket on your back. You're ordered to walk three blocks, turn left, go two blocks, turn right, then proceed straight on. Staggering under the weight, you stumble on, bewildered and angry. The whole thing is meaningless and crazy. When you are halfway down the third block, you finally scream, "What gives?!" The truth is then revealed. The burden you are carrying is your child, injured and unconscious. "Whaaaaat?" On top of all that, you discover you are not walking aimlessly around, but you are actually taking the most direct route to a hospital emergency room. Immediately you straighten up. Adrenaline and fresh energy quicken your pace and you move forward with a new attitude. Why the change? The suffering you're going through involves a relationship. Not just any relationship, but one with your child. Your relationship gives your burden meaning. Even your twisted path makes sense. You know where you are going. Your journey has a positive end -- the hospital -- and this instills hope. Suffering has no meaning in itself. Left to its own, it is a frustrating and bewildering burden. But given the context of relationship, suffering suddenly has meaning. ___________________________________ Right now, dear one, that "burden" you have been carrying can either weigh you down, or you can give it purpose by carrying it toward the Lord in prayer. You can allow yourself to become crushed under the weight of it, or you can purposely aim in the direction of where the healing is and find new meaning. Every single time we pray we are taking a step in the right direction. Every prayer brings us and the one we are carrying in prayer closer to the place of healing and hope. We may not always know or understand the route we are on, but if we can focus on that finish line, we will be renewed. I have a new appreciation for this verse: Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait for the Lord--who expect, look for, and hope in Him--shall renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up close to God as eagles mount up to the sun; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired." PRAYER: Dear Lord, We are the kind of folks who hope in You. We look to You to renew our strength. Thank You that our suffering and our burdens have meaning and purpose, and thank You that as we pray, those we pray for as well we ourselves get closer to You. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Rest in Peace, Abuela Maria~

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Monday night greetings~

Today my husband's grandmother, Abuela Maria, passed away; she was 89 years old.  It was peaceful; it was sacred.  I saw her all weekend long, and I was there this morning to kiss her one last time before I see her in glory.  I will forever remember how she always managed to find a few bills to slip into my kid's hands when we visited.  Every time I snap open a can of Diet Coke, I will think of how she insisted on serving us soda, in a glass, with ice, and a napkin wrapped around it.  Whenever I see a chihuahua, I will remember how she had three of them, Cookie, Candy, & Ricky, and lovingly fed them until they looked like piglets.

And I am always amazed, how even at these difficult moments, the love of God is evident, strong, and comforting.

My mother-in-law, God bless her, was calm and tranquil.

Family and friends quickly gathered and shared memories and yes, even laughter. 

Her hospice nurses were angels from on high.  So loving, so patient...

And the chaplain who arrived shortly afterward, with his Oklahoma drawl and genteel spirit, spoke in such a soothing tone that I did not want him to leave--ever.

It impressed me to tears that his wife passed away six years ago from Lou Gehrig's disease, and he was so comforted by the hospice chaplain who visited with him that he turned around, left a management job at  Walmart, and became a chaplain himself.

Today I share my gratitude with each of you because I promise that if you look for reasons to be grateful, no matter what you are going through, you will find them.

And when you find them you will become mightily aware that God cares for you each and every moment of your life.  God bless you all.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, One day we will all rejoice together forever.  It will be so grand that You tell us that we are incapable of understanding just how AWESOME it will be.  Amen to that!  In Jesus' name, Amen~