I've Lost My Control Key

As a writer, I am constantly using keyboard shortcuts. Especially when using copy and paste functions. I'm not sure how I managed before I found them.

 

CTRL - A
CTRL - C
CTRL - V
CTRL - P

Pure genius!

Suddenly, I've lost my control key - it's dead. I've used it so much, I killed it.

When Anxiety Takes my Heart Ransom

Today is one of those days when my mind is full of what's to come. I have needed time in God's presence to calm my anxious thoughts. He is faithful, is He not?

I don't know what you face today. But, my prayer is for His Peace to flow over your circumstances.




You are free to share my photo and verse.


How can I pray for you today?

Jeanne

Tweetables:

When anxiety takes my heart ransom. How can I pray for you? (Click to tweet)


Your Holy Spirit says to the storm that brews, "Peace be still." (Click to tweet)

Believing, It Settles The Soul

A beautiful Sunday! I spent time outdoors today, pruning my lavender and sage, neatening up my oregano and chive plants. Then, John and I had maple iced coffee in the sunshine. A perfect day. If only life could be this lovely all the time :)

A reader mentioned that many would understand the struggle to believe and that I needed to offer the hope I found on the other side...so this blog is dedicated to that end...And, I hope that others will offer their experiences of finding God in the midst of their crisis of belief.....afterall, that's how we encourage one another on the journey.


As I think more about belief. I want to pass on hope to those who have struggled with believing at times (and we all do). Whether it is taking the first step of believing unto salvation or the daily need to believe when facing the things life throws at us; believing that He is able is something we get better at as we meet the God who loves us in the midst of our circumstances and He shows himself faithful.

So, when I sat down and asked, “What’s next for my blog, Lord. I am listening—please show me in your word, the truths that settle the soul.” I came to the following conclusions:

He is a God of promises

He who promised is faithful – Hebrews 10:23

His precious and magnificent promises – 2 Peter 1:4

He is a God of Hope


My hope is in Him – Psalm 62:5

Hope we have as an anchor – Hebrews 6:19

Hopes all things – 1 Corinthians 13:7

He is a God of peace

He is our peace – Ephesians 2:14

Peace of God which surpasses all understanding – Philippians 4:7

And, He offers forgiveness, eternal life, abundant life and freedom to all those who acknowledge Him.

When I see Him for who He is, watch Him work in and around me, and see His kingdom becoming before my eyes, that’s how I know. He is good; therefore He wants what’s good for me. I can surrender, knowing that His plan will come to fruition as I trust in who He is.

I saw it in Mary…when she said, “May it be to me as you have said.”

I saw it in Peter when he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

And it is in me too, during the times of turmoil, His peace settles over my soul and speaks in the innermost place, “Be still and know that I am God.”

As I prepare in my heart for this Easter time, I want to remember all He has done on my behalf. He has won the victory over sin and death and given me His Holy Spirit to empower me to live wholly for Him. I have received a Living and Eternal Hope through Him…

Believing….yes, and it has settled my soul,

Jeanne

“God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.”

St. Augustine

My Spin on Philippians 4:6-9

Telling someone not to be anxious is like asking them not to breathe. It is certainly true of me. Worry just seems to be the natural response to anything I fear or lack knowledge about. 

You might as well give me the middle name, Fear, because it's been such a big part of my life since I can remember.

I was a little girl who was afraid of Santa Claus, floral arrangements, cemeteries and music. It took me forty years to figure out the roots of those fears. Not that it took away my fear of things, but I began to understand how intrinsic fears are to humanity. It's no wonder then, that the words 'fear not' appear 365 times in Scripture. 

One for every day of the year.

So passages like this one in Philippians begin to be life-verses for people like me. The words and truths roll around in my mind so much that I begin to paraphrase them by heart. My spin on these verses in Philippians goes something like this:

I won't worry and fret about things; instead, I'll talk to God about them - a lot.

Every time I start to worry again, instead of letting it get to me, I'll bring it to God because He is the one who takes care of everything I need. He knows what the trouble is and He knows how to fix it.

When I start to worry, I'll think about all the amazing things he has done for me in the past—I know there are plenty of them. It will help to focus on the ways He has answered prayer and come through for me before. That's why the Bible tells about setting up memorial stones; they are markers to help me remember everything that He has done in my life.

When I find myself getting overwhelmed by all the darkness and worries, I think about the things that are true; the good and pure things; the silver lining things; the things I have praised Him for, and I'm thankful for them.

Because I know deep down that He will take care of this stuff - Because He has come through for me in the past. When I do these things, I have God's peace even when it is hard for others to understand especially with everything going on around me. Because whatever is going on, He promises to be with me. And if He is with me, I will not be afraid.

What are you afraid of? What do you worry about?

He says, "Fear not. I am with you. I am your peace. I will accomplish everything that concerns you" (Psalm 57:2, Psalm 138:8)

Fear is the opposite of faith so my prayer is that I can grow stronger in my faith and my trust in Him so that my fear will become less.

Praying for you too,

Jeanne

“Be anxious for nothing...” Philippians 4:6-9

Anxious, who me? Well, okay, maybe just a tad!

As much as I say I trust God and know He has things under control, I do feel anxious. I have children who live in other states. I worry about my mom after my father's passing. I worry about my sisters who are both dealing with divorce and rejection. I worry about my to-do list. I worry about change. There are times when I can seem to let go, but most of the time, if I am honest, anxiety just simmers slowly on the burner of life.

That must be why Paul says in Philippians 4:6-9, “be anxious for nothing...” I guess things haven't changed much since the first century. They had worries then too. 

So, if the Word is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword, then Paul's admonishments are for me too. So how do I make these words my own? How do they become my prayer, sinking deep, bringing me to a place of contentment? How do I live beyond the simmering anxiety, abundantly as Christ says in John 10:10?

A few times in my life I have conquered the worry for a few moments and experienced peace as I made Paul's 'whatever is...” list take over my thoughts. Yet, it is something that I don't seem to learn naturally. It doesn't stick and become the default thought path. I need to relearn the lesson every time anxiousness gets the upper hand. 

My desire is to have the hope of this passage root deep into my heart, soul, and mind so that the peace that Jesus offers is real everyday.

Do you have worries that have been tamed by the truths of this passage? I would love to hear your stories. I know they would encourage others too. So, please post your thoughts and over the next few messages we can try to unpack these verses to find the timeless treasure they offer.


Jeanne