Share Your Courage With Others

    As this pandemic continues we find ourselves in a unique set of circumstances. Our chief medical officer has instructed us to avoid personal contact with others (keep 2m/6ft away) but it has led us, now more than ever, to seek out our neighbours, family, and friends. We check in with them (from a distance, by phone, or online), asking if they are well or if they need anything to be dropped off.  Considerate connections have actually increased because of the quarantine measures and with that we have wonderful opportunities!

"Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." 

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

    I liked this quote as soon as I read it! What we say to others (through word or action) has an affect on them, are we impacting them with negativity or with hope? It's something to consider! If I may, I would go one step further and tweak Stevenson's quote a little bit and suggest: 

"Give your fears to God so you can share your courage with others."

     

    A couple weeks ago we looked at Philippians 4:6-8 (you can read that article here). We learned that when we give our anxieties to God, ask Him for help (Hebrews 4:16), and look for reasons to be thankful (Philippians 4:8), He will bless us with His peace, a peace that surpasses all understanding! When we leave our fears with Him and go about our day enveloped in His peace, joyfully focused on gratitude and thanksgiving, we will have a different attitude, a better perspective, a calmer disposition, and people are very likely going to ask why (1Peter3:15)!

    We have these unique circumstances in which to prove that God's way is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2)! God does not want us to conform to the world, to be fearful and panic-driven; He wants us to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds" - renewed in trust of His promises, trust in His love and care, trust in His faithfulness! Renewed each day that we choose faith over fear, renewed each time that we choose conviction over convenience! 

    When others are only thinking of themselves, selfishly panic hoarding, being rude and inconsiderate because they are fearful, you can be different. You can do the unexpected. You can have peace and patience, you can have calm and consideration, quietly, carefully looking for ways to be helpful in these difficult times. You can be courageous knowing God is over all (Ephesians 4:6), He is still in control (Psalm 11:3-4), and He will still provide (Matthew 6:25-34)! 

    Let's use these unique circumstances we find ourselves in as a wonderful opportunity to "do good to all" (Galatians 6:9-10)  and prove God's perfect way! Let's give our fears to God and share our courage with others by confidently trusting in God and continuing to flourish in faith!!

You can do it! So can I!!

      

    

Faithfully Flourishing During Difficult Days

In the movie Shadowlands, Anthony Hopkins who portrays C.S. Lewis, is wearily propping himself up inside a dimly lit Oxford library and makes this apropos statement regarding the tiresome days between Winter and Spring:

“I’ve always found this a trying time of the year.  The leaves not yet out, mud everywhere you go.  Frosty mornings gone.  Sunny mornings not yet come.  Give me blizzards and frozen pipes, but not this nothing time, not this waiting room of the world.”

Many of us may feel like we're stuck in the "waiting room of the world", this year especially, because of the continued need to quarantine against the spread of the coronavirus.  Feeling locked away, becoming uneasy if our throat feels scratchy, suspicious of every cough and sniffle; wishing we could just get back to "normal".

So how do we faithfully flourish while we feel isolated and maybe even overwhelmed?

We can start by counting our blessings. Over and over again throughout the New Testament God commands us to consider our blessings and be thankful (Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15-17; 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,1 Timothy 4:4-5, to name a few).

What can we be thankful for?

• God is still on His throne! (Psalm 11:3-4,7)
• God is BIGGER than what we are facing! (Psalm 147:5, Isaiah 40:28, Jude 25)
• God can still strengthen you, comfort you, and envelop you in His peace (Hebrews 4:14-16, Ephesians 3:14-21, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Philippians 4:6-7)
• God has granted wisdom and knowledge to men and women who are doing all they can to help! (Proverbs 2:6, James 1:5)
• God has established governments who are doing their best to protect us (1 Timothy 2:1-3, Romans 13:1-2)
• You still have blessings from God (Psalm 68:19, Habakkuk3:17-18, Matthew 6:25-34)
• You still have access to prayer - if it is His will, God can help those you can't get to! (James 5:16)
• You now have abundant time to read God's word (Revelation 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:15)
• You have opportunity to encourage others through uplifting phone calls, emails, etc. (Ephesians 4:29)
• You have Today. Which means that God in lovingkindness has granted you another day to try again, to try harder, and to keep trying - and He is right there with you every step of the way! (Psalm 92:1-2, Hebrews 3:12-16, 4:16)

One sure way to flourish is to strengthen our roots while enduring difficulties - God shows us the way when He instructs us to count our blessings and be thankful! It changes our hearts, our minds, our perspective about EVERYTHING! It opens our eyes to the real SONshine that has never ceased to shine round about us, and allows us to shine for Him even while in this waiting room of the world!

Are you ready to strengthen your roots and thrive during this time of quarantine by developing a heart overflowing with gratitude? Me too!

From wherever you are right now - BEGIN!

    

Flourish in Faith Rather Than Fear

 

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV)

'Be anxious for nothing', what does that mean? It means that there is no wiggle room, no gray area in which we are sanctioned to give in to anxiety. Be anxious for nothing, nada, not one thing! 

God never commands us to give up something without giving us something better to replace it with. What does He give us? Prayer and supplication; through which He wants us to bring EVERYTHING - EVERY.SINGLE.THING. - to Him; to make our requests known to Him!

Are you worrying? Are you stewing? Are you apprehensive? Are you perplexed? Stop what you are doing and let your requests be made known to God!!
 

WHY??  Because when you do it God's way, choosing faith over fear, going to Him in prayer, He blesses you with another wonderful blessing: His peace!! 

The peace of God surpasses all understanding - it's a lasting calm that comes only from God! Man cannot synthesize it and put in a pill. It's a gift from God because you trust in Him and rely on Him. And what does the peace of God do? It guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!! 

God is faithful!! He will provide His peace, if you will let go of your anxieties. Go to Him in prayer, give your concerns and troubles to Him and be thankful!

What can you be thankful for? You can be thankful for all the things that still exist even amidst your fear and struggles! Things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8)! God commands us to focus on these things, to meditate on them. Why? Because when we think on these things our eyes will open to the beautiful blessings that God abundantly supplies to us each and every day! 

I have spent too many years of my life teaching myself to successfully meditate on doubts, fears, and negative "what ifs" - all of which led me down a well-worn path to anxiety, maybe you have too. God wants us to lean on Him. God wants us to see the beauty of the life He has given us. God wants us to seek Him and prove His good and acceptable and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2). He wants us to rejoice in the help, the provision, and the many, many blessings that He generously showers on His children so we can faithfully flourish! 

If you are still on Team Anxiety/Worry, I beg you to trust and obey. Trust in God's promise of peace - it is REAL!! Obey His commands and go to God in prayer, ask Him to help you to trust. Ask Him to help you let go of worry. Give Him your all your concerns and leave them there. Pour your energy into meditating on the good things God commands you to think on.

You can do it! So can I!!

From wherever you are right now - BEGIN!

Women to Admire

    March 8, 2020 was International Women's Day, a day to honour and empower women. While there are many women showcased who have accomplished great things by the world's standards, I would like you to discover a kinship with the women honoured by God, those who met HIS standard, women who put Him first and with whom you share a great bond as a child of God! 
 

 

    In following the examples of these women who entrusted their lives to God, who served Him first and foremost, you will discover lasting fulfillment, just as they did, as you accomplish your purpose: 

• To Seek God (Acts 17:26-27)
• To Proclaim His Praises (1 Peter 2:9) 
• To Do Good Works (Ephesians 2:10) 

    God has provided all we need to accomplish our purpose AND to flourish while doing it, even providing us with examples of women who are just like you and me!  God wants us to flourish in our faith for Him as we hear and do what He commands (James 1:25)!

Are you ready to faithfully flourish? Me too!