Tag Archive | Personal

Faint Not

Jun22

So. As you may or may not know, my biggest desire is to be able to help you to find and keep peace in your soul. Finding this peace will cause your mind and body to begin to heal itself physically, spiritually, and mentally.

I can tell you this is so because I have experienced it in my own life. Time and time again, I have found myself in a place of unrest. I have sought the Lord through prayer, scripture, Bible studies of many kinds, and fellowship with believers who have experienced the same issues, and found relief.

In fact, that is the very reason I created my course “Significant Encounters – A Soft Place to Land”.

Recently, in fact currently, I find myself in this place again. My sleep has been disrupted by pain in my knees so intense, that it awakens me several times each night. Deep, restful sleep has eluded me for more than a month.

Why am I telling you this? So that I can tell you this;

There will always be storms. There will always be times when we wonder if all of our efforts have been worthwhile. Time when we want to give up. There will always be things that want to take our attentions away from the things that we feel passionately about.

I firmly believe that at times, the things that happen to us are simply tools to make us stronger. Can I pass this test again, only a level higher? A little bit stronger?

2 Corinthians 4:1 in the Easy to Read version of the Bible says this – God, with his mercy, gave us this work to do, so we don’t give up.

So, we do just that. We don’t give up. We will trust God. We will persevere. We will wear our tenacity like a robe. We will gain wisdom. We will gain strength. We will reap if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9)

I Think I’ll Sing

Feb15

During most of the past year, I think I’ve done pretty well with the whole pandemic, stay at home, social distance thing.

Probably because home is where I prefer to be anyway.

Then, for reasons unknown to me, somewhere around Thanksgiving, I felt myself beginning to sink.

Looking for the reason, I began to assess my my relationships, my schedule, my health.

Beginning with looking at relationships, I found that social distancing had not done me any favors.

Covid had given me a reason to not be around so many people, but also it was keeping me away from those who were important to my life.

Except for my husband and children, all others were out, and I had no idea how distressing that was to my soul.

During that time, my relationship with God stayed strong, or I would have probably given up.

Psalm 27:13-14 says I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Assessing my schedule, I realized that where I used to schedule my days, I had fallen into a time of very lax scheduling.

Personally, if I don’t schedule it, or write it down, it does not happen.

It did not take long to go down that slide for sure!

For about two months I went through several tests given by some specialized doctors.

After these tests, the findings, all my numbers, with some medication, lined up into the healthy range.

Each one of these assessments ended up bringing me to a positive place, but I still felt that something was missing.

I really couldn’t put my finger on it.

Then one morning as my husband was readying himself for the day, and per usual, he had his music playing.

Very loudly.

I had long since passed the point where I let the volume annoy me, so this time I began to listen, and sing along.

To my surprise, the song I was singing got stuck in my head. Humble and Kind – Tim McGraw .

Others songs got stuck there too.

Songs from church, Is He Worthy? – Chris Tomlin.

Songs from my exercise class, Move (Keep Walkin’) – Toby Mac.

I began singing these songs out loud, unprovoked, and even in my sleep.

Let me tell you that I’m feeling much better, getting more done in my scheduled time, and even have been visiting with people.

Real people.

Zoom people.

Known people.

Stranger people.

What a difference!

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 ESV

According to an article I read on Spinditty.com, renowned vocal coach Audrey Hunt says there are many reasons for you to sing.

She lists six in her article, and I share them with you here.

  • Boosts your immune system
  • Releases stress
  • Benefits your heart
  • Increases your energy
  • Improves your memory
  • Fosters clear thinking through correct breathing

Hunt’s article sites How Music Affects Your Brain with this short video.

I have found all of these things to be very true.

So I encourage you – like Audrey Hunt and Karen Carpenter to Sing, Sing a Song.

Until next time ..

The Value of Quietude #10 – Peace for the Hard Times

Apr15

Welcome the final session.

As you may or may not know, these little videos were made last year in January.

How could we have known what was ahead of us?

Us, being literally the entire planet!

The coronavirus, social distancing, and sheltering in place, deciding the difference between “Essentials” and the “non-essentials”.

All of this has the ability to bring us to our knees.

It is then left up to us if we are on our knees in despair, or if we are on our knees with a knowing that God Himself is not surprised by any of this, and that He has a further plan for us.

He is in control. We can count on Him.

I have found the second choice to be most liberating.

Although I do not relish the way things are at this time, I am calm, and confident, that we will come out even stronger on the other side.

Please enjoy this last post for this series. Let me know what you think,

And I’ll see you next time.