8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Depression: Healing Through Psalms
Psalm 93
1 THE Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is robed, He has girded Himself with strength and power; the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up the roaring of their waves.
4 The Lord on high is mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea.
5
Your testimonies are very sure; holiness [apparent in separation from
sin, with simple trust and hearty obedience] is becoming to Your house, O
Lord, forever.
Pursuit Of His Presence
1 John 5:1-4
It’s the moment we love more than any other—the moment of victory. It’s the moment when our healing manifests and the symptoms of sickness finally disappear. It’s the moment when Satan’s attack against our finances or our family is defeated and the breakthrough comes at last.
What do you do when that moment comes?
I’ll tell you what most Christians do. They kick up their heels in celebration. Then, breathing a sigh of relief, they put away their Bible, turn on the television and say, “Thank heavens, that battle’s over! Now I can relax.”
Big mistake.
You see, while they’re taking a spiritual vacation, Satan is planning his counterattack, plotting to snatch the victory from under their very nose.
I first began to notice the effectiveness of such counterattacks years ago. Someone I knew, who had been studying a well-known healing evangelist, came to me and said, “I believe the Lord has taken His hand off Brother So-and-So.”
“Really?” I asked in surprise.
“Oh, yes,” he answered. “People are truly healed in his meetings, but when I follow up with them later, many of them aren’t healed anymore.”
Although I couldn’t agree with his conclusions, I knew something was wrong.
People came to this minister’s meetings, heard the Word of God, and experienced God’s presence. In that atmosphere of faith, it was easy for them to receive their healing.
But when they left the meeting, they didn’t take that atmosphere with them. They stepped back into their old, unbelieving lifestyle that had made them vulnerable to sickness in the first place. So when the devil launched his counterattack with a few symptoms, these people just yielded to him. They said, “Oh my, I thought I was healed, but I guess I wasn’t.”
“What’s wrong with that?” you ask. “What else could they say?”
I’ll tell you what! They could have said, “Look here, Devil. According to the Word, I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. I received that healing at the meeting, and I don’t intend for you to steal it. So pack up your symptoms and go!”
If those people had spoken words like that in faith, and refused to give in to the devil, they could have kept their healing. If they had resisted the devil as it says to in James 4:7, they could have defeated the counterattack.
Stop being surprised by the counterattacks—and start being prepared for them. Lay a foundation of faith in your life, so when the devil comes like an old windbag and blows some lies, pains and adverse circumstances your way, your victory will not come tumbling down.
Speak the Word
“I resist the devil and he flees from me.” —James 4:7
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
1
EVERYONE WHO believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that
Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and
everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His
offspring).
2
By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the
children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders,
charges)–[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts
and His teaching].
3
For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His
ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these
orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).
4 For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.
Devotional
Surviving the Counterattack
by Kenneth Copeland
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7It’s the moment we love more than any other—the moment of victory. It’s the moment when our healing manifests and the symptoms of sickness finally disappear. It’s the moment when Satan’s attack against our finances or our family is defeated and the breakthrough comes at last.
What do you do when that moment comes?
I’ll tell you what most Christians do. They kick up their heels in celebration. Then, breathing a sigh of relief, they put away their Bible, turn on the television and say, “Thank heavens, that battle’s over! Now I can relax.”
Big mistake.
You see, while they’re taking a spiritual vacation, Satan is planning his counterattack, plotting to snatch the victory from under their very nose.
I first began to notice the effectiveness of such counterattacks years ago. Someone I knew, who had been studying a well-known healing evangelist, came to me and said, “I believe the Lord has taken His hand off Brother So-and-So.”
“Really?” I asked in surprise.
“Oh, yes,” he answered. “People are truly healed in his meetings, but when I follow up with them later, many of them aren’t healed anymore.”
Although I couldn’t agree with his conclusions, I knew something was wrong.
People came to this minister’s meetings, heard the Word of God, and experienced God’s presence. In that atmosphere of faith, it was easy for them to receive their healing.
But when they left the meeting, they didn’t take that atmosphere with them. They stepped back into their old, unbelieving lifestyle that had made them vulnerable to sickness in the first place. So when the devil launched his counterattack with a few symptoms, these people just yielded to him. They said, “Oh my, I thought I was healed, but I guess I wasn’t.”
“What’s wrong with that?” you ask. “What else could they say?”
I’ll tell you what! They could have said, “Look here, Devil. According to the Word, I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. I received that healing at the meeting, and I don’t intend for you to steal it. So pack up your symptoms and go!”
If those people had spoken words like that in faith, and refused to give in to the devil, they could have kept their healing. If they had resisted the devil as it says to in James 4:7, they could have defeated the counterattack.
Stop being surprised by the counterattacks—and start being prepared for them. Lay a foundation of faith in your life, so when the devil comes like an old windbag and blows some lies, pains and adverse circumstances your way, your victory will not come tumbling down.
Speak the Word
“I resist the devil and he flees from me.” —James 4:7
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Daily Bible Quotes
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| Every day is a beautiful day for inspiration and faith from Daily Bible Quotes! | |
| It's 4/28 and here is today's scripture: | |
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Do You Ask “Why Me?” All The Time?
I sat in traffic on the 405 (for those non LA dwellers, it’s an awful span of highway known here as freeway, but I can assure one never feels free on the 405) and I blasted rap music and I said Why, Why? I came home, and yes, wallowed in my own suckery. That night I taught a spectacular class. I mean, the kind of class where years from now, over a glass of wine, I will think back and say, “Yes, that one.”
I played a song and everyone sang. Even the men. Even the godawful singers like me.
So I remembered a few things that day:
- One asshole doesn’t maketh a world full of assholes (even though at the time it may feel that way.)
- If you look around for assholes and only expect assholes to show up, lo and behold, guess what shows up?
- The very worst day in the world and the very best day in the world can be the same day. Irony at it’s finest.
- Singing out loud cures most things.
- Life ebbs and flows. Every once in a while the ebb outweighs the flow but mostly the flow has got your back. (What’s up, Flo! You got me?)
- A bump in the road is not the end of the world. Just wear your seatbelt so your head doesn’t hit the roof too hard. And if it does, bandage it up and move on. It will heal.
When I stopped asking “why?”
Why being the question at the center of the universe
until I understood that it wasn’t the why
I should be waiting for to open it’s jaws and answer.
That why would swallow me whole ,
That I would burst into flames if I looked directly into it.
It would eclipse me
and never stop telling me all the reasons why.
When I started to see that the why didn’t matter
All those years I spent, a little girl fisting the sky-
I was throwing punches into the air,
into my pillows, into my dolls,
Waiting for word.
I waited for so long with open ears-
That I went deaf.
And then I asked
Why me? Why can’t I hear?
I started talking to drown the ringing,
I started singing to kill the ocean in my ears.
Why was still the land of my birth.
The place I hung my hat,
Where I called my home.
Until I stopped asking why
From my grip it fell,
My fist opened and the why
Slipped into the sky
Like it belonged there
And I watched it hover
Then float.
And I accepted what I was.
I guess I’m saying we all need to sing more. And not be assholes. And not ask “why me?” all the time. @JenPastiloff (Click to Tweet!)
Remember, if we are human then we are bound to have a couple crappy days now and again, but whoa, slow down- that doesn’t mean a crappy life. It just means we’re human. Which is good.Relish that.
**********
Three Tools to Boost Your Mood
In addition to that, we are emotional creatures and our moods change depending on many factors in our lives. @CosmicChristine (Click to Tweet!)
We are not able to just stay consistently feeling one feeling, which would be strange and not normal. With that said, when difficult moods and feelings come, people usually try to avoid them because they can be overwhelming and even paralyzing.Difficult moods consist of feeling down, blah, sad, depressed, lonely, angry, hopeless and so on. In these times, it’s difficult to come up with creative ways to lift your mood because usually you literally don’t have the energy to do it. These tools are preventative tools for you to do daily whether you are in a funky mood or not. The key here is consistency. So when you do feel a case of the “blahs,” your nervous system and habits are already aligned with using these pick me up tools.
Here are three easy tools to begin using today to boost your mood:
1. Moving Meditation. Sitting down can be a great way to do a meditation, but I find it’s far more fun to move slowly and gently touch your body, as you take long deep inhales and exhales. Or move while meditating. Put on some good music and move to the beat.2. Breath-work. An instant energy and mood booster is a breath technique called Breath of Fire. Breath of fire is a pranayama, or breathing technique, where you breathe rapidly, rhythmically and continuously through your nostrils with equal emphasis on your inhalations and exhalations. You do this while simultaneously focusing on the power at your navel center and your solar plexus, bringing your naval in and out as you breathe rapidly in and out your nostrils.
3. Essential Oil. Peppermint may help you feel more alert and think more clearly, says Rachel Herz, PhD, author of The Scent of Desire and Visiting Professor at Brown University. “In fact, one study found that people who performed tasks like typing and alphabetizing did them more accurately after sniffing peppermint oil.” Try inhaling a bit of a peppermint essential. I recommend young living oils or you can go to your local whole foods and get an organic brand.
Try these three simple mood boosters out daily and when that next slump comes along you will be well geared with your tools already in place.
What mood boosters do you use that help you feel better and healthier? Try these out and report back to me in the comments below. I love to here from you all.
xo Christine
Sunday, April 27, 2014
War-years military suicide rate higher than believed
Rates of suicide in the military were slightly worse during the war
years than what the Pentagon previously reported, according to new
calculations released by Defense Department officials Friday.
The new arithmetic shows that from 2006 forward — during the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan — the true suicide rate across the U.S. military was actually several tenths of a percent to 1% or more higher than what was being reported.
"It took us time and effort to sit down and really just kind of figure out a better way to do the math," says Jacqueline Garrick, director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office. She said the delay was a need to standardize how suicides are counted across the military.
The problem with the old, now-abandoned calculation, is that it relied partly on an estimated figure in determining a suicide rate rather than precise numbers, says Army Lt. Gen. Michael Linnington, the military deputy to the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.
The old rates were calculated by the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, according to the Pentagon,
"It's jaw-dropping that the Pentagon would use this kind of crass calculation to measure the impact of the suicide epidemic within their ranks," says Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of the Veterans Affairs Committee. "If that recalculation in any way indicates a need for additional funding or new services, the Pentagon and Congress must respond to address a problem which is clearly worse than we had been led to believe."
Beginning in 2005, suicide within the military — particularly for the Army — steadily began increasing to record levels every year, and may have peaked in 2012.
Among full-time soldiers, the suicide rate soared to 29.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2012, well above a 25.1-per-100,000 rate for civilians of a similar age group during 2010, the latest year available, according to a Pentagon report. Among male soldiers, the rate was 31.8-per-100,000. There were a record 164 soldier-suicides that year.
The overall national civilian suicide rate was 12.1-per-100,000 in 2010 and 19.9-per-100,000 for men in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The Army National Guard rate for 2012 reached 30.8 deaths per 100,000 with 110 suicides. The suicide rate for men in the Army National Guard was 34.2-per-100,000,Pentagon data shows.
For full-time troops across the U.S. military, the suicide rate peaked at 22.7-per-100,000 in 2012 and fell to 19.1-per-100,000 last year, according to the Pentagon.
Defense officials said that their old rates for suicide were flawed because officials did the math using only a percentage of National Guard and reservists — and not the true number — who were serving on active-duty status.
"It wasn't precise," says Linnington. "Having a better picture of what's going on ... helps better align and focus the efforts" to reduce suicide.
At any given time, troops on active-duty rolls include not only full-time soldiers, sailors, Marines and Airmen; but National Guard or reservists who are temporarily called up to full duty status.
But the military chose only to estimate those additional Guard and reserve troops on active status. They estimated that 11% of National Guard and reservists are on full-time active duty at any given time, a figure that was believed to be largely accurate, Linnington says.
That practice has now ended and the Pentagon relies only on actual numbers to determine suicide rates, producing separate ratios for full-time military members, those in the National Guard and those in the reserves.
Garrick said that part of the reason for a delay in correcting the arithmetic was that the Pentagon's office for suicide prevention was not established until 2011 and began reviewing the suicide rate calculation the next year.
The new arithmetic shows that from 2006 forward — during the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan — the true suicide rate across the U.S. military was actually several tenths of a percent to 1% or more higher than what was being reported.
"It took us time and effort to sit down and really just kind of figure out a better way to do the math," says Jacqueline Garrick, director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office. She said the delay was a need to standardize how suicides are counted across the military.
The problem with the old, now-abandoned calculation, is that it relied partly on an estimated figure in determining a suicide rate rather than precise numbers, says Army Lt. Gen. Michael Linnington, the military deputy to the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.
The old rates were calculated by the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, according to the Pentagon,
"It's jaw-dropping that the Pentagon would use this kind of crass calculation to measure the impact of the suicide epidemic within their ranks," says Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of the Veterans Affairs Committee. "If that recalculation in any way indicates a need for additional funding or new services, the Pentagon and Congress must respond to address a problem which is clearly worse than we had been led to believe."
Beginning in 2005, suicide within the military — particularly for the Army — steadily began increasing to record levels every year, and may have peaked in 2012.
Among full-time soldiers, the suicide rate soared to 29.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2012, well above a 25.1-per-100,000 rate for civilians of a similar age group during 2010, the latest year available, according to a Pentagon report. Among male soldiers, the rate was 31.8-per-100,000. There were a record 164 soldier-suicides that year.
The overall national civilian suicide rate was 12.1-per-100,000 in 2010 and 19.9-per-100,000 for men in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The Army National Guard rate for 2012 reached 30.8 deaths per 100,000 with 110 suicides. The suicide rate for men in the Army National Guard was 34.2-per-100,000,Pentagon data shows.
For full-time troops across the U.S. military, the suicide rate peaked at 22.7-per-100,000 in 2012 and fell to 19.1-per-100,000 last year, according to the Pentagon.
Defense officials said that their old rates for suicide were flawed because officials did the math using only a percentage of National Guard and reservists — and not the true number — who were serving on active-duty status.
"It wasn't precise," says Linnington. "Having a better picture of what's going on ... helps better align and focus the efforts" to reduce suicide.
At any given time, troops on active-duty rolls include not only full-time soldiers, sailors, Marines and Airmen; but National Guard or reservists who are temporarily called up to full duty status.
But the military chose only to estimate those additional Guard and reserve troops on active status. They estimated that 11% of National Guard and reservists are on full-time active duty at any given time, a figure that was believed to be largely accurate, Linnington says.
That practice has now ended and the Pentagon relies only on actual numbers to determine suicide rates, producing separate ratios for full-time military members, those in the National Guard and those in the reserves.
Garrick said that part of the reason for a delay in correcting the arithmetic was that the Pentagon's office for suicide prevention was not established until 2011 and began reviewing the suicide rate calculation the next year.
California woman accused of killing her child at popular park after suicide attempt
LIVERMORE, Calif. – A
23-year-old California woman was arrested Saturday on suspicion of
murder after authorities say she stabbed her 1-year-old daughter to
death after attempting suicide in a popular park.
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office told the San Jose Mercury News that the woman and her daughter went alone to the Del Valle Regional Park in the afternoon. The 41,000-acre park is 10 miles south of Livermore, about 45 miles east of San Francisco.
It was unclear when the stabbing happened or what type of weapon was used. The crime scene is near the Arroyo Dam and the Wente Golf Course.
Deputies told the newspaper that the woman is being held with no possibility of release on bail.
The woman's name was not immediately released, and deputies said they didn't know what may have led the woman to lash out.
The park remained open to the public as deputies investigated.
___
Information from: San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office told the San Jose Mercury News that the woman and her daughter went alone to the Del Valle Regional Park in the afternoon. The 41,000-acre park is 10 miles south of Livermore, about 45 miles east of San Francisco.
It was unclear when the stabbing happened or what type of weapon was used. The crime scene is near the Arroyo Dam and the Wente Golf Course.
Deputies told the newspaper that the woman is being held with no possibility of release on bail.
The woman's name was not immediately released, and deputies said they didn't know what may have led the woman to lash out.
The park remained open to the public as deputies investigated.
___
Information from: San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com
10 Ways to Live Your Truth & Create Emotional Healing
Do you know that feeling of walking through life trying to function and look okay, but on the inside being a complete mess? That was me during most of 2009.
Of course, a select few knew my secret but, at that point, I wasn’t ready to publish my truth to the world. I was just trying to get through each day, if not each minute, the best I could.
That February, a breast cancer diagnosis had gone off like a bomb blast in my life. I lost body parts, but could cover up the physical and emotional damage with clothes and an “I’m fine.” It was a lie and I told it because I thought acting strong was how to “move on.”
No such luck. Every time I stepped out of the shower, my fifteen inch hip to hip scar, missing nipple and asymmetrical, scarred breasts screamed “DAMAGED” at me. Emotionally, I was angry, lonely, fatigued and teetering on depression.That summer we were invited to friends’ house for dinner and I finally confessed to my husband that I was exhausted emotionally from telling people I was fine when I wasn’t. I felt like I was lying all the time and I just didn’t want to do it anymore.
His answer, “Tell the truth.”
It was a radical idea and, when the inevitable question came up, I took his advice and was surprised by the empathy and compassion I received. That was the moment I realized burying the truth didn’t make me strong. Being strong required telling the truth and taking small, concrete steps to honestly live it:- Show Up to be Supported: No one knocked on my door to offer support during my early days of covering up and acting strong. Support didn’t come until I admitted I needed it and showed up to get it.
- Tell Your Story: When I started telling my story I felt heard. Being heard made me feel validated and validation helped me heal. There was no shortcut to emotional healing that let me get away with not telling the truth.
- Practice Gratitude: All I had to do was say, “thank you.” Letting others know how much I appreciated them, even when it made me feel vulnerable, brought more goodness into my life.
- Give Back: The first time I shared with another cancer survivor I was shocked to realize my cancer experience was actually worth something. Putting my suffering to work in service to others was, and still is, a win-win.
- Say “Yes” to Yourself: Before cancer I was extremely risk-adverse. When faced with something new, I’d come up with a million reasons to say “no.” After cancer, I honestly faced my fears and asked just one question, “Why not?” The answer lets me know whether or not to take the leap.
- Move Your Body: Before cancer I wasn’t athletic. I’m still not athletic, but I’ve discovered yoga and walking. Getting active gave me back some control over my body, with each yoga session bringing a stronger connection between body, mind and self.
- Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness brings me into the present without judgment. When I focus on the now, rather than replaying the past or worrying about the future, I have clarity and much less drama.
- Make Time to Play: There is no falseness in play. When I play, I am joyfully living in the moment and everything I am is true.
- Take Every Opportunity to Laugh: Laughter is the crystal clear sound of joy. You can’t laugh and not feel joy and, at least for that moment, joy is your truth. Try it!
- Cultivate a Sense of Wonder: The world is a wondrous place. When I open my eyes to it, I let myself truly believe in possibilities.
Steps For Living Your Passions
Steps for Living Your Passions
If you want to be fulfilled, happy, content, and experience inner peace and ultimate fulfillment, it’s critical that you discover your purpose.
Without a purpose as the compass to guide you, your goals and action plans may not ultimately fulfill you. @JackCanfield (Click to Tweet!)
I believe that each of us is born with a life purpose. Identifying, acknowledging, and honoring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take. They take the time to understand what they’re here to do – and then they pursue that with passion and enthusiasm.For some of us, our purpose is obvious and clear. We’re born with a set of talents and through persistent practice, we develop our talents into skills.
My children are prime examples. It was clear from the moment they got on the planet what they were interested in. One son wanted to draw all the time, and he is now in the art world. Another son was always tapping out rhythms on paint cans and dishes, and he’s now in the music world, along with one of his brothers. My daughter is in the literary world, and my stepson is definitely in the business world. They had natural talents that were clear indicators for what they ended up ultimately being passionate about.
For some people, though, it’s not as easy to identify a passion. Alternatively, you may enjoy what you do, but on deeper exploration, discover that you’re passionate about something altogether different than what you do. There are two processes that I’ve found to be extremely helpful in discovering – and living – your passion.
The Life Purpose Exercise
The Success Principles describes a simple process that can help you identify your passion in as little as ten minutes.The process involves answering three questions:
1. “What are two qualities I most love expressing in life?” For me, it would be love and joy.
2. “What are two ways I most love expressing those qualities?” For me, it’s inspiring people with stories like the Chicken Soup books and empowering people through my live trainings, home study courses, books, DVDs and teleseminars.
3. “What would the world look like if it were perfect right now, according to me?” For me, it would be that everyone was living their highest vision in the context of love and joy.
Once you have answers to all three questions, you can combine them into a single statement. My life purpose is to inspire and empower people to live their highest vision in the context of love and joy, and for the highest good of all concerned.
To identify ways that you can live your passion, ask yourself this additional question: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how actively am I living this passion, or how actively am I living this purpose?”
If your answer is anything less than a 10, ask yourself, “What would I have to do to make it a 10?” The answers that you come up with are the action steps you need to take so that you can begin living your passions on a day-to-day level.
The Passion Test
Developed by Chris and Janet Attwood, the passion test is a simple, yet elegant, process. You start by filling in the blank fifteen times for the following statement: “When my life is ideal, I am ___.” The word(s) you choose to fill in the blank must be a verb.When Janet took me through the process, my statements looked like this:
- My life is ideal when I’m being of service to massive numbers of people.
- My life is ideal when I’m helping people with their vision.
- My life is ideal when I’m speaking to large groups.
- My life is ideal when I’m being part of a spiritual leaders network.
- My life is ideal when I’m creating a core group of ongoing trainers who feel identified with my organization.
Next, create markers for each of your top five passions, so that you can look at your life and easily tell whether you are living that passion. For me, a marker would be “When I’m helping people live their vision I’m giving at least twenty workshops a year for at least 10,000 people total, and at each event, people are coming up afterwards and saying, ‘You’ve really empowered me to live my vision.’”
Once you know what your passions are and how your life will look when you are living it, you can create action plans to turn your dreams into reality.
To learn more about this process, I highly recommend the Attwoods’ book, The Passion Test.
Just Lean Into It
Once you identify your passion, you don’t need to overhaul your life completely and all at once. Instead, follow Success Principles #24 and “Lean into it.” Start living your passion, and stay in tune to the feedback you’re receiving and how you’re feeling. Adjust how you’re living your passion, until you feel that you’re living in bliss.Meditate On This
Meditate On
| …there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
| Proverbs 18:24 |
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What A Friend We Have In Jesus | |
Jesus’ presence in your life is a free gift from God. There is no amount of good that you can do to earn it. It’s a free
gift. Now, because you did nothing to deserve His presence in your
life, there is nothing you can do that will cause His presence to leave
you. Once you have received Jesus into your heart, He will never leave
you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)!
“But Pastor Prince, when I fail, doesn’t Jesus leave me?”
No, Jesus is right by your side to encourage you and restore you to wholeness. You may say, “But I don’t deserve it!” You’re right. That’s what makes it His unmerited favor in your life. When you fail, Jesus is there to uphold you. Unlike some of your so-called “friends,” He doesn’t just take off. You can count on Him. He is a faithful, dependable and trustworthy friend. Even when you have failed Him, He is right there with you, ready to pick you up and restore you to wholeness. The Bible talks about a friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” That’s Jesus and you have Him always!
“But Pastor Prince, when I fail, doesn’t Jesus leave me?”
No, Jesus is right by your side to encourage you and restore you to wholeness. You may say, “But I don’t deserve it!” You’re right. That’s what makes it His unmerited favor in your life. When you fail, Jesus is there to uphold you. Unlike some of your so-called “friends,” He doesn’t just take off. You can count on Him. He is a faithful, dependable and trustworthy friend. Even when you have failed Him, He is right there with you, ready to pick you up and restore you to wholeness. The Bible talks about a friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” That’s Jesus and you have Him always!
Daily Bible Quote
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| Every day is a beautiful day for inspiration and faith from Daily Bible Quotes! | |
| It's 4/27 and here is today's scripture: | |
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Mad at God
Job 35:13-14
13
Surely God will refuse to answer [the cry which is] vanity (vain and
empty–instead of abiding trust); neither will the Almighty regard it–
14
How much less when [missing His righteous judgment on earth] you say
that you do not see Him, that your cause is before Him, and you are
waiting for Him!
Depression: Healing Through Psalms
Psalms 92
A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.
1It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
2To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
3Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
4For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
6A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
7When
the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do
flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
8But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.
9For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
11Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
12The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
15To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Pursuit Of His Presence
Romans 12:9-21
9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
There’s no question about it, if you are a born-again believer, you want to walk in love...you can’t help it, it’s part of your new nature. But wanting to do it isn’t enough. You have to go a step further and make a quality decision to do it!
You must make up your mind in advance to obey the instruction in Ephesians 5:2 and constantly order your behavior within the sphere of love. Notice I said in advance. If you wait until you’re facing a tough situation to decide how you want to respond, you’ll almost certainly make the wrong choice. Rather than ordering your behavior by the law of love, you’ll end up allowing circumstances or even the devil to order your behavior instead.
So prepare yourself now for what’s ahead. If there’s a person in your life who is particularly difficult to love, make them a special project. (That kind of person usually needs love even more than anyone else.) Make plans not just to “put up with them,” but to go out of your way to be kind and loving toward them.
“But Gloria,” you may say, “you just don’t know this person like I do. It would be too hard to love them. I can’t do it.”
Yes, you can! You’re a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are filled with His Holy Spirit and power. And God has planted in your heart His very own love—the love that never fails. So make a decision to give over to that love and let it flow.
Then start strengthening your spirit by feeding on what the Word of God says about love. As you meditate on that Word, it will energize and create within you the power and desire to will and to work for God’s good pleasure. It will increase your ability to walk in love.
Keep yourself on a steady diet of God’s Word. Counteract the worldly voices and fleshly desires that pull away from love by filling your ears and your eyes with scriptures like 1 Corinthians 13. Read them at night before you go to bed. Read them in the morning when you wake up. Write them out on notecards and tape them to your bathroom mirror so you can meditate on them while you’re brushing your teeth.
If you do that, I guarantee you, that Word will come alive in you. It will talk to you and help you stick with your decision to walk in love. When you get fed up with someone, and you’re about to tell them off, it will speak up and remind you that love is not touchy, fretful or resentful.
Then, instead of giving that person a piece of your mind, you’ll give him the love of God, and he’ll be blessed. God will be pleased. And you’ll have the victory!
Speak the Word
“I walk in love, even as Christ has loved me.” —Ephesians 5:2
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16Be
of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for
it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20Therefore
if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in
so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Devotional
Decide, in Advance!
by Gloria Copeland
“Be ordering your behavior within the sphere of love, even as Christ also loved you and gave himself up in our behalf and in our stead as an offering and a sacrifice to God for an aroma of a sweet smell.” Ephesians 5:2, WuestThere’s no question about it, if you are a born-again believer, you want to walk in love...you can’t help it, it’s part of your new nature. But wanting to do it isn’t enough. You have to go a step further and make a quality decision to do it!
You must make up your mind in advance to obey the instruction in Ephesians 5:2 and constantly order your behavior within the sphere of love. Notice I said in advance. If you wait until you’re facing a tough situation to decide how you want to respond, you’ll almost certainly make the wrong choice. Rather than ordering your behavior by the law of love, you’ll end up allowing circumstances or even the devil to order your behavior instead.
So prepare yourself now for what’s ahead. If there’s a person in your life who is particularly difficult to love, make them a special project. (That kind of person usually needs love even more than anyone else.) Make plans not just to “put up with them,” but to go out of your way to be kind and loving toward them.
“But Gloria,” you may say, “you just don’t know this person like I do. It would be too hard to love them. I can’t do it.”
Yes, you can! You’re a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are filled with His Holy Spirit and power. And God has planted in your heart His very own love—the love that never fails. So make a decision to give over to that love and let it flow.
Then start strengthening your spirit by feeding on what the Word of God says about love. As you meditate on that Word, it will energize and create within you the power and desire to will and to work for God’s good pleasure. It will increase your ability to walk in love.
Keep yourself on a steady diet of God’s Word. Counteract the worldly voices and fleshly desires that pull away from love by filling your ears and your eyes with scriptures like 1 Corinthians 13. Read them at night before you go to bed. Read them in the morning when you wake up. Write them out on notecards and tape them to your bathroom mirror so you can meditate on them while you’re brushing your teeth.
If you do that, I guarantee you, that Word will come alive in you. It will talk to you and help you stick with your decision to walk in love. When you get fed up with someone, and you’re about to tell them off, it will speak up and remind you that love is not touchy, fretful or resentful.
Then, instead of giving that person a piece of your mind, you’ll give him the love of God, and he’ll be blessed. God will be pleased. And you’ll have the victory!
Speak the Word
“I walk in love, even as Christ has loved me.” —Ephesians 5:2
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Police: Husband and wife -- both officers -- dead in apparent murder-suicide
Janis Misovic lives around the corner from the couple’s home, attends their church and said she had been meaning to grab lunch with Rizzo-Acevedo for some time.
“She wanted to make more friends, but everyone liked her,” Misovic said. “Now I feel bad that I really didn’t get a chance to go out with her.”
Maryiln Koperniak, another parishioner and member of St. Jane’s Lady Guild, broke into tears when a fellow churchgoer confirmed her hunch, that a fellow member of that church group had died.
“I had a feeling,” Koperniak said. “I didn't know her very well, but she was a very nice lady.”
An elderly woman who lives across the street from the couple’s residence and asked not to be named, said they were kind neighbors and seemed like “delightful people.”
The woman said she was not close with them but would chat with the couple when they were outside.
“Easter Sunday morning, you wake up to this,” said the woman, who also attends St. Jane’s. “We've been crying all morning.”
The woman said she would talk with Rizzo-Acevedo as the police officer tended flowers in the yard.
“It's sad watching those bodies being removed,” the woman said. “It's awful. Not this neighborhood. Not these kind people.”
Tribune reporters Manya Brachear and Jeremy Gorner and photographer Nancy Stone contributed.
2 dead in apparent murder-suicide in Weymouth
WEYMOUTH,
Mass. (AP) — The Norfolk district attorney’s office says police are
investigating an apparent murder-suicide of a Weymouth husband and wife.
The prosecutor’s office said the bodies of
81-year-old Elizabeth Coyne and 83-year-old Donald Coyne were found at
their home Tuesday morning by a family member who regularly checked on
them.
The district attorney said both appeared to have gunshot wounds and a .25-caliber pistol was found at the man’s side.
Police said they had no known history of domestic violence.
Autopsies are planned as part of the investigation.
Greece Austerity in Greece caused more than 500 male suicides, say researchers
Spending cuts in Greece caused a rise in male suicides,
according to research that attempts to highlight the health costs of
austerity. Echoing official statistics in the UK showing suicide rates
are still higher than before the crisis, researchers at the University of Portsmouth have found a correlation between spending cuts and suicides in Greece.
According to the research, every 1% fall in government spending in Greece led to a 0.43% rise in suicides among men – after controlling for other characteristics that might lead to suicide, 551 men killed themselves "solely because of fiscal austerity" between 2009 and 2010, said the paper's co-author Nikolaos Antonakakis.
"That is almost one person per day. Given that in 2010 there were around two suicides in Greece per day, it appears 50% were due to austerity," he said.
Antonakakis, a Greek economics lecturer, said he had been prompted to look into a potential link between austerity and suicide rates after media stories and reports of friends of friends dying from suicide.
Although there had been studies into the health effects of negative economic growth, there was a gap when it came specifically to spending cuts and health, he said.
Antonakakis and his co-author, economics professor Alan Collins, said they were surprised at how many suicides appeared linked to austerity and how clear the connection was.
There was also a clear gender divide in the effects of austerity with no obvious rise in female suicide rates, according to the research published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.
Men aged 45-89 faced the highest suicide risk in response to austerity because they were most likely to suffer cuts to their salaries and pensions, the research said.
Antonakakis and Collins are considering work on the link between austerity and suicide rates in other countries most affected by the eurozone crisis, such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland.
"These findings have strong implications for policymakers and for health agencies," said Antonakakis. "We often talk about the fiscal multiplier effect of austerity, such as what it does to GDP. But what is the health multiplier?
We have to consider the health multipliers of any fiscal consolidation and austerity. The fact we find gender specificity and age specificity can help health agencies target their help."
Political economist David Stuckler and physician-epidemiologist Sanjay Basu pointed to soaring suicide rates, rising HIV infections and even a malaria outbreak in their book The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, published last year. But they argued that such costs were not inevitable and that, in some countries, countermeasures such as active labour market schemes had softened the blow from cuts.
In Greece, however, HIV infection rose by more than 200% from 2011 as prevention budgets were cut and intravenous drug use grew as youth unemployment reached 50%. Greece also experienced its first malaria outbreak in decades after budget cuts to mosquito-spraying, the authors said.
In the UK, official statistics released in February showed that suicide rates for 2012 had changed little from 2011 but remained significantly higher than five years earlier.
The Samaritans charity said that, despite the economic recovery, many people were still very worried about money, jobs and housing, and that one in six calls to its service were about financial worries. That compares with one in 10 in 2008.
Its research has shown that disadvantaged men in mid-life are at higher risk of suicide. Men in the lowest socio-economic group living in the most deprived areas are approximately 10 times more likely to die by suicide than men from higher socio-economic backgrounds, living in the most affluent areas.
Responding to the research on Greece, a Samaritans spokesman said: "There is a well established link between unemployment and suicide, which tends to increase during economic recession, particularly where it's not offset by welfare safety nets.
"The fact that disadvantaged people have shorter lives, live with physical and mental health problems and are more likely to die by suicide are inequities that demand a response by services such as Samaritans.
"As the nation's listening ear, we'd like to remind people struggling to cope that we will continue to be here for anybody who needs someone to listen to them."
• The Samaritans helpline is 08457 90 90 90 in the UK and can be emailed jo@samaritans.org
According to the research, every 1% fall in government spending in Greece led to a 0.43% rise in suicides among men – after controlling for other characteristics that might lead to suicide, 551 men killed themselves "solely because of fiscal austerity" between 2009 and 2010, said the paper's co-author Nikolaos Antonakakis.
"That is almost one person per day. Given that in 2010 there were around two suicides in Greece per day, it appears 50% were due to austerity," he said.
Antonakakis, a Greek economics lecturer, said he had been prompted to look into a potential link between austerity and suicide rates after media stories and reports of friends of friends dying from suicide.
Although there had been studies into the health effects of negative economic growth, there was a gap when it came specifically to spending cuts and health, he said.
Antonakakis and his co-author, economics professor Alan Collins, said they were surprised at how many suicides appeared linked to austerity and how clear the connection was.
There was also a clear gender divide in the effects of austerity with no obvious rise in female suicide rates, according to the research published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.
Men aged 45-89 faced the highest suicide risk in response to austerity because they were most likely to suffer cuts to their salaries and pensions, the research said.
Antonakakis and Collins are considering work on the link between austerity and suicide rates in other countries most affected by the eurozone crisis, such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland.
"These findings have strong implications for policymakers and for health agencies," said Antonakakis. "We often talk about the fiscal multiplier effect of austerity, such as what it does to GDP. But what is the health multiplier?
We have to consider the health multipliers of any fiscal consolidation and austerity. The fact we find gender specificity and age specificity can help health agencies target their help."
Political economist David Stuckler and physician-epidemiologist Sanjay Basu pointed to soaring suicide rates, rising HIV infections and even a malaria outbreak in their book The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, published last year. But they argued that such costs were not inevitable and that, in some countries, countermeasures such as active labour market schemes had softened the blow from cuts.
In Greece, however, HIV infection rose by more than 200% from 2011 as prevention budgets were cut and intravenous drug use grew as youth unemployment reached 50%. Greece also experienced its first malaria outbreak in decades after budget cuts to mosquito-spraying, the authors said.
In the UK, official statistics released in February showed that suicide rates for 2012 had changed little from 2011 but remained significantly higher than five years earlier.
The Samaritans charity said that, despite the economic recovery, many people were still very worried about money, jobs and housing, and that one in six calls to its service were about financial worries. That compares with one in 10 in 2008.
Its research has shown that disadvantaged men in mid-life are at higher risk of suicide. Men in the lowest socio-economic group living in the most deprived areas are approximately 10 times more likely to die by suicide than men from higher socio-economic backgrounds, living in the most affluent areas.
Responding to the research on Greece, a Samaritans spokesman said: "There is a well established link between unemployment and suicide, which tends to increase during economic recession, particularly where it's not offset by welfare safety nets.
"The fact that disadvantaged people have shorter lives, live with physical and mental health problems and are more likely to die by suicide are inequities that demand a response by services such as Samaritans.
"As the nation's listening ear, we'd like to remind people struggling to cope that we will continue to be here for anybody who needs someone to listen to them."
• The Samaritans helpline is 08457 90 90 90 in the UK and can be emailed jo@samaritans.org
Life is an echo. What are you shouting out?
The only place for inner peace is being present. No regrets from the past, no worries about the
future. How can we be in this space more often? Easy. Just take three deep breaths and remind yourself that you are in charge of your thoughts. You are the thinker thinking the thoughts – not the other way around.
Sometimes we feel our thoughts control us vs us controlling our thoughts. Do you ever feel like your thoughts are like a runaway train? Do you want to stop thinking about something that is making you feel…
SCARED – What if this happens? Then you make it worse and worse and start using your imagination to really scare yourself.
ANGRY – How dare they say or do that to ME? I don’t deserve that! I’ll get them back. As if revenge gives us peace of mind.
SAD – I miss that person or I’m sad that didn’t happened for me. I need this job or house or relationship to feel happy. NOT true.
Remember, you are the director of your own movie. You can say CUT at any time to your internal thoughts.
So often we feel like our life is a movie we are IN vs. looking at our life like a movie we are WATCHING. When you are IN the movie, you don’t have control – you are reacting to what others say or do. When you are WATCHING the movie as the director/writer, you can change it at any moment. Lean BACK from the drama, take a breath and hit the reset button. You can still be scared watching a movie, but you still know it is a movie.Here are ways to flip the channel in your mind:
Negative: It just won’t work.
Postive : Things work out for me.
Negative: Why even try?
Positive: All my efforts are rewarded.
When we realize that our thoughts and beliefs are behind our excuses or reasons for not living our life to the fullest, we then are able to let them go. Excuses can make us feel like victims. Reframing the excuses makes us feel like the pilot of our journey.
Today we are going to talk about SELF DOUBT and REJECTION. Two topics people ask me about all the time. How can I get more confidence? How do I tolerate rejection?Let’s look at self doubt first:
Negative: Nothing ever goes right for mePositive: Things will turn out for the best (it is done to you as you believe. Do you believe the universe is a safe and welcoming place or a dangerous and mean place?)
Negative: You can’t trust anyone anymore
Positive: People trust me and I trust them. (what you give out you get back.)
Negative: I don’t have any talent.
Positive: I am as talented as I need to be. (Love this one because it keeps the door open for us to develop and grow.)
Negative: I’m just not creative
Positive: Creativity flows through me all the time. (When do we stop believing we are creative? Small children believe they can sing, draw, paint etc because they have not learned to judge themselves or compare themselves to others as the barometer of success.)
Negative: I don’t have patience for that
Positive: I remain calm and centered. (When we are impatient with others, we are really impatient with ourselves.)
Have you ever said any of the following to yourself:
“Learn this faster.”
“Don’t make that mistake again.”
“Hurry up, etc.”
Quiet the thoughts in your head and you will learn patience and compassion for yourself and then…You can give it to others.
Negative: I’m too shy.Positive: People welcome me when I express myself. (Number one reason people are shy is because they fear what they have to say is “not good enough or interesting enough.”)
Negative: I don’t have a chance.
Positive: There are unlimited opportunities for me. (When you give up before you even try –with thoughts like “I don’t have a chance,” or let the odds stop you, you will never succeed. Who cares if they are seeing 100 people for one job, don’t let the odds of making it stop you from giving it your all.)
Negative: I have never been good at that.
Positive: I can choose to learn anything. (With enough focus, practice and desire, you will be surprised what you can do. If you hold on to your thoughts of “I can’t do it,” then you don’t leave the possibility open to learn it.)
Think of your thoughts as a form of cement. If you keep repeating the same thoughts over and over, it becomes a solid foundation that requires big effort to break. If you keep your thoughts fluid, then the cement has not become hard and can still be made into a different form.
Negative: I can’t speak in front of crowds.
Positive: At the moment, I am not COMFORTABLE speaking in front of crowds. (Do you hear the difference? The negative is firm cement-I can’t. The positive –at this moment, I’m not COMFORTABLE which allows for training and practice to get comfortable.)
Negative: I’ve never been any good at that.
Positive: I can choose to learn to do anything. (I used to say I don’t cook, now I say I choose not to cook.)
Negative: Someone always beats me to it
Positive: I only compete with myself. (This is a huge concept to grasp. When you come from a place of scarcity, you think someone else will win and you will lose. If you come from a place of abundance, you will celebrate others success as an example of what is possible for everyone.)
Negative: I never know what to say.
Positive: When I’m myself, the right words come to me. (A friend said she could never ask anyone to lunch, because she would not know what to say. I told her, be yourself, pretend you are talking to me. Don’t worry about what to say. Ask questions.)
That brings up the difference between closed and open ended questions. Great way to get a conversation going is to ask open ended questions-ones that require more than a one word answer. An easy way to ask an opened ended question is “Tell me about the meeting” vs. “Was the meeting good?”
Closed: Did you like the show?
Open: What was your favorite part of the show?
Closed: Do you understand ?
Open: What part of this do you think you can use?
REJECTION
Negative: I’m just not a salesperson or I can’t sell anythingPositive: People want to buy from me and they value my expertise (When you speak from the HEART and with passion, you don’t need to be “Pushy.”)
Negative: “ I can’t take rejection.” (The number one reason people don’t go into selling or don’t do well at an audition or start their own business or make more money.)
Positive: I never take rejection PERSONALLY. I view no as just meaning no for NOW…not forever.
When I was selling ads for W magazine and I would not get the sale, I would sometimes think, I wonder if another salesperson would have gotten the sale. In other words, was it me they are rejecting or my lack of talent to persuade or be creative enough, etc.
What the secret to rejection is “NEVER reject YOURSELF!” The first way to not reject yourself is to not take rejection personally. Then you realize that you don’t have to agree with the rejection. I pick another magazine to run ads in vs the one I’m selling. Doesn’t mean I reject myself as a good seller. Doesn’t’ mean I reject the product/magazine I’m selling. It doesn’t mean I have to agree with your decision and suddenly make myself feel less than.
Everyone is free to buy what they want and not every person or product is the right fit, so when I remember who I am is not based on any one outcome or sale, I can say to myself, NEXT. Just as you do when you have a negative thought come to you, say NEXT. Don’t fight it –just let it go. Same thing when you get “rejected.” My favorite affirmation while I am waiting for an answer is “This or something better.”
If I get rejected, then the belief in abundance of opportunity and potential, allows me to remember to say “ ON to the NEXT” sales call, audition, interview, date, etc.
Negative: This territory has no potential. (This is like saying there are no good men/women in this city to date-scarcity thinking again.)
Positive: Sales come to me from sources expected and unexpected. (I say this to myself EVERY day. When we open our minds up to getting money, results, opportunity from UNEXPECTED sources, it frees up the universe to bring it to us.)
Let go of something having to look a certain way and come in a certain time to give you your good.
Negative: This buyer hates all salespeople. (That is like saying all guys are jerks if you are a woman going on dates. Guess what you attract if you believe this. We are always looking for reasons or experiences to reinforce our beliefs.)Positive: I always respect the buyer and therefore the buyer always respects me. (We can agree to disagree, but we don’t need to be nasty or aggressive to get our point across in a negotiation.)
People treat us the way we TEACH them to treat us. Sometimes just saying, “that doesn’t work for me,“when someone is rude or angry, can stop the tirade.
It is important to offer another solution. Look we can both want the same thing-let’s make this as pleasant as possible. You have a deadline to meet, I have a quota to meet, etc. Speak in terms of shared goals and let the other person know you understand their point of view. Look I know your boss or client needs you to get the best deal. We can do that in a way that still shows respect.
Negative: There is too much competition.
Positive: I am unique and what I have to offer has value. (No one wins when all you sell is the lowest price. When people say the price is too high, it means they don’t see the value in paying that amount. Do you value yourself to realize that competition is not something that intimidates you?
The reality is if there is no competition, there is no value in getting the job or making the sale. If you are the only candidate or the only actor going up for a role or the only person selling a product, then people don’t have choice. The real victory comes when people choose you. In order for that to happen, YOU have to Pick YOU over the competition in your mind FIRST.
Using these self-talk sales examples are a great way to give yourself renewed confidence in your ability to sell or express yourself.
Confidence comes from:
1) Remembering that who you are is NOT dependent on other’s opinion and
2) That you deserve success.
Both of these are required to be confident-free of others and a belief that you deserve it. Terry Cole Whitaker wrote a great book “What You Think of Me is None of My Business,” that says it all when it comes to letting go of other’s opinion.
“If you don’t feel you deserve success, you won’t.”
“Let yourself achieve it. You deserve to be on the planet, you deserve to be happy and you deserve to be successful when you put your passion and effort to work.”
Let’s go back to “Sales come to me from sources expected and unexpected.”
When I called on Lucky Brand Jeans-they had not spent money on ads in two years. I kept in touch with them anyway with an occasional note about the denim industry or phone call. One day out of the blue, I received a phone call saying “we now have a budget and we want to work with you again.While I didn’t stay in touch with the expectation I’d see any immediate business from them, I did not give up on the idea that they might come back into the marketplace. I certainly did not put them on my list of potential or projected business for the year. It was a great feeling to get the call that they had money to spend and that I was one of the first calls they made when they were ready to spend it.
I did not forget them so they did not forget ME! See how that works?
By being open to receiving business from accounts that you have focused on and also willing to accept “Guilt free” sales from unexpected sources, you don’t block the abundance that surrounds all of us. So many people feel “guilty” about having money or sales come in –I didn’t earn it or I didn’t work hard to get it, so therefore I don’t deserve it. What I say is there are plenty of times you work on something that does not pan out, so you also deserve to have some if most things do not come to you with ease and grace.
Do you believe everything has to be a struggle or do you believe you can put in the effort without it being a burden and be successful? Since your thoughts create your reality, if you think you don’t deserve a sale unless you work hard for it, then that will be true for you. By believing the universe is unlimited, you can take your career to the next step.
You don’t have to know all the details of WHY good things come to you when they do or even HOW they will come. All you have to do is accept the fact that they will!
What should you do if you do have a negative thought? Will all of your negative thoughts come true? How can you erase the effect of all these negative thoughts?That is like asking – Does one unhealthy meal really make you fatter? Does one wrong turn when driving mean you are lost forever? Does one sleepless night mean you will never sleep again?
The answer is the SUM total of ALL your thoughts give you your experience. Let me repeat that-the SUM total of ALL your thoughts create your experience.
One thought alone does not make you a success or failure. @jwlorr (Click to Tweet!)
Giving yourself permission to have the occasional negative thought allows you to let go of the mistaken idea that you have to be perfect all the time to feel good about yourself or be successful. Just keep thinking the type of thoughts you match your desired outcome to so that 51% of the total is positive. Then you can keep working to the goal of 100%.To close today’s message, think of the universe as an impersonal law like gravity. It works the same for everyone. Just like when you shout into a valley. The echo you get back is what you just shouted out. Each echo is a fresh every moment and is not dependent on what you shouted five minutes ago or five years ago. You get back what you put out.
Are you willing to get back a new echo? Give it a try and write about it in the comments. You have everything like self esteem and confidence to gain!
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
One time in the Scripture, there were ten lepers who saw Jesus. They hollered out, “Jesus! Have mercy on us and make us whole!” Jesus could have healed them right then, but instead, He asked them to do something to express their faith. He said, “Go show yourself to the Priest, and you will be made whole.”
It’s interesting that those lepers were not supposed to be around other people. They had to live in colonies because they were contagious and considered unclean. I’m sure they debated among themselves, “Do you really think we should go? I don’t look any better. It’s just going to be a waste of our time.” But they dared to put action behind their faith. They decided, “Jesus said if we go, we will be well. Let’s go. Let’s take a step of faith.” The Scripture says, “As they went, they were made whole.”
Friend, what is God telling you to do in your heart today? Take a step of faith. Put action behind faith. As you step out and show that your faith is in Him, you will see His miracle-working power flow in every area of your life!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I choose to trust in You. I choose to be obedient to You. Even when it doesn’t make sense to my natural mind, I will obey You and walk by faith. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me and healing every part of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
One time in the Scripture, there were ten lepers who saw Jesus. They hollered out, “Jesus! Have mercy on us and make us whole!” Jesus could have healed them right then, but instead, He asked them to do something to express their faith. He said, “Go show yourself to the Priest, and you will be made whole.”
It’s interesting that those lepers were not supposed to be around other people. They had to live in colonies because they were contagious and considered unclean. I’m sure they debated among themselves, “Do you really think we should go? I don’t look any better. It’s just going to be a waste of our time.” But they dared to put action behind their faith. They decided, “Jesus said if we go, we will be well. Let’s go. Let’s take a step of faith.” The Scripture says, “As they went, they were made whole.”
Friend, what is God telling you to do in your heart today? Take a step of faith. Put action behind faith. As you step out and show that your faith is in Him, you will see His miracle-working power flow in every area of your life!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I choose to trust in You. I choose to be obedient to You. Even when it doesn’t make sense to my natural mind, I will obey You and walk by faith. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me and healing every part of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
How To Forgive Yourself
As this is something I’ve struggled with, I did some research and found that all paths to self-forgiveness follow the same steps. Who’d have thought that Judaism, Hinduism, New Age Mysticism, and Alcoholics Anonymous have so much in common!
So why am I sharing this with you?
Because the formula for transformation is Universal, whether it be about sex, drugs, or self-forgiveness. It all starts with introspection and ends with surrender.
The Importance Of Self-Forgiveness
Self-forgiveness is an important step to becoming a compassionate person.After all, if you can’t stop judging yourself, how will you ever stop judging others?
We have a moral obligation to take responsibility for our mistakes. Not simply to get along with others, but so we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
Let’s look at an example. When I was working a full-time office job, I wanted to start running more. I told myself “From now on, I’m going to wake up at 5 am and go running before work.” FYI- I am not a morning person. When the alarm went off, I continuously hit the snooze button until it was time to get up for work. Later, I had feelings of disappointment. My thoughts spiraled from “Ugh, why can’t I get up?” to “I’ll never achieve my goals in life.”
When I was in that mindset, my inner critic found fault with everything I did.
It obliterated my self-trust.
Denying self-forgiveness cuts you off from love. Ironically, it almost guarantees that you will be more likely to act in the exact ways that you struggle to forgive yourself for. For example, if you feel you can’t tackle that large project and you beat yourself up, it will be even more overwhelming to begin. Your inner critic keeps you in a cycle of dark energy, attracting the same people, places, and things that got you into that position to begin with.
Let’s not fulfill those fear-based prophecies. It’s time to turn the inner critic off. This starts with listening to your inner dialogue.
How Do I Know What My Inner Dialogue Is Saying?
Shut up and listen! Look at the words you tell yourself throughout the day. This goes beyond meditating. Listening to your inner dialogue means bringing mindfulness in throughout the day. This means unplugging your iPod. Like many New Yorkers, I was incapable of commuting without headphones in my ears. As I became aware of this numbing technique, I learned two things:- My inner critic often acts like a wild elephant that needs to be tamed. Awareness of this beast led me to realize that I often focus on lack and comparison.
- A lot of the music I listen to reinforced my inner critic. It was like I was strengthening my inner critic by musically brainwashing myself.
Why Is My Inner Critic Such A Jerk?
Often, our internal dialogue is a mirror of external criticism from an authority figure. We carry this message with us and parent ourselves with similar beliefs. And even when we make amends, our inner critic doesn’t recognize it or give us much love.So how do we counteract that voice? The answer is our inner guide, our higher self, our inner cheerleader. This is the voice that puts things in perspective. It’s the one that reminds you that you have great qualities, that you don’t need to be with that guy to be happy, that you don’t need to run in the morning to be worthy, and that you are perfect exactly where you are in your journey.
The 4 Steps To Self-Forgiveness:
1. See your mistakes clearly.You don’t drive with a foggy windshield, so why do that with the rest of your life? The first step is to get clear on what your inner critic is saying and where it is coming from. Make a list of the things you are holding onto. What would be helpful to let go? Does it date back? Make a list of things you’ve felt judged for. If you’re a perfectionist, whose set of expectations are you trying to live up to? Is it really yours? Is it your parents’? Your partner? Your boss? Your culture?
This is your opportunity to delete that story and forgive yourself for believing it. @AlignYourLife (Click to Tweet!)
Say to yourself, “I’m only human, I made a mistake. I’m willing to let this go.”2. Take responsibility
Nobody likes this one, but it’s crucial. Acknowledge the mistake and your role in the situation. Feeling an appropriate level of remorse is natural, that’s how we learn. But if you beat yourself up past this point, it’s just self-defeating criticism that won’t take you any further. It will only limit your future.
Recognize that you chose to believe in these limiting beliefs and criticisms is key to becoming self-aware. This process can elicit strong feelings of anger or sadness. Change can be uncomfortable and these feelings are natural.
Congratulate yourself. Be compassionate with yourself. Give yourself the chance to acknowledge your feelings.
3. Where necessary, make amends
Part of taking ownership is coming clean. If you’ve wronged someone and it’s appropriate, reach out to them.
Caveat- If it would do more harm than good or if they have deceased, write a letter without sending it and allow your inner guide to give you absolution. As I recently said to a friend, closure is an internal shift. Don’t expect it to come from that person’s reaction.
4. Move on
The challenge to self-forgiveness comes when we hold onto anger and resentment. After feeling the necessary emotions, it’s time to release it and move on. Letting go can be new for many of us. We’ve used our limiting beliefs to protect us from perceived dangers and from achieving greatness. Your perception that what you did is unforgivable creates a separation between you and you inner power. Now is time to amp up your self-love practice. This supports the realization that when you withhold self-love, you withhold self-forgiveness.
If you’re a perfectionist, this step can be even more of a challenge. Really take stock of why you’re trying to be perfect when you’re only human. What we often call “high standards” can often be a way to block our inner guide and feed our inner critic. If you’re a perfectionist, I invite you to remember that there are no mistakes, there are only opportunities for learning and growth.
The Takeaway:
These four steps allow you to live in the present instead of being stuck in the past. Or worse, being scared you’re going to make mistakes in the future. When you choose to listen to your inner guide and not your inner critic, you view mistakes as lessons. Choosing to believe in your inner critic only feeds the cycle of negativity that drags you back into the victim mentality. That impacts your happiness, health, and future. Step into your strength and you will not only forgive yourself, you will release your judgment of others.Learn. Grow. Let Go.
The One Thing I Need To Do Today
I don’t normally re-read books I wrote. Some of my books I’m ashamed I wrote. Ugh, I wrote that!?
The best writing doesn’t come because you have all this great knowledge and now you need to impart it on someone else. That’s often the worst writing.
Nobody is a guru. It’s hard enough to help yourself, let alone write self-help.
The best writing comes when YOU need to learn something. @jaltucher (Click to Tweet!)
When something inside of you is, ugh, making you feel “UGH.” Weighing down your body with UGH!It’s a problem inside of you so you pull it out and examine it and play with it and try to put the pieces back in different ways inside of you so it’s no longer a problem.
You then write about how you played with a problem and the different ways you tried to solve it and what happened next. Like a mystery (or in my case, a horror story.)
That’s why I wrote “Choose Yourself!” Not because I’m so great at it.
But because every day it’s a daily practice to choose myself. To not be beholden to the opinions of others. To live the one life I want to live and let everyone else live their lives.
To be healthy. To be free and grateful for my freedom.I read this one paragraph that struck me. I’m going to live it. Love it. Less it. Today. Tomorrow, I may have to re-read it.
“Less. I’m trying to have fewer things in my life right now. This doesn’t always mean fewer trinkets that shine on a shelf.
It also might mean fewer things that upset me.
Fewer people who bother me.
Fewer regrets about things that are long dead and buried.
Fewer anxieties about a future that may or may not exist.
I find that if I dig deep and THROW AWAY ONE THING a day (on my shelf, in my head, an ugly memory in my heart, a small anxiety in my stomach, a frown, a doubt, an insecurity, a person who drains), then I wake up the next day a little more peaceful. A little more enthusiastic. A little happier.
Happiness and enthusiasm compound into inner abundance. Inner abundance is the sun that lights up all the life around you.
I don’t need to have so many opinions. The fight will continue with or without me, long after everyone in this universe cares.”
If I can remember this today, then I might not even have to use my AK.
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