OVERCOMING ANXIETY 

Our thoughts are powerful.

Anxiety is a perfectly normal emotion. However, in excess it becomes dangerous. Its intent is to erode and corrode our mental, spiritual, emotional, physical health and well-being.

Anxiety's cousin is worry. Have you ever met someone who says, "If I don't have something to worry about, I worry about that." For many, worry is a constant friend. Anxiety can be like that too.

I've discovered something that helps me when I realize I'm getting worked up. I take a step back, detach from the emotional whirlwind and look at the situation objectively as though I were observing it from afar.

When I do that, the turmoil that accompanies anxiety begins to disappear like how a dust devil in the desert loses its momentum and fizzles out to nothing. From that vantage point, I can begin to change the narrative. I give it to the Lord in prayer, if indeed, it really is something worthy of causing me to feel anxious. Is this something I want to

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OVERCOMING ANXIETY 

SAM's STORY

Sam sat bent forward with his face in his palms. A bead of sweat running down his face, hanging from his chin for a split second before dripping to the ground.

He stared at the wet spots on the ground before him. Several drops fell moments before this one. Thinking, hoping, wishing that the ground would get soft enough to swallow him in, to make him disappear from the face of the earth.

He was tired, he didn't sleep the previous night. He was worried about the
meeting with his director coming up in a few hours. He was scared, tired, fatigued and irritated all at the same time. He never felt so much anger in his life before.

His muscles were tense in his neck and back. What will he do when he gets fired, how will he tell his wife, how will he face his kids and family? He felt ashamed at himself. How could he have taken the conversation this far
with her? How could she have thought he wanted a relationship with her.

How, how on earth! I was o

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OVERCOMING ANXIETY 

Our thoughts are powerful.

We've discussed overcoming negative inner dialogue, fear of failure and dealing with a poverty mentality in the past few months. I was thinking about these topics and realized that they are foundational for our current subject: anxiety.

Our thoughts are powerful. They can conjure up negative words, emotions and feelings or they can create a sense of peace and well-being.

Discovering the basis for anxiety helps us to overcome the debilitating space
that it attempts to trap us into...a deep, dark hole.

The goal of anxiety is to strip us of the God-peace that passes all our understanding that Jesus has given to us. His God-peace. True inner calmness of mind, soul and spirit. Philippians 4:7b

Philippians 4:6 says, "Be anxious for nothing." Live in His God-peace.

Paul and Timothy knew:
"Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled request before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell Him every detail of yo

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OVERCOMING ANXIETY 

"Jesus is my weapon"

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Severe stressors and traumatic experiences in life can lead to the inability to master personal mental and emotional functioning. Life is a onetime journey that is precious and valuable. However, due to various factors that can contribute to incorrect thinking patterns, many people continuously deny themselves of reaching their full potential. Adaptability is critical. 

My greatest passion is to assist an individual with becoming empowered spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically by perceiving each person as a uniquely made creation.  In efforts to guide adults and families towards a personal journey of healing,I have acquired knowledge in therapeutic orientations such as Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. With the capacity to assimilate, associate, and to view others as a component of self, support can then be given for no other reason except to assist individuals with enhancing t

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OVERCOMING ANXIETY 

“Be still, and know that I am God…" Psalm 46:10

Stillness is a challenge for most of us. Especially the hyperactive among us, or those with young kids. It’s often in these moments of stillness that I feel the most anxious.

Being still is not merely a suggestion. It’s essential to a Spirit-filled life. 
When we lean into GOD and learn to be still, we can train ourselves to escape the tyranny of anxiety that robs us of the God-peace that JESUS hung on a cross to give us. "...the chastisement of our peace was upon Him." (Isaiah 53:5)

When we quiet the part of our brain that obsesses about the small things, we are able to sit in the stillness and allow the deeper brain to kick in; the part of us that knows—meaningful things like an abiding awareness that the God of the universe is present…and working with us for our good.

And that seems important to remember, doesn’t it? 

I see anxiety as the negative side of stillness. When I am filled with anxiety, every

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Victory week

 

Perception and Expectation Twins. These two can be a blessing or a curse. It depends on how we perceive a thing.

Our expectations spring out of that perception.

Mark 11 is a great example. One Sunday, the peoples perception of Jesus' purpose in Jerusalem caused them to cry "Hosanna" and then, a few days later cry out "Crucify Him". He didn't meet their expectation from their perception. They thought He came to defeat Rome and establish His kingdom.

On the other hand, Jesus had God's purposes for Him in proper alignment. Therefore, His perception and expectation of the week's turbulent happenings didn't deter Him from reaching His goal: to defeat the devil and pay the price for our eternal salvation.

Two experiences transpired on Monday, the day after the "Hosanna" event. Jesus cursed the fig tree and He cleansed the temple.

The disciples didn't perceive their Master's actions correctly. Their expectations caused them confusion and to question Him instead of gl

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Palms to Victory

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (II Corinthians 4:17 KJ)
Are you going through any situations that are trying and difficult?
Are you suffering as a result of antagonistic persons?
Are you experiencing pressure from external circumstances bearing down upon you?
Get ready for the glory...

I like The Message Bible translation in verses 16-18:
"So we're not giving up. How could we? Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace.

These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."

Ah, yes, perhaps present affliction...but the flip side: future glory.
The scriptur

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It's NOW

"God's love is meteoric,

His loyalty astronomic, 

His purpose titanic, 

His verdicts oceanic.  

Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost;  not a man, not a mouse slips through the cracks. 

How exquisite Your love, O God!  How eager we are to run under Your wings." (Psalms 36:5-6 Msg)

The woman with the issue of blood pressed into God's love for her with a "It's never or it's now" determination. She was desperate for a life-change.

Have you ever been in that place where you know if something doesn't happen ...it's over for you? She was.

I've been there a few times myself. In that place we have two options...press into God or walk away.

She chose to squeeze in. She had already wrestled 12 long years with this trial, this pain. She spent all she had in time, money, effort and even availed herself of ALL that physicians had to offer.

NOW was the time! She chose to press in and touch the hem of His garment.

It was NOT time to give up, quit or give in. 

I like to thin

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Have Joy Again

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.'" Luke 2:10-11

Handel's "Messiah" is considered by many to be the greatest musical feat in the history of mankind.

Commissioned by a charity to produce a benefit concert, Handel wrote the Messiah in 24 days.

A musician said that someone trying to copy the Messiah could hardly do so in 24 days—that is the level of inspiration in which Handel operated when he wrote. WOWZERS!

Handel never left his house for those three weeks. His food trays remained untouched outside his door.

A friend who visited him as he composed found him sobbing with intense emotions.

Later, as Handel groped for words to describe what he had experienced, he quoted St. Paul, saying, “whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it, I know not.”

 Handel wrote Messiah under extreme

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Holiness

"Do not be mislead: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' I Cor. 15:33

We're living in a day where good is being called evil and evil is OK if it feels good to you. You decide what's morally right and wrong. Never mind what God says is His standard of Holiness.

Three times God told His priests to give careful thought to an example He used to explain holiness and unholiness. (Haggai 2) In my paraphrase, God was saying if you are holy and touch something unholy does that unholy thing become holy? No. If you are holy and something unholy touches you does that make you unholy? Yes. Holiness is not infectious. Unholiness is infectious.

Let's look at it in another way. If you have a glass of pure water and add in a drop of salt; is the pure water now salty? Yes. If you have a glass of salt water and add some pure water is the water now pure? No. What about a bowl of fruit? If the bowl is full of good, healthy fruit and one piece has mold on it...will the good fruit make the

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