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Stop Worrying and Get Some Sleep!

March 1, 2017 by

Have you ever had those times when you were so consumed with worry you couldn’t sleep?  Pressures and the challenges kept you staring at the ceiling most of the night?  And the longer you stayed awake the more frustrated you became?

I have more than a few times.  But see I was raised by a family of worriers.  They perfected worrying to an art.

Yet really, there’s always something to worry about isn’t there?

I discovered a promise though that shocked me and helped calm those sleepless nights.

Solomon writes, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

Wow!  He says you can strive and worry if you want to.  Or you can rest in God’s care and enjoy a good night sleep.  It’s up to you, whatever floats your boat.

See God enjoys giving that gift to those he loves.  No special formulas required.  Simply when you come to the end of your abilities and say, “Ok God, I’m tired.  It’s your turn now.”

Then, with that minuscule seed of faith, God works his miracle and you find peace again.

So have a good night sleep.  Let’s talk further tomorrow.

*Psalm 127: 2 (NIV)

Filed Under: Happiness, Health Tagged With:

Do You Need New Strength to Conquer Your Mountain?

February 10, 2017 by

Do you ever just feel worn out?

You’ve push and struggle against an unconquerable problem until you feel like you can’t go on anymore.  Yet, giving up isn’t an option either.

Yeah, I’ve been there,  way too many times.

That’s why I love what David wrote, “He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on heights.”*

No matter what we face when we come back and just relax in God he renews and guides us.

Often I find this hard to remember as a full member of the type A personality club.  But I’ve also learned there comes a time to stop pressing and wait for God’s answers and strength.

It’s not doing nothing and saying, “I’m waiting for God.”

It’s more like productive waiting.  Praying, listening, reading, thinking, trying to understand your heart and God’s directions.  Oh, and resting too.

Then he promises he’ll give you renewed strength so you stand on top of your mountain.

*Psalm 18: 33 (NIV)

Filed Under: Health, Success Tagged With:

How to Experience a Miraculous Healing

August 16, 2016 by

I was sitting in my office chatting with a friend when he told me a story of his amazing healing.

He’d dropped by after golf and desperately needed cold water.

 

Child Healing

 

We got to talking about a mutual friend whose daughter is addicted to drugs.  He’s known her since she was a little and said, “She’s a lost soul.”

He went on, “I know what that’s like.  I’m a recovered alcoholic.”

Then he told me his story.

“I’d been sober for about 15 years.  Then I retired and started playing golf a lot.  Every day we’d smoke cigars on the course then come in and my buddies would have a few beers.”

 

“Pretty soon I found myself back smoking cigarettes and drinking.”

 

[Read more…]

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4 Keys to Seeing God Work the Miraculous

May 17, 2016 by

I suffered with a misdiagnosed sickness that ravaged my body.  My digestive system imploded and I continued to lose weight uncontrollably.  Yeah,I know, that was a problem I wished I had all my life too.  But this was for real and serious.

Friends later told me they thought I was dying.  Honestly, there were days I wondered.

I prayed for God to heal me but I grew worse.

 

Walking Sunrise

 

After a couple of months tracking the symptoms and researching on line I figured it out.  I’d mysteriously and suddenly become lactose intolerant.

I was so extremely lactose intolerant that even a hint of butter on some green beans would wipe out my system.  I was trapped in an ill functioning body and chained to the vicinity of a bathroom.  For an outdoor adventurer I felt like I was living in a suburb of hell.

I prayed, “God why me?  Why won’t you heal me?”

At times I felt God had deserted me.  I’d prayed for and watched others on occasion be healed miraculously.  Yet, when I needed it most God was silent.

 

I struggled to understand and felt frustrated and at times angry with God.

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Health Tagged With:

Do You Really Want to See God?

September 29, 2015 by

A friend told me about a colleague whose son became deathly ill. Nothing the doctors tried seemed to work. His son was literally dying.

The father knew my friend was a Christian and, though he didn’t believe in God, he asked him to pray for his son.

 

Photo Credit: Kim Seng

Photo Credit: Kim Seng

 

The son remarkably recovered back to full health.

My friend later was talking with the father who said, “You know, we just can’t explain it. We were really lucky. But I just still can’t believe in God.”

Hmm, what else would God need to do?

Yet, not to be too hard on him, I’ve seen this happen way too often. God works a miracle and the response is, “Wow, what luck!”

 

In fact, it happens so often my friend renamed the Holy Spirit, “Lucky”.

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Health, Heaven, Success Tagged With:

3 Perspectives That Determine if You’ll See a Miracle

September 24, 2015 by

When I entered into a relationship with Jesus, as I’ve written about, I was blind-sided by some of the responses.

My life was radically changed. I mean, I went from messed up, self centered and depressed to directed, caring, and joyful.

Yet the responses were all over the board.

 

Photo Credit: Anita

Photo Credit: Anita

 

One acquaintance, who’d recently experienced a similar transformation, said, “Fabulous! Let’s talk. Tell me about it.”

And we grew to be close friends.

An on and off girl friend, who lived in a distant city, remarked when I saw her afterwards, “Yeah, I heard you’d become a Jesus freak.”

I laughed and replied, “Wow, I’m not sure I’m a Jesus freak but I have always been a little wacked out.” And went on to tell her what had happened.

She responded, “You know, that’s great for you. It’s just not my thing right now.”

A third friend was one of my closest growing up. His mom was like a second mom.

See they were Armenian so there was always lots of family events and eating going on. And I was just one of the kids. So often I spent more time at their home than my own.

He told me, “I talked to my mom about what happened to you. She talked with our priest and he said I needed to be careful. This isn’t according to their doctrines.”

 

To say I was bewildered would be an understatement.

 

[Read more…]

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How to Keep from Getting Duped by a Religious Conman

September 15, 2015 by

I was sitting at my computer in our sunroom laughing and swearing at the same time watching a TV video replay.

It was a humorous yet indicting expose’ of some prosperity preachers showing clips of their preaching and interviews.

Some was so ridiculous it was pathetically humorous.

 

Photo Credit: Richard Cooper

Photo Credit: Richard Cooper

 

One preacher reached out towards the TV camera and told the audience to reach out and touch the screen to touch his hand.

I’m thinking, “Wait, what? His hand isn’t there folks, even if this was a live broadcast.”

Another prophetically described an illness that someone watching the program had and he was praying for that person right now.

Well, first this program was recorded, who knows when. And second the illness described was so general that about half the adult population of the U.S. could claim it on any given Tuesday.

One greasy pot bellied southern preacher bragged about buying a corporate jet for several million dollars cash. Then said, “And now I’ve bought a bigger one for all cash. And those who criticize me are just jealous.”

And I thought, “No, I’m not jealous. First, I really don’t want a corporate jet. And second, I don’t like you because you make me feel like throwing up.”

They fill whole TV networks with programs and send out endless high pressure letters to raise millions. They prey on the most vulnerable and often the least illuminated pressuring them to send money to “invest” in God’s blessings.

 

I was angry for those who were duped.

 

But I was also sad for those who see this and think this is Christianity. And it’s crazy.

Frankly, I don’t blame them. I’ve been there and thought the same things.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Happiness, Health Tagged With:

How to Make Sure You Never See a Miracle

September 10, 2015 by

At a church service about a year ago we listened to the pastor explain why he didn’t believe God worked miracles any longer.

 

Photo Credit: byronv2

Photo Credit: byronv2

 

He carefully exegeted a scripture passage and explained the theological position he’d learned in seminary.

He finished by saying, “You may view things differently but I’ve never seen a true extraordinary miracle.”

I thought, “No kidding. I wonder why?”

I was reminded of that when I read this story of Jesus performing a miracle.

A man with a paralyzed hand is in the synagogue where Jesus goes to worship. Jesus has a discourse with some religious fundamentalists about the legality of healing on the Sabbath.

Finally, Jesus says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

He does and Jesus heals him instantly.

It says then the religious leaders left angry and discussed how to get rid of this interloper Jesus.

 

I wondered, “How could they have seen what just happened and yet completely missed it?”

 

Yet, the same thing happens with us sometimes too doesn’t it? Well, at least it does with me.

[Read more…]

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When You Get to the End of Yourself

April 7, 2015 by

Number 44 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” The miracles and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

I’m at my wits end with a problem. By all accounts it’s insignificant yet still important to me and perplexing.

We live in the country so through the years we’ve adopted many stray cats.

One we have now is very shy and yet my little buddy. As I write this in our sunroom, he’s laying on the sofa next to me so I can reach over and pet him.

A couple of weeks ago he seemed sick so we took him to the vet. She diagnosed diabetes. Ugh!

 

Photo Credit: Kristof Borkowski

Photo Credit: Kristof Borkowski

 

We’ve changed his diet and now I have to give him insulin shots twice a day. Let me tell you that brings new meaning to the word exciting.

Now he’s become more and more illusive. Yet, if I can’t give him his shots he dies.

I know this is pretty low on the importance scale compared to what each of us face at times and maybe what you’re facing right now. But I still find myself perplexed. [Read more…]

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Power to Accomplish the Impossible

April 2, 2015 by

Number 43 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” Stories and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

I’ll tell you the day I quit attending church.

 

Photo Credit: Grand Canyon National Park

Photo Credit: Grand Canyon National Park

 

Our pastor was young, handsome, intelligent, successful with a beautiful family. He was one of the golden boys of our denomination. He had it made. And he was my friend.

He took a leave of absence and we were told by the staff he was working through some issues and not to contact him.

This went on for several months until one afternoon I received a phone call at my office from a friend. He told me our pastor had locked himself in his garage while his family was away and started the car.

 

I felt numb.

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Health, Success Tagged With: ,
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