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My natural reaction is worry whenever troubling thoughts pop in my mind. I imagine the worst possible ending actually happening and plot how to “get even”. Worrying drains my energy and brings a deep spiral of anxiety. None of my problems get better and I feel worse. Psalm 55:22-23 is, “Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin. But you, God, will throw the others into a muddy bog, Cut the lifespan of assassins and traitors in half. And I trust in you.” Holy Bible, The Message , 2002 GodRead More →

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Non stop stress seems normal these days. I am overwhelmed from dealing with one crisis after another. My tired brain runs on fumes. No matter how much I work, I get overwhelmed by what needs to be done. I turn to food even though I know it won’t solve my problems. Matthew 4:4 is, “Jesus answered… “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth’” Holy Bible The Message, 2002, I need more than bread or food to survive. There is no way I can handle everything on my own strength. Trying harder burns me outRead More →

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Positive vibes cannot cover the fact that 2020 has been a difficult and crazy year. It seems like a bad dream that continues every night. I have struggled to stay focused on the Lord instead of worrying. One of my friends recently said, “What if all I had today was what I thanked God for yesterday?” This hit me because I might have nothing. No matter how bad things appear to be, I find the Lord’s blessings when I seek Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Holy Bible, NewRead More →

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My brain is cluttered like a computer with multiple browser tabs open. When I concentrate on one, another thought pops up. These distractions are my worst enemy. They interrupt my daily tasks and keep me from growing closer to the Lord. I waste too much of my prayer and Bible reading time trying to fix my problems. Psalm 37:4 is, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 God wants me to delight in His presence. The enemy uses distractions keep me from seeking Jesus. My mind goes from resting in the Lord toRead More →

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I feel like I have experienced a life’s worth of hard times in 2020. If another struggle/trial/obstacle is thrown my way, I might go crazy. When I focus on negativity, everything seems doomed. I hate to admit that my hopeless feelings lead me to excess food. Romans 5:3 is, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation Seeing the heavenly view changes my perspective. God is not finished with me and uses everything to make me more Christlike. Unlike food, the Lord comforts and helps me deal withRead More →

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This past week (more like an entire month) has been hectic. I feel like I will never finish everything I have to do. Everything on my list needed to be done yesterday. To say I am stressed is an understatement. I need rest, but don’t have time to relax. Psalm 91:1 is, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I find rest when I seek the Lord. No matter how busy I am, I have time to cry to Jesus. He gives me strength so I canRead More →

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I once sought pleasure in excess food. I enjoyed eating anything and everything I wanted to. The world tells me to seek what I desire and that food can comfort me. It whispers other lies such as, “You love pizza and should finish this last piece.” I fell for this lie and believed stuffing my body with food would make me happy. Psalm 37:4 is, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2001 The Lord has changed my heart so I want Him more than food. I no longer get pleasure fromRead More →

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When I worry, my fear level jumps from mild to extreme. Deep down, I know the Lord will guide me through any crisis. If I take my eyes off Jesus, anxiety sets in. This worry quickly takes over, so I forget God is in control. Psalm 34:4 is, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” Holy Bible, New International Version Only God takes away my fears. He helps me let go of situations I have no control over. Jesus shows me I don’t have to fix world problems. He gives me wisdom to navigate though my troubles.Read More →

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I went to an exciting event last Sunday. Our community hosted a prayer gathering with pastors from different churches. This included people that look different than me. This diverse crowd praising God is what I think heaven will be like. We worshiped the Lord and prayed for healing on our community. Psalm 120:1 is, “I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 Circumstances change when God’s people pray as one. People of different races came together to pray for reconciliation from past sins of racism. We also interceded for thoseRead More →

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Many years ago, I learned the importance of forgiveness. When others hurt me or someone I love, I need to forgive. This releases me so my hurt can heal. If I don’t let go, bitterness and anger festers in my heart. When I get upset by others who disagree with me, I am unforgiving. Colossians 3:13 is, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 God wants me to tolerate others. To me, this is a heart issue of wanting people to agree with me.Read More →