Maybe more than ever our lives are defined by busyness. Especially at this time of year.
Added to the normal obligations of life, family and work, are gifts to buy. Travel plans to make. Parties to attend, or host. And a myriad of other issues as we wrap up 2022.
So, the concept of contemplation might be a good thing for us to… well…contemplate. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
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“The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances,” opines Andrew Bernstein, author of “The Myth of Stress.”
While you may find that assertion unsettling, exaggerated, or inaccurate, stay with me. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Life, Stress
(NOTE: Apparently there was a glitch yesterday that caused many of our email readers unable to access the link to yesterday’s post on stress. If you missed it, here’s a link to part 3. Click here. )
“Gratitude is a strong strategy to help minimize stress in our lives” affirmed Najma Khorrami, in Psychology Today.
“Gratitude lowers stress hormones in the body,” stated Khorrami a global public health professional. She explains the process this way. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Life, Stress
“Even though my mom passed away seven years ago, it still feels like yesterday,” recalls Daniel H. Gibson Jr. “I was actually in the room when it happened. I was playing her a song when, suddenly, she suffered from a heart attack she wouldn’t recover from.”
“Christmas was my mom’s favorite time of the year; she loved spending time with family and watching her grandchildren open their presents,” Gibson reminisces. “Ever since her passing, the holidays have never quite felt the same. So for me, the holiday season is always accompanied by a tinge of sadness.” Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Life, Stress
Matthew Rogers tells the story about a brother and sister singing “Silent Night” in their school chorus.
The little boy concluded the song with the words, “Sleep in heavenly beans.”
His sister elbowed him and said. “No, it’s not beans. It’s peas!”
I suppose for many people during the holiday season, the song might as well end with beans or peas. Because the stress of the season is anything but peace. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Life, Stress
Yesterday I preached a lesson addressing the issue of “Holiday Stress.” The message was not only well received, but several who saw the title advertised asked for the outline.
So, breaking with my normal weekly columns, this is the first of a five part series dealing with stress based on that lesson.
When I googled “holiday stress, I received 345,000,000 results in 0.46 seconds. Among the headlines were these articles. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Life, Stress
H. A. Ironside the Canadian born Bible Teacher, once told about going to a crowded cafeteria for a meal.
As he carried his tray looking for a table, every table was full, except for one with a single man sitting there. Ironside asked if he might join him. The man nodded and grunted something unintelligible.
When Ironside sat down, he bowed his head and silently gave thanks for his food. The other man asked, ““Well, is something wrong with your food?”
“No, it seems fine.”
“Well, do you have a headache?” the man persisted. “I saw you closing your eyes and putting your hands on your head.” Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Thanksgiving
On this day 59 years ago I was a Sophomore at Clayton High School in Indiana.
It was during P.E. that our coach interrupted our activities, to line us up and announce that the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy had been shot. In my next class, Bookkeeping, we learned that he had died.
I’m sure all of you my age and older remember where you were and what you were doing on that fateful day.
What I didn’t know was another man would die on that same day. Clive Staples Lewis, arguably one the intellectual giants of the 20th century and one of the most influential writers of his day died of natural causes. Continue reading
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This is the fifth post of a new column we began, facebook Friday, where we share positive, encouraging messages from facebook.
When I saved today’s post several weeks ago, I failed to document the author of this piece, or on whose page it was posted. My apologies.
It’s short. But good. You’ll like it. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, facebook friday
“I’m just living my truth,” is a phrase we frequently hear in today’s culture.
Sometimes we hear it on TV shows, during interviews, and on so-called reality shows. I’ve had conversions with young people who inform me regarding a religious or spiritual issue what is “their truth.”
They say, “That’s your truth. This is my truth.” Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
ThePreachersWord 