POWER TO CHANGE.... IT IS ALL IN OUR MIND

Oh that ugly word stress… why does it have to make an appearance in our life? Because first we let it and permit it to be a part of our life. And isn’t it the silliest of things that cause us anxiety? If we figure out and realize that stress is not a condition but a situation that can be fixed, only then will we figure out how to deal and respond to it. We may not always be able to control what happens in our life but we can certainly control how we react. Sometimes I truly believe it is a simple lack of faith that causes us stress. We start to feel anxious about something and BAM its out there and we lose what little control we had.

The best way to start reducing the stress in our life is to start praying, cease feeling anxious about all things and focus on a solution rather than dwelling on the issue. Instead of thinking about all the bad things that can happen, consider as many ways as possible to create an outcome that is advantageous. Starting praising God for all the good He has done in our life and for the life we have at this very moment. We all have things to be grateful for. We have the air we breathe, we have the food we eat, we have the house that shelters us, we have our health, we have our family who we adore and we have our faith, which gets us through times of stress and anxiety.

We do have the power to overcome stress, it is just finding the appropriate ways in dealing with and managing it and not freaking out over every little thing. This Bible verse is one I think all of us should have laying around, whether on our fridge, our desk or our bedside table, it is one we should memorize and know my heart. It can get you through some pretty tough times and give you the peace you so desire.

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

LEARING TO LIVE

My faith – my belief, is where my power comes from. I have a big problem with two things in my life, patience and resting. Don’t even get me started with being patient but REST is a four letter word to me. Seldom will you catch me doing absolutely nothing. I am a professional multi-tasker. Even at work, I find I rarely make time to go to the restroom let alone take a real lunch break. By the time I get home, I have a list that seems like a mile long that needs to get done and then I have my studies to do (which is an absolute must). :)

I envy those who can handle downtime. This isn’t to say that I don’t find myself dealing with times that I am tired or worn down and I NEED to take a rest. That is different. I am talking about day-to-day life. This year I promised myself that I would take it easy on myself and “learn” about balance… something I have unsuccessfully tried to accomplish in years past. This year is different. I can feel it, deep down.

The difference. It is my faith. I feel closer to God than ever before. My prayer life has picked up which has made me, shall I dare say, a bit calmer too…which believe me, is HUGE. :)

Which brings back to patience. I am NOT good at it and I am scared to ask God to give me patience. I have heard horror stories of how He has taught people patience. I don’t want to burden myself with that. :) But I do need to learn it, one day at a time.

Until I completely learn all about tolerance and patience, I will pray that Kevin & I are making the most of our time, finances, faith, abilities, responsibilities, etc. and make sure that our lives are balanced with enough time for Christ, for each other, for others, as well as rest and restoration.