HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WISHING YOU

GOD'S BEST BLESSINGS

FOR A HOLY AND A HAPPY

NEW YEAR.

SOMETHING NEW

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;"

~ Lamentations 3:22-23

ONE of the most talked-about things during Christmas is our "New" stuff. People love to show and tell of their gifts received at Christmas.

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While the majority of us are bubbling with joy over all sorts of gifts, there are those who're burdened with sadness and stresses because they didn't receive something "new."

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Many feel embarrassed, unfortunate, and even unloved, when they see the excitement of those whose families and friends have showered them with all sorts of tangible things.

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Feeling left-out and alone can cause accelerated stress and strain.
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It matters not how old or experienced we've grown, or how often we've dealt with the absence of other's affections. If we have not accepted the gift of God's great love, we'll stress-out every time.

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Stress-survivors delight in the realization that God gives us good and perfect gifts every single day--not only on Christmas day, but all the days before and after.

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Scripture teaches us that the Lord's mercies never cease coming to us; they are "NEW" every day.

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We can rejoice and be happy, any and every day, because God's great mercies provide us with "SOMETHING NEW" to show-and-tell to all the world.

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Peace I leave with you . . .

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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FROM

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LET'S DE-STRESS!

WAITING

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. . ."

Psalm 27:14

WAITING? NOW THERE'S AN UNPOPULAR WORD.

Nevertheless, it characterizes our Christmases. Quite often around Christmastime, there are things we want so badly that we believe we just can't wait for them.

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Remember the anticipation of waiting for Christmas day?

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Whether waiting for Christmas day, waiting for payday, waiting for healing, waiting for restoration, waiting for true love, or even waiting for tomorrow, when impatience builds up within us, it automatically increases our stress.

What is it about waiting that causes us so much stress? Why is it so hard for us to settle our minds and emotions and patiently wait?

While waiting, in any form--at any time--is unwelcomed and uncomfortable, it's a part of life. And after a few times around the block and back, no one has to tell us the negative affects from impatient waiting.

Stress-survivors unanimously agree that patience is a virtue; and this virtue is not easily or comfortably achieved. Matter of fact, one of the hardest lessons to be learned on the road to becoming a successful survivor is learning how to wait.

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As with all things Good and Perfect, the art of learning to wait is wrapped-up in the Word of God.

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Greater than any gift from anyone's tree, God's word gives us power and courage to stand--and withstand--all things, at all times, in all places.

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Peace I leave with you . . .

TIS' THE SEASON

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. . . " ~ Colossians 3:17

TIS' THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY! AND STRESSED!

Well, now, is it our actions or our desires that stress us most during the Christmas season?

Yes, we tend to devote increased physical energies at home, at work, and with various organizations on Christmas festivities. For the most part, this excites us and creates only minimal stress.

On the other hand, we spend extensive and unnecessary energies on our emotions. Wishing, hoping, and stressing over people, places, and things, that are far-fetched and frivolous, goes against our de-stressing grain.

Unreasonable expectations have a way of producing stress in a matter of minutes. Once we allow giving-and-receiving to become gravely materialistic, before we realize it, our stresses are on the rise.

Stress-survivors have discovered something--and it's not necessarily a secret--that's highly effective in combating holiday stress.

Celebrating with the words from COLOSSIANS 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. . . " not only makes our Christmases brighter, but also makes our stresses lighter.

Peace I leave with you . . .

THAT CHRISTMAS FEELING

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee . . . "

ISAIAH 26:3

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IT'S IN THE AIR . . . HERE . . . THERE . . . AND EVERYWHERE! . . . . That Christmas Feeling.

Every year this time, we (meaning most of us) find ourselves experiencing a most exhilarating feeling.

We're planning and preparing and shopping and sharing good times, good foods, good music, good movies, and God knows what else. Laughing and loving abounds.

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And up, pops stress.

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HOW do we enjoy this special time of year without being bombarded with stresses? WHAT can we do to cut out senseless tension, and to cut down on absolutely unavoidable strain?

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Stress-survivors believe, in either case, that Jesus makes the difference—THE BIG DIFFERENCE. Whether we voluntarily acknowledge Him or not, the presence of the Lord spreads an undeniable feeling of peace and goodwill.
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When we spend time with the Lord daily and seek His will, we attain a most gratifying peace. Now, this awesome feeling that Jesus provides, at Christmas or any other time, requires great commitment from us.

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Stress-survivors will be the first to testify that in the same manner we yield ourselves to mega Christmas cheer, we must be willing, likewise, to surrender our hearts and minds to the essence of Jesus Christ.
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As we do that, we will be surprised at how tension and stress seem to ease away, and how love, joy, and peace compliment our lives; giving "that Christmas feeling" all through the year.

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Peace I leave with you . . .

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

O Give thanks unto the LORD,

for He is good:

for His mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 107:1

...

..

THE VERY BEST

"O taste and see that the Lord is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."

Psalm 34:8

IT'S TRUE . . . Most of us want the best of everything. Whatever season or situation, we want the very best.

We want the best houses, the best cars, the best clothes, the best jobs, the best families, the best friends, the best foods, and even the best health.

Be not deceived when it comes to matters of the heart, not just do we want the best, We absolutely need the best. And just as there are things money can't buy, surely, there are things man cannot supply.

For all the issues that aggravate the stress-survivors' heart and mind, we need the best de-stress we can find. No doubt, God is the best heart-fixer and mind-regulator during stressful times.

Whatever betides us--be it little stresses, big stresses, or those straggling in between--God is the best stress-reliever we can expect to discover.

Realizing that matters of the heart include the spiritual and delude the physical, stress-survivors are careful to seek The Grandest De-stressor of them all.

When we're discouraged . . . distressed . . . depressed . . . or needing a super-spiritual fix, in the words of the late gospel recording artist, Frank Williams, "If Jesus Can't Fix it, Nobody Can."

PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU . . .

MIND RENEWAL

EVER CONSIDERED how significant affiliations require renewals?

Sure enough, personal and professional memberships, licenses, registrations, enrollments, and several others are renewed at regular intervals. Things like time, energy, actions and appetites are renewed or restarted each day.

Many areas of our lives are bound by renewals. And by "bound" we indeed understand that it is mandatory, regardless of personal or popular opinion.

Wouldn't it seem so that if the vital issues surrounding us call for regular renewal, that our minds would definitely require the same? Because our minds contribute significantly to our total being, it seems only natural that we seek mind renewal.

As stress-survivors, we sooner or later discover that renewing the mind has a profound affect on reducing stress. It may sound elementary but as we renew our mind, we refresh our thinking--which, in most cases, creates new possibilities and solutions to de-stress.

When we transform our negative attitudes and actions into positive and productive ones, BY CONSISTENTLY RENEWING OUR MIND, we experience that which the Bible describes as "Peace that passes all understanding."

Peace I leave with you . . .

ALL THINGS

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
~ Philippians 4:13 ~

How many times have we uttered the words of this Scripture?

No doubt, when considering this verse, we've noticed that the words sound real "Christian" and cute.

How many times--when greatly stressed or depressed--have we had to honestly embrace and believe these words because they were all we had to cling to?

There comes a time in each stress-survivors' life when we're afforded an opportunity to put what we profess into action. We've learned that surviving stress never depends on what "I can do." Our de-stress success is definitely "through Christ."

Surely we can recall times when faced with impossible situations, and had it not been for the strength from Christ, we never could, or would, have made it.

As stress-survivors, we confess that Philippians 4:13 is not just some sweet-sounding words. And it's not just some Scripture we've heard or read. We've walked in the reality of these words, and we know every word is true.

There are so many, many things that we, of ourselves, cannot do. But Christ strengthens us to do ALL THINGS . . . in ways we could have never imagined.


Peace I leave with you . . .

DESIRES

Delight yourself in the Lord;

and He will give you

the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in Him;

and He will do this.


Psalm 37:4-5 (NIV)

MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

I am the vine, ye are the branches.

He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit;

for without me ye can do nothing.

~ John 15:5, KJV ~

"Magnificent" to stress-survivors may be altogether different than to others.

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What impresses us as extraordinary and exceptional may not even faze some folk--especially if they've never been stranded on a stressful path.

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In the 1954 classic, "Magnificent Obsession," party-hardy, Bob Merrick, is to blame for Joyce Hudson husband's death; and then for her tragic blindness.

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As stressful as his situation started out, there was sweet peace in the end. In spite of Bob Merrick's many reckless choices, he surprisingly turned his life around.

After he met a man who shared a powerful testimony about "connecting to the power source ," it became a "Magnificent Obsession" to Merrick to do--and to be--everything possible to to achieve this connection.

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As stress survivors, once we have stressed until we literally feel ill, we come to a point where we're willing to surrender to a power much greater than ourselves. And we too determine to do whatever it takes to obtain this power.

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JESUS reminds us (John 15:5) that HE is our Power Source. And it matters not who we are, what we've done, or where we've come from, we--like the determined Bob Merrick--must develop a Magnificent Obsession with Jesus and seek His Ultimate Power Source.

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Peace I leave with you . . .

THE BIG PICTURE

" Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,

and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)

ALL PICTURES are not created equally . . . and some people wonder why?

There are times when stress-survivors wonder why certain people prosper and others don't--Why some will accomplish big dreams and others won't.

There are times when some stand on the side-lines of life and watch, while others parade by with banners of success. Why have some captured "The Big Picture" and others have not?

When in the midst of these thoughts, first, we must examine ourselves. We must determine if our lives are disciplined by God's Word, or if undisciplined lives are adding to our stresses.

When we allow every little doubt and disappointment to cause us stress, we forfeit a part of our big picture. Envy, jealousy and gossip are all apart of the small picture. And as long as we focus on small stuff, we can't entertain anything bigger.

We can stress out 'til Dooms Day, but if we don't take our thoughts captive to the Word of God, we limit ourselves to less-than "The Big Picture."

Indeed this takes practice and prayer, and it may not always appear to benefit us, but every thought and deed we align to the obedience of Christ puts us closer to our "BIG PICTURE."


Peace I leave with you . . .

A NEW SEASON

TO EVERY THING

there is a season,

and a time to every purpose

under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Praise God For A New Season!

THE WINNERS' CIRCLE

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you."

~ Matthew 6:33 ~

Almost everyone, everywhere, loves being a winner--stress-survivors included.

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As children, back in the 50's and 60's, we had something we called a winner's sucker. These suckers were favorites among us kids because, as the name implies, they were winners. Sometimes.

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When we bought a sucker, unwrapped it, and pulled out a little white strip of paper that had "Winner" written on it, we'd win a free sucker.

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We spent nickel after nickel, trying to be a winner. And when we didn't win--even back then--we'd become aggravated and upset.

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Since then we've moved on and matured, of course, we're still holding on to that winners' mentality.

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Who among us does not stress over winning? Winning affection in private; winning praise in public; winning recognition on the job; even winning consumer "rewards."

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Fortunately, we've been exposed to a much bigger and better winners' circle. In this particular winners' circle there's no stressing over whether or not we're going to win. WE ARE GUARANTEED TO WIN.

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GOD guarantees when we seek HIS WORD and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, "ALL" things will be added unto us (See Matthew 6:33).

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Please understand, with this win, as with our winners' suckers, there's a part for us to play. We must seek God's way--first. We must conform to His will in doing and being right. Then, for certain, we'll be in THE WINNERS' CIRCLE.

Peace I leave with you . . .

WRESTLING WITH THE ENEMY

"For we wrestle not

against flesh and blood,

but against principalities,

against powers,

against the rulers

of the darkness

of this world,

against

spiritual wickedness

in high places."

~ Ephesians 6:12 ~

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Wrestling has been a part of our lives for a long, long time. From childhood to adults, we've been exposed to the ways of wrestling.

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Whether mentally or physically, most stress-survivors are indeed familiar when it comes to "wrestling with the enemy."

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Even when we carefully steer clear of drama and discord, we can still get caught in silly situations that lead to stress. In many instances, before we even realize what's happening, we're smack-dab-in-the-middle of a wrestling match.

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Many of us admit to wrestling in physical altercations with others; tossing and turning night after night with emotional issues; and, surely, battling in our own mind.

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When wrestling with the enemy in whatever form or fashion, stress-survivors must realize that our wrestling is in vain. And that it's time to stop it. How?

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First, we do as James 4:7 suggests: We submit ourselves to God. This is so essential, because it is God's supernatural power that causes our wrestling to cease.

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Secondly, also according to James: We resist the devil, and he will flee. Yes, we turn away from the enemy. Instead of wrestling--and stressing--with our enemies, we pray them away.

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BUT, to ensure victory, we must take up permanent residence with God. For God has ALL power to defeat ALL our enemies.

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Peace I leave with you . . .

AFTER AWHILE

"Trusting in the Lord," they say, "will pay off after awhile."

And we Christians say we agree.

But what happens when "after awhile" lingers on and on--for days? And weeks? And months? And even years?

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What happens when we've "Kept a good spirit" and "Prayed both night and day" and "Cried our pillows wet with tears" and "Tied a knot in the end of our rope and held on" . . . yet, we're stressing, waiting on "after awhile?"

Few can identify with such situations, as stress-survivors can. Whether we've been there--done that or dealing with despair right now, we know the terrible stresses that results when the Lord doesn't come through when we want Him to.

Caught up in a web of endless stress, we tend to think all sorts of things. And as most stress-survivors can testify, our feeble minds don't amount to much when our lives are topsy-turvy with stress.

Once we've tortured our brain over and over again, we realize that we can't come up with a doable solution. So what do we do?

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We must learn how to keep trusting in the Lord . . . Anyhow.

If we intend to wade through the deep waters of disappointment and despair--and not drown, WE MUST KEEP TRUSTING IN THE LORD.

Peace I leave with you . . .

SPINNING OUR WHEELS

"God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect.

2 Samuel 22:33 KJV

At the present time, would we say that our lives are, "Just Great," "A Little Shaky," "Headed Down Hill," or "Completely out of Control?"

We all can agree that we are prone to agitation, when our lives take an unexpected turn and veer from the path of peace and productivity.

More often than not, stress characterizes our lives as we witness things around us spiral out of control. Whether it's a personal or professional matter, when we're burdened by negative and nonsense situations--we stress.

Regardless of what we attempt to do or how diligently we to do it, we seem to be defeated. Absolutely powerless. Eventually, we believe that we're just going around and around in circles, spinning our wheels and never getting anywhere.

In her extraordinary book, "Commanding Your Morning," Cindy Trimm shares, "You must realize that the Word of God has the power to realign anything that is misaligned, especially faulty mind-sets, belief systems, ideologies, traditions, and doctrines of deception that lie and exalt themselves above the will of God for your life."

Until we embrace the essence of what Cindy shares, we won't witness lasting change.

Until we align our hearts and minds with the Word of God, we can't receive the power we need to stop spinning the wheels that govern our stressful lives.

Peace I leave with you . . .

IMITATION OF LIFE

". . . I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it

more abundantly."

John 10:10 KJV

In Tyler Perry's hit movie, "The Family That Preys," to her best friend Alice Evans, filthy-rich Charlotte Cartwright poses a sassy--but serious--question: "Are you living or just existing?"

Do we dare ask ourselves this kind of question? Stress-survivors, more so than any other class of people, are often guilty of routinely "existing."

Because we become so boggled in stress and anxiety and drama, we tend to forget that life can be peaceful . . . That life does possess rich rewards.

Let's think for a moment: Why do so many of us resign to stressful and meaningless lifestyles? Does it make any sense to continually struggle and stress with less-than God's best?

Struggling and striving for whatever the reason may be, undoubtedly, elevates our stress.

Jesus reminds us that real life--abundant life--comes from Him. It is His presence in our lives that makes the difference between imitation of life and abundant living.

Apart from Jesus, we cannot obtain true increase and/or peace. And until we embrace His awesome Being and accept the abundance He came to give, it is impossible to leave all our imitations behind.

Peace I leave with you . . .

DANCING WITH THE "SCARS"

"Then David danced before the Lord with all his might;"

2 Samuel 6:14

DANCING, most commonly, consists of strategic movements and maneuver's that require fun-filled energies and efforts.

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Quite often stress-survivors find themselves doing a different kind of dance--one that demands even more energies and accomplished steps. Bombarded with irritations and aggravations, we can't cope with our normal selves because of so much stress.

Beaten and bruised by families, friends, and foes, stress-survivors have come to realize that in order to escape from our stressfulness, we must learn how to "Dance with the scars."

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Granted, it takes immense courage, confidence, and strength. And if we intend to move successfully from our stresses toward peace and productivity, our ultimate armour is the presence of God.

It is with God's guidance that we learn to move at the right time, to maneuver our steps in the right way, and to manage our mind and emotions to gracefully dance with the scars.

That's why when dancing through the endeavors of life, it's absolutely imperative to remain steadfast in the Lord.

In spite of who or what has inflicted our mental, physical or emotional hurts and heartaches, and as impossible as dancing with these scars may seem, we, who have repeatedly battled the war with stress, yet believe that With God all things are possible.

Shall we dance?




Peace I leave with you . . .

DECISIONS. . . DECISIONS. . . DECISIONS

"In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
Proverb 3:6 (KJV)
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THINK of the many decisions we make daily. What time to get up; what to wear; what to eat; what work to do during the day; what movie to watch at night . . . and the list goes on and on. Decisions . . . Decisions . . . Decisions.

No doubt, decisions play a huge part in stress-survivors' lives. Regardless of who we are and/or where we are, we're constantly concerned with making decisions.

Studies show that on an average, we make about three hundred decisions a day. Among those three hundred, some are family-related; some are money-related; some are job-related. Some involve worldly possessions and some are indeed personal.

Whatever category decisions may arise, stress-survivors strive to decipher the good ones from the bad ones. Even on our best days, when trying to utilize our best ways, we discover that decisions can create enormous stress.

SO. . . how do we get to the place where we can stress less and actually experience peace in the midst of our most daring decisions?

PROVERB 3:6 encourages us to acknowledge God and allow Him to give us directions on how and what to do. Simply stated, we ask Him and see what He says about our situations.
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Here again, that's easier said than done. Fact is, when we determine to pray and to rely on the Spirit of God to guide us, we soon discover that "Peace that surpasses all understanding" and clearly gain new insights and instructions for making decisions.
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Perhaps the greatest challenge in crossing over from a hectic to a hallowed life of decisions is making up our mind. One thing for certain, once we decide to walk in the words of the Proverb, and we taste and see how to be stress-free, we'll be glad we did.



Peace I leave with you . . .

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

"A MOTHER"

Who could endure nine long months

of waiting

and wondering

and wishing
and praying
for a healthy newborn?
. . . Only a mother.

Who could trample the floor
for countless days and nights
caring for a helpless child,
then, lovingly cast a kiss
on that same little innocent face?
. . . Only a mother.

Who could cook and clean,
walk around the neighborhood,

run errands,
and talk on the phone,
with a spoiled brat hanging on her hip?
. . . Only a mother.

Who could calm the storms
that rage the heart and the home
when little ones mature into big ones
and leave the love nest,
causing all that was once near and dear
to drift into a whole new meaning of despair?
. . . Only a mother.

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Who could love through the best of times

and through the worst of times;

through thick and thin;

through heartache and pain;

through sunshine and rain?

. . . ONLY A MOTHER.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

SWEET SENSATIONS

Looking for solutions to escape personal and professional stresses?

Wanting a way to release the stress and strain of demanding lifestyles?

Ever considered a Sabbatical?

After numerous ups and downs and negative turn arounds, stress-survivors welcome a refreshing break. We long to "lay our burdens down" and simply relax . . . No issues. No cares or concerns. Just sweet sensations.

Even though sabbaticals are generally associated with getaways for long periods of time, they don't necessarily have to be. Since it's our own personal sabbatical, we say what, we say when, and we say how long.

Yeah . . . yeah . . . yeah . . . money is tight, right? And we must be mindful of our spending. Truth is, if most of us wait until we can comfortably afford our sabbatical, we may be waiting forever.

So what do we do?

Be creative! Think of unique ways to pursue something fulfilling and fun. Solicit a friend or dare to venture alone.

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Whether we choose an hour, an afternoon, a weekend, or hopefully a whole week, let's pursue something (as long as it's not unhealthy or unholy) that promotes relaxation and restoration for deeply stressed souls.

All in favor of a sensational sabbatical say "AYE!"


Peace I leave with you . . .

LET US PRAY

Don't worry about anything;
Instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done.

Then you will experience God's Peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds
as you live in Christ Jesus.



Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

FOOLISHNESS

Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.
~ Proverbs 9:6, NKJV

Believe it or not, there’s an often overlooked stress for many of us that results from FOOLISHNESS.

Foolishness?

Yes, things that are absolutely out of order—unnecessary—uncouth—and of no benefit to ourselves or anyone else. Foolishness can be associated with any action or reaction that results in physical, mental, or emotional impairment or pain leading to stress.

Foolishness creeps in when we embrace people, places, or things that are detrimental to our well-being. This could involve health, wealth, family, finances, or friends.

While we can—most times—pinpoint the folly of others, we fall short in recognizing our own. Come to think of it, we stand accused of camouflaging the foolish things we inflict upon ourselves.

No doubt, even as adults, we are enticed by life’s frivolous feats. But successful stress-survivors must be mindful of the thin line between “simply having fun” and “doing something foolish.”

Ultimately, we reap what we sow. And though it’s quite common, it’s not always a case of what we’ve said or done to others. The silly things we do to ourselves can eventually haunt us and cause deep and emotional stresses.

Say, for instance, a person with diabetes gobbles from a table filled with sugary-Sweet cakes and pies. That’s silly! And if saying so offends us—knowing it’s bad for our health—then that’s even sillier.

As long as we allow destructive attitudes and actions to cause us stress, we can’t become wholehearted stress-survivors.

Let’s face it . . . some things aren’t worth stressing over—especially when it relates to foolishness.

Peace I leave with you . . .

FEAR NOT

"Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy . . . "
Luke 2:10

Have we considered our present economy and how it has countless people filled with fear? Have we stopped to think of all the stresses we're facing as a result of these fears?

In addition to our constant worry, we're plagued with strained relationships, less-than-best health, alienation of religious affections, declining self-confidence, and the list goes on and on.

Even though we live in the real world with chaos and confusion and are often confronted with fears of all kind, we cannot allow fear to dominate our lives.

It makes no difference if fear is brewing all around us. As victorious stress-survivors, we hold to the belief that "With God All Things are Possible." And we dare not be destroyed by fear.

Regardless of who says what, we live and have our being under the auspices of God. Not a single one of us exist of our own volition. By the same token, we -- of ourselves -- are no match for our stressful fears.

Since our lives are not preserved by our own attemps, we must embrace "the Source" for conquering fear.

God is in control of all things, and He is not riddled by our multitude of fears. He can conquer any fear, anytime, anywhere, and with anyone.

The Good Tidings? WE'RE STILL STANDING. WE'RE STILL BREATHING. WE'RE STILL WALKING AND TALKING. WE 'RE STILL LAUGHING AND PLAYING . . . AND WE'RE STILL BLESSED BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

Fear not, for behold, in the midst of all things BAD, it's always something GOOD to be grateful for.

Peace I leave with you . . .

THERE IS A PLACE!

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;. . ."
Psalm 91:1-2

Do we get sick and tired of worrying?

Don't we wish for a place to go and get away from worries and stress?

Surely there has to be somewhere that we can go to escape from so many stressful routines. Fortunately, some of us have found a place of serenity. But the majority of us have not.

Remember the blockbuster movie, LION KING? What's the one thing about the movie that quickly comes to mind?

HAKUNA MATATA!

For those who were really off into the Lion King, it didn't take long to grasp the meaning of the movie's most talked-about title. HAKUNA MATATA is a Swahili phrase that's translated as "No Worries."

Can we imagine . . . a place of no worries? Isn't that exactly what we want?

More and more each day, stress--survivors are seeking HAKUNA MATATA -- that secret place of peace. Psalm 91 reveals "the secret" to the secret place where we can go and get relief from all worries and stress.

GOD IS the Master of all stress-reduction. In His presence we can have peace in the midst of any kind of distress.

HAKUNA MATATA? Indeed, there is a place . . . in the secret place of GOD.

Peace I leave with you . . .

Valentine Wishes

JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID . . .

"WHOEVER DRINKS OF THIS WATER

WILL THIRST AGAIN,

BUT WHOEVER DRINKS OF THE WATER

THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM

WILL NEVER THIRST.

BUT THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM

WILL BECOME IN HIM A FOUNTAIN OF WATER

SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING LIFE."


JOHN 4:13-14 (NKJV)

Peace I leave with you . . .

WHO TO TELL

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
~ Psalm 46:1 (KJV) ~

The 1970's well-known television comedian, FLIP WILSON, constantly boasted about a personal friend that he called "Killer."

Although this friend was never visible to anyone, Flip's devotion to him was so strong that it caused others to believe in and respect him.

Whoever or whatever caused trouble or concern, Flip quickly proclaimed that he was going to "tell Killer." This man was highly confident that Killer would come to his rescue and make his stressors behave.

In our troublesome situations, who do we turn to? Who is it that we place complete confidence in when stresses mount-up and threaten our lives? Who do we trust to tell our trials and tribulations to?

Sadly, many of our stresses are elevated when those we put our trust in betray us. In all honesty, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, and best friends don't always live up to our expectations.

Surely, that's why so many stress-survivors put absolute confidence in JESUS. We choose to "tell Jesus" all of our troubles. Having someone to tell our troubles to, someone who genuinely cares, helps to ease stress and anxieties.

The sacred Hymn from composer Elisha Albright Hoffman says it like this:

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

We, moreso than Flip Wilson, believe that in each and every circumstance, Jesus will come to our rescue.

Peace I leave with you . . .

PRAYER FOR HAITI

"Hear my prayer, O Lord,

And let my cry come to You.

Do not hide Your face from me

in the day of my trouble;

Incline Your ear to me;

In the day that I call,

answer me speedily."


Psalm 102:1-2 NKJV

ISAIAH 40:4-5

"Every valley shall be exalted

and every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places

shall be made straight,
And the rough places smooth;
The glory of the Lord
shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together;

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."


Isaiah 40:4-5 NKJV