LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word." 

LET'S DE-STRESS AND BE BLESSED

If there's  one thing stress and anxiety sufferers delight in, it's Blessings.

Stress survivors remain in great expectation of one blessing after the other. Today, let's de-stress and be blessed with God's Word in Psalm 112.   

Praise the Lord!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

Who delights greatly in His commandments.

His descendants will be mighty on earth;

The generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches will be in his house,

And his righteousness endures forever.

Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;

He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

A good man deals graciously and lends;

He will guide his affairs with discretion.

Surely he will never be shaken;

The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.

He will not be afraid of evil tidings;

His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 

~Psalm 112: 1-7, NKJV

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS FROM APPEARANCES

"For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7b, NKJV

"What's wrong with my hair?" That's the question paparazzi reported recently coming from Olympic Gold-Medal Gymnast, Gabby Douglas.

Although Gabby had just obtained a "major" Olympic victory, a great deal of focus, and criticism, was placed on her "appearance."  In the midst of her magic moment, she had to contend with stress regarding her appearance. 

Honestly, appearance anxieties didn't originate at 2012 Olympics, and surely not with Gabby. Recalling 1 Samuel,  Chapter 16, when the Lord told Samuel, "I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons . . . you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you."  

As far back as biblical times, appearance issues have existed. Notice how, as "Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem . . . he looked at Eliab and said, 'Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him!'" 

Samuel based his thoughts solely on what his eyes could see. "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature . . . For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" 

Throughout ageless accounts of criticism and ostracism, far too many of us have faced demoralizing stresses, regarding our appearance. At some point, even strong stress survivors have wondered, "What's wrong with me?"   

Just as God assured Samuel that appearances didn't impress Him, He assures us, as well, that man's acceptance, based on outward appearances, is of no consequence to the blessings He bestows. 

Let's de-stress from appearances by keeping our hearts tuned to God's Word, and by believing when God sends forth a blessing, it's as good as GOLD.   


Peace I leave with you . . .  

LET'S DE-STRESS THIS SUMMER SEASON

Fretting day after day during the hot summer season is a probable cause for stress, sickness, and  even stroke. Our de-stress must surpass our stress, if we are to avoid the ills of the season. Let's de-stress this summer season with wisdom from ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8.

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, And a time to die;
A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill, And a time to heal;
A time to break down, And a time to build up;
A time to weep, And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, And a time to lose;
A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
A time to love, And a time to hate;
A time of war, And a time of Peace.

Peace I leave with you . . . 

LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, 

that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,

may have an abundance for every good work."

2 Corinthians 9:8

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"Dedicated to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS MINI

HOW, on earth, can we expect to experience a less-stressful life,

if we fail to follow God's Word and His Will?

"Dedicated to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS FROM BLAME

                  "Then Sarai said to Abram, 'My wrong be upon you . . . '"

~ Genesis 16:5a

As shocking as it sounds, people, of all ages and from all walks of life, constantly ping-pong accusations over who did what to whom.

  

We expend so much energy pointing fingers and pronouncing blame on others until we seldom realize how we're piling stress on ourselves. 

In Genesis Chapter 16, we witness Abraham (Abram) and Sarah(Sarai) in the middle of a stressful situation.  Since she couldn't bear children, Sarah told Abraham to take her maid and have children with her. So Abraham slept with Hagar, the maid, and she conceived his child.   

After Hagar got pregnant, she despised Sarah. And Sarah blamed Abraham . . . And Abraham, likewise, blamed Sarah. Then when Sarah mistreated Hagar, the maid ran away. STRESS . . . STRESS . . . STRESS!

Honestly, for all of that stress and confusion, who's to blame? In Abraham and Sarah's situation, as in so many of our own, what difference will shifting the blame make? What will it possibly change when it's decided who's to blame? 

Stress survivors readily admit that playing the blame game can tremendously stress us and cause our lives to be total disasters. And, in the end, it isn't worth the endless arguments and stresses we suffer.  

Let's De-Stress from blame by channeling our energies toward peaceful affairs; by clinging to God's Word; and by making certain WE ARE NOT TO BLAME. 

Peace I leave with you . . .

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

DE-STRESS FROM INSECURITY

       "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."

~ Numbers 13:30b NKJV

Remember the time when God commanded Moses to send men to spy out the land of Canaan, and to see what the land and the people were like? (Numbers Chapter 13) Remember how Moses specifically instructed the men to "be of good courage?"

Courage back then, same as now, was an essential characteristic for any undertaking of success. Quests of the unknown--then and now--sprout situations and stresses far too fierce to attempt a journey without courage. Definitely, a de-stress journey. 

Then, after 40 days, the men returned to Moses and the children of Israel with a bad report (stress), "The people who dwell in the land are strong . . .men of great stature--giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Make no mistake, however courageous we think we are, is exactly the way we will be. Insecure and insignificant thinking confines us to "grasshopper" mentalities and, in turn, creates giant-sized stresses. No doubt, how we see ourselves is how others will too.

Stress survivors are convinced insecurity originates from within. Thus, we realize we must de-stress from insecurity from the inside out. While stress is without restrictions, de-stress requires courage. So to truly de-stress, it's imperative for us to have courage.  
Looking back, there stood one man before Moses and the people who didn't cower to insecurity stress. Caleb quieted the people (de-stress) and spoke differently than all the rest, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."

It matters not who we are, or how powerful our opposition may be--even when we're the minority of only one--if we want to eliminate insecurity stresses, we must, first, believe we can. Once we decide to de-stress from insecurity, we stand firm; stay focused; and steady our faith in God.  

Whatever the situation, stress survivors believe we are well able to overcome.


Peace I leave with you . . .  

"Dedicated to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."

LET'S DE-STRESS DEVOTIONAL

"Devoted to relieving stress using principles based on God's Word."