DISCIPLINE

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7, NIV

Discipline? . . . In these times? With these stresses?

Like most public perception, stress-survivors feel that discipline can be difficult--quite difficult. Yet, a continuous cycle of whatever-will-be-will-be, leads to continuous stress.

Because discipline contributes to various aspects of less-stressful lifestyles, it's imperative that we make every effort to execute it.

One essential fact in dealing with discipline is that DISCIPLINE IS AN EVERYDAY THING. We can't expect to up and usher in discipline only during durations of stress.

Stress-survivors realize the more we perform discipline, the more perfected we become; thereby reducing lots and lots of stress.

Without discipline, we're apt to invite unnecessary stresses that possibly could be avoided. More often than not, we're caught in the middle of, or millimeters away from, full-blown stresses; all because of lack of discipline.

Stress-survivors are learning to implement definite courtesies to avoid stress caused from chaos and confusion. We realize the magnitude of premeditated actions and reactions, and accelerated disciplines.

We stress-survivors have no doubt that "Discipline" can make a tremendous difference in the way we handle stress.


Peace I leave with you . . .

A DISCERNING SPIRIT

NOTE: Please pardon our absence for the past few weeks. Circumstances summoned elsewhere.

Quite often, stress-survivors share a most unique testimony: The more we experience life, the more unbelievable it becomes.

Things we wouldn't have ever imagined . . . people we wouldn't have ever suspected . . . troubles we wouldn't have touched with a ten-foot pole, have somehow bewitched our lives and sent us straight into a stressful mode.

While stresses of any kind are rarely welcomed, there's no stress more damaging than those unexpected ones. These are the ones that stress the heart, mind, and soul.

Searching ourselves--and all else--with a great many why-comes and why-me, stress-survivors unanimously agree that it's wise to develop a discerning spirit.

A discerning, or wise, spirit can largely affect the direction, the degree, and the damage of most stresses.

Harboring a discerning spirit, stress-survivors learn to sidestep senseless stress and to carefully consider the stresses that unexpectedly bombard our lives.

If there's ever a time when stress-survivors desperately need discernment, the time is NOW.

Please, be encouraged: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." ~ James 1:5

Peace I leave with you . . .

THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE

". . . a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you."
Isaiah 47:11b, NKJV

Ask any stress-surviors and we will testify how quickly things can change.

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No doubt, we've all had experiences when everything was going so good, and without the slightest warning--in the twinkling of an eye--things changed.
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Sound familiar?
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It might be personal or professional, and even sometimes spiritual, but catastrophes can come upon us so quickly, that we're more than "knocked off our feet," we're left out on a limb, wondering what to do.
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Now here's the big question: Is there a way to make ourselves immune to the stresses that so suddenly attack us?

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Hardly. . . But there is hope. Stress-survivors have learned how to look for hope in whatever, or whoever, upsets us.

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What we recommend to endure times of sudden stresses is to keep our eyes stayed on the Lord. We offer God's promise in Isaiah 26:3, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee:"

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Stress-survivors cling to that promise like birds clinging to a single life-saving branch. We've tried it and we know it's true.

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But don't take our word, try God yourselves and see won't He, in the twinkling of an eye, do just what He said.

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Peace I leave with you . . .