Tag Archives: positive thinking

December 4, 2014 · 9:48 am

When Fear and Anxiety Try To Win.

I have moments where I worry just like you. I let my thoughts run wild. I don’t discipline them and before I know it, I am awake in the middle of the night doing the exact opposite of what I tell other people to do. Anxiety fills me. Fear grips me. Stress takes over my physical and mental being. It’s an awful feeling. I long for morning, because I need a new day. A new grip on life. I need Kris to wake up and reassure me what I need reassure myself.

Last night was that kind of night for me. I tossed and turned. I let fear grip me. Hold me. Wrap its ugly hands around me. Grab hold of me like it owned me.

I finally slept the last hour. My alarm went off. I peeled open my eyes. And, I reminded myself of this scripture:

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. 
2 Corinthians 10:5

DEMOLISH those thoughts that don’t come from Him. Take them captive. Interrogate them. Hold them captive so they can’t hold you. Remind your soul of who God is. Recall every time God proved Himself faithful to you.

Recall every stone that has piled up in your life as a memorial to the goodness, the faithfulness, and the mercy of God.

Remember every situation that looked impossible and how God grabbed you and said, “I am for you.”

Hold onto thoughts of His goodness. Hold onto His love that stretches wider and deeper and longer than anything we can imagine.

Hold onto THOSE thoughts.

Hold them tightly.

Demolish those other thoughts. Take them captive. Strip them of their power. Because, the One inside you is greater. He is truth. He is good. And, in Him, we have no fear.

This Sunday at Eagles Way, I will be opening up our new series, Silent Night, with this very message. I will preach it with as much passion as I possibly can. Because, I know what it feels like to be gripped by something that takes the wind out from under you. But, I also know what it feels like to send those thoughts back to hell. And, to rise up with a renewed confidence, a renewed mind, and renewed passion for TRUTH.

His mercies are new every morning. And, because, of those mercies, this is mind is new….and finally, it caught up with what my Spirit already knew.

 

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April 3, 2012 · 5:00 am

Jehovah Elohim (Part Two)

Jehova Elohim formed the world with His words.  Since we are created in His image, we are also creators.  Likewise, we form our world with our words.  We create the chaos.  We create the blessings.

Life and death is in the tongue.

It can crush the heart of another.  It can destroy a relationship.

It can heal a broken heart.  It can bring joy to everyone around.

Our words frame our world.  They have the power to transform our in lives into everything God intended them to be….

Full.

And, abundant.

And, good.

Every word begins with a thought.  All things in life begin inside of my being as a thought.  What shows up on the outside harmonizes perfectly with what’s happening on the inside of me.  You know the good ‘ol Henry Ford quote:   “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”  You always attract what you constantly think about.  You will attract 10% of what you want in life.  You will attract 100% of what you are.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7

If you study the book of Romans, you can read into the fact that Paul was tormented by bad belief systems and thinking.  He says in Romans 7, “18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  I want to do what is right, but I can’t.  19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t.  I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”  But, finally, we read in Philippians 3:10 Paul’s resolve to replace his negative thinking:

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

How does Paul do this?  How does he experience the power of the resurrection in his life?  How does he experience the good stuff?  Read one more chapter over…

…one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Philippians 4:8

Paul learned the power of his thoughts.  So, he urges us all to fix our minds on things that are GOOD.  To THINK about EXCELLENT things.

You see, whenever you start confessing TRUTH, GOOD THOUGHTS, you don’t have to worry about what bad belief systems or thinking you need to replace.  They will reveal themselves.  When you focus on what is right, what is wrong will identify and correct itself.

Kris and I are working hard together, holding one another accountable for negative words and thoughts.  When we do, we replace it with a positive affirmation.  We replace it with truth.  Whenever you begin having a negative, destructive thought, replace it with truth.  Replace it with His truth.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Whose mind STAYS ON HIM is kept in perfect peace.  And, isn’t that where the good stuff flows from?  Perfect peace?  If I’ve heard my momma say it once, I’ve heard her say it one million times, “Peace of mind is worth its weight in gold.”  Now, that I have three little people of my own, I totally get it.

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August 4, 2010 · 5:00 am

Bounce Your Thoughts.

I have this sweet, little scripture hanging in my home:

Whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely…think on these things.  Philippians 4:8

I say “sweet, little” because, well, it’s a nice goal.  Don’t ya think?  But, who really takes it to heart and executes it in his or her life? 

Not me.  Not always.

I can let my thought life take me down a road of perpetual worry.  I can let my thought life cause me to become resentful of not having more time for myself.  I can let my thought life lead me down a road of becoming irritated with my husband, because he fails to see his clothes on the floor.  I can let my thought life do a lot of damage in a day. 

It can rob me of time that I can’t ever get back.  It can rob me of trusting in Him, because I worry.  It can rob me of enjoying a smile from my baby boy’s sweet face, because I’m thinking how little time I have to myself in a day.  It can rob me of appreciating how hard my husband works for our family. 

I’ve always heard we should “bounce our eyes” when confronted with something visually unhealthy.  That’s important.  But, so is bouncing our thoughts.  The moment we let a thought that is not noble, right, pure or lovely surface, we need to bounce it immediately.

What if every one of our thoughts was truly noble, right, pure, and lovely?  How different would our life look?  How much more would I enjoy the gifts God has given me?  How much more would I trust in my Savior who has NEVER let me down? 

This is exactly what God is working in my life right at this moment.  He is teaching me how much I need to bounce my thoughts.  And, oh boy, will I need some reminders and accountability on this one.

How is your thought life?

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September 25, 2008 · 6:00 am

How do you see the glass?

The other day, we were all in the car headed to Chick-fil-A.  John Henry kept asking, “How much longer until we get there?”  You see, he was ready to hurry and get home so he could play with his brand spankin’ new Batman house.  Eventually, I had enough.  ‘Cause all mommas eventually have enough.

“John Henry, if I hear one more time how you want the ride to hurry up, you will not be getting anything from Chick-fil-A.  You can make your own dinner at home.”  And, I meant it, too.

“Well, I’ll be lucky then.”  He responded.

“Lucky?  How will that make you lucky?” I asked.

“Because, I’ll be the only one eating food from the house.  So, I’ll be lucky.”  He explained.

I couldn’t help but laugh.  I looked at my mom who was riding with me and said, “Talk about seeing the glass half full!”

I wish I could always see life that way.  But, the truth is, I don’t.  I can fall into self-pity more easily than I care to admit.  Let’s be honest.  Self-pity is pretty dang convenient.  Kind of like when my back is hurting, and I wallow in my pain long enough for Kris to serve me.  That’s convenient.  But, when that pain becomes my focus, I fail to see the fact that I can still walk.  That I can still enjoy all five senses.  That my life is blessed. 

So, when life hands you lemons.  Enjoy those lemons.  My Uncle Ken says “lemons are the essence of life.”  I’m really not sure what he means by that, but I do know that he likes fresh-squeezed lemonade. 

I’m gonna really try harder to have John Henry’s attitude who also said after losing his first soccer game, “Was I great out there?”  Oh, yes he was.

How do you see the glass?

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