Updated on January 29, 2016
Collateral Damage Check-In
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” – Matthew 19:26
So, it’s time for our check-in regarding the anger challenge we’ve been doing for a week. Let me tell you, not surprisingly, the Lord has just blown me away this week!
The first couple of days, I was wallowing in my grouch so seriously, I really, really wanted to forego the challenge. Then I remembered all of you out there who would be reading this post today, and I wanted to be able to write honestly. So thanks for keeping me accountable.
I really amazed myself at holding a grudge against… well, no one! I mean, honestly, how can I hold so stubbornly to anger that has no target, no blame, and no focus? I sure am territorial about it, though. Following the three steps, in order, really did help me to be able to wipe the slate clean each night.
After pouring my heart out, out loud, each evening, I did my best to channel my tears into creative outlets. I let the Spirit lead me, but my creative talents are extraordinarily limited! Some nights I sang. That was a big deal to me because singing is both discouraging and draining to me right now. But I wanted to offer my praise and pour my heart out in song a few nights, so that’s what I did. I also wrote a few blog posts, as I felt led about it.
Let me tell you, the “clean slate” part of the night was easier and easier as the week went on. I was so afraid that I would wake each morning still bowed under with the weight of the anger on my shoulders. But I didn’t. I really didn’t. I also found that through the day, I was slower to anger. I kept a list of times I felt or expressed anger, so that I could address it all in our evening conversations. By the end of the week, the list was tiny.
It thrills my soul when God’s Word stands up to every ugly challenge we can throw at it. My expectations were low, because it relied on me and I know what a failure I am. God proved that He can work with a stubborn mule with a head as hard as a marble pillar. He wants to do it for all of us, no matter how slow of a learner we are.
I am going to continue this until I feel God has mastered me, and even then, I will keep it in my back pocket as a go-to solution for when anger rears its ugly head. I’m also going to apply it to all sorts of emotions I’m grappling with… depression, pride, grief.
Did you do the weekly challenge? How did it work for you?
Holy God, I have no idea how it works, but it works!! Every word You have given us is beautiful truth that brings light. Thank You for shining so faithfully into my dark places. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 27, 2016
PLS has changed my voice, but it can’t keep me from singing!
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel. – Psalm 22:3
I have always loved to praise. My favorite form is singing. I’ve been singing since before I can even remember. I won awards for singing, and was even offered a recording contract in my senior year of high school. Singing is one of my very favorite things.
But I guess I never realized how important our praises, of all kinds, are to God. David writes that He is enthroned on praises. Our praises are His throne! Wow.
Over the past couple of months, my singing voice has begun to be affected by my Primary Lateral Sclerosis. It’s been affecting my voice for a while now, but left my singing voice alone. Now, no more. It is such a difficult loss and such a discouragement to my heart, I just can’t tell you how personal of an impact this change has had on me.
My breath control isn’t there anymore. Related to that, I don’t have to volume I had before, either. I have much less control over tone and it’s gotten to where I wince and cringe to hear myself sing. It makes me cry. The sorrow is tangible.
For me.
But for God…
Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him. – Job 13:15a
When I realized what my praises mean to God, that He makes them His very throne, I knew I had to keep singing. It doesn’t sound the same anymore.
To me…
But to God….
Dear God, thank You for treasuring our meager offerings as if they were priceless treasures. We love You so. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 26, 2016
How to Find Rest When Fear Leaves You Restless
“For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn–conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:5).
This is how I feel most days. How about you?
When we came into chronic illness . . . disability . . . unrelenting pain . . . loneliness . . . “we had no rest, but were harassed at every turn–conflicts on the outside, fears within.”
Yep, that about covers it.
Consider this your invitation.
Come on over to Rest Ministries to finish this post,
then stay a while! <3
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 25, 2016
The Other Side of the Expiration Date
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. – 1 Corinthians 13:7
Recently I wrote a post about having an expiration date. Well, a really wonderful friend helped me to change my perspective, and I have her permission to share that with you.
See, there was this one line in the post….
It’s easy to dwell on every single task with a “this might be the last time I” attitude.
You know what my amazing friend pointed out to me? You’re gonna love this.
She’s struggled with this same attitude in her own life, due to chronic illness. But she’s also recognized a “flip side” to this thought. There are things that we can be thankful we will never have to do again!
Don’t you just love it? And so the gauntlet was laid down, and now I’m passing the baton to you.
I thought of lots of things once I got going, but here are
three of them that I am so thankful I will never have to do again!
1. Scrub a toilet
2. Drive in rush-hour traffic
3. Stand in line
What would your list look like?
Heavenly Father, you know that friend? The one you sent to me at just the right time? I love her, Lord. Please guard and keep her. Help her to never feel she has to be anything other than the wonder that she is. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 23, 2016
You Have My Surrender
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7
Here are my chronic pains and debilitating aches
Here are my “I can’t do this!” and my “Can you hear me?”
Here are the questions about why and how and how long
Here are my lost relationships, my bouts of depression
Here are the losses of what makes me, me
And I will take you at your unfailing word
More than all I want, I will seek you first
I will bless your name when the night is long
God you have my surrender
Here are my pleadings, my moanings, my longings
I will bind my will so you can have your way
Here are the dreams I have lost along the way
I am nothing, nothing without you
And I will take you at your unfailing word
More than all I want, I will seek you first
I will bless your name when the night is long
God you have my surrender
I cast my shame on, I cast my pain on, I cast my worries on you
I cast my questions on, I cast my doubts on, I cast my lack of faith on you
I cast my family on, I cast my fears on, I cast my overwhelm on you
This song inspired me when I heard it last week. I hope it will inspire you, too. I used the lyrics as a template for this poem. I’ve put the template at the end of this post if you want to make your own. <3
Heavenly Father, Help me as I surrender. Help me as I gather up all my negative, useless worries and lay them at Your feet. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
Template:
Here are my (hurts)
Here are my (doubts)
Here are the (things that I can’t figure out)
Here are my (storms), my (crashing seas)
Here are the (burdens that have brought me to my knees)
And I will take you at your unfailing word
More than all I want, I will seek you first
I will bless your name when the night is long
God you have my surrender
Here are my (prayers and needs)
I will bind my will so you can have your way
Here are (the things I can’t undo)
I am nothing, nothing without you
And I will take you at your unfailing word
More than all I want, I will seek you first
I will bless your name when the night is long
God you have my surrender
I cast my (cares) on, I cast my (cares) on, I cast my (cares) on you
I cast my (cares) on, I cast my (cares) on, I cast my (cares) on you
I cast my (cares) on, I cast my (cares) on, I cast my (cares) on you
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Shelly
Updated on January 21, 2016
On Limiting Collateral Damage
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. – James 1:19-20
So yesterday I admitted I had a problem. That’s the first important step, right?
Today, it’s time to slime the slime boss and make his foothold a thing of the past. Prepare to slip, evil one.
I’ve done my best to find a path.
Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left. – Isaiah 30:21
1. Don’t Stuff Your Feelings
God does not hold the old adage, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” He’s invited you and He longs for you to pour out your heart to Him. He really, really does. He doesn’t want you to hold back or pretend. And Heaven forbid you give Him the silent treatment.
All of those close to His heart have spoken their anger and despair to Him, right at loud. Rather than pulling away, He draws even closer. Your honesty invites Him. Or did you forget that relationship goes both ways?
For you examine us every morning
and test us every moment.
Why won’t you leave me alone,
at least long enough for me to swallow!
If I have sinned, what have I done to you,
O watcher of all humanity?
Why make me your target?
Am I a burden to you? – Job 7:18-20
O Lord, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble? – Psalm 10:1
At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Matthew 27:46
He welcomes your honest communication. Right this minute, or any time night or day.
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” – Psalm 27:8
2. Find a creative outlet for your nervous energy.
Some of the best examples of art in all forms has come from difficult times. The most heartfelt music, the most amazing paintings, the sweetest poetry. Whatever your expression of choice, channel your anger and frustration into creation in its purest form.
Nothing with God is ever, ever wasted.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. – Genesis 50:20
After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” – John 6:12
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28
Mold your anger into something beautiful. Don’t wait. Do it now. Someone needs it.
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. – 2 Corinthians 1:4
3. Out with the old, In with the new.
Each night, prepare for the coming dawn. God is able to do amazing things overnight. Anger is erased. Mercies are new. Hope begins afresh. Peace begins to flow. Whatever anger and frustration you accumulate in a day, make a date with the Lord to do numbers 1 and 2 above, and go to bed with a clean slate.
I know it doesn’t seem like something this easy to say, will actually work. Overnight, Shelly? REALLY? That’s your big plan? I hear you. I really do. But take God at His word every day for a week, and see what He’ll do. What have you got to lose? Well, besides a lot of collateral damage and the enemy in your camp…
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning. – Psalm 30:5
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning. – Lamentations 3:22-23
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. – Isaiah 43:19
Trust him. Just step out in faith and do it for one week, every single day. Come back and let me know how it goes, ok?
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” – Matthew 19:26
I’ll be taking the week-long challenge. Frankly, it’s long overdue. Starting right this minute. Are you with me? We’ll meet back here next Friday to compare notes. Oh, and I’ll be praying for you on your journey, too. <3
God of the Impossible, Please be with us as we surrender to you this week. We surrender our anger, our sorrow, our frustration, and our doubts. Prove us wrong, Lord. Do what only You can do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 20, 2016
Collateral Damage
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. – James 1:19-20
I’ve noticed something lately. I’ve been angry, friends. Not an overt kind of anger, and not anything that I am aware of in a conscious sort of way, but angry none-the-less.
I think it has a lot to do with having my hope for recovery snatched away. It entails chronic pain… I mean real pain that is relentless and that there is no real help for, never a moment of peace without it. I know that not being able to sleep for weeks on end is only adding to the problem with this anger.
But here’s the thing. There’s no one to be angry with… there’s no target for this rage and I have no idea how to channel it better so that it will not cause such collateral damage in my own family. Really, how fair is it that those who are the most loving and concerned about me get the brunt of my angst?
I find myself lashing out. I find that I spark to anger so quickly over every little thing. I watch myself make mountains out of molehills and I notice my biggest loves are now on eggshells around me. It breaks my heart, it really does. And I want it to stop.
You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. – Colossians 3:7-8
Now let me make myself clear. Anger is natural. There is nothing evil or sinful about feeling honest emotions, and even constructively expressing said emotions. Even Jesus felt a full range of emotions, and expressed them, and He never sinned.
When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. – John 11:33
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. – John 2:15
The problem comes in when I allow the anger to go on and on. It’s controlling me, at times. And I feel like the devil is sure not passing up this prime opportunity to gain a foothold. That’s just how he rolls.
And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. – Ephesians 4:26-27
Do you have this issue, too? Tomorrow, what the heck to do about it.
Glorious King, Thank You for allowing me to feel and express the full range of emotions without guilt. Please help me to know how to channel those so that they do not grow and fester in my heart, giving my enemy any tools against me. Continue to guide and fill me, and forgive me when I fail. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 14, 2016
What Does it Really Mean to Rely on God’s Strength?
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12).
Learning to be content. Tall order most days, right? At least it is for me.
Most days I struggle to even believe that I can do this . . . whatever this is. I need to remember that there’s another verse there, and it’s the verse that holds the key.
I’m writing over at Rest Ministries today.
Join us, won’t you? <3
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 13, 2016
When everything within me cries – Jesus
I’ve told you before about my friend, Anita. I can’t fully express how much I love her. She inspires and amazes me every day. She makes me laugh. She sits in the quiet dark with me. She is a sister of my heart. I hope you’ll help me welcome her to Renewed Daily today. After you read her words here, I know you’ll want to visit her site, Scatter the Stones. Be blessed.
It’s been another day of exhausting, excruciating, exploding head pain that makes you hold your head in your hands, wishing there was some way you could exchange your head for a new one, even just temporarily.
The unbearable pain emanates through every bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament in my face, head, neck and shoulders.
My face inflamed with a strange mix of cold like cooling iron fresh from the furnace, and heat that rages on and on.
Eye pain is so bad… no words to describe.
Sickness envelopes me in response to the inflammation and beg God to stop it from progressing to being physically sick. I can’t bare being sick… Memories flash past in my mind of my childhood when I used to grab hold of my Dad’s hands, pleading with him to make it stop, now grabbing hold of my husband’s and asking him to join me in prayer.
A few minutes later, my prayer isn’t answered as I had hoped for, as my body violently rejects the chemical assault it’s under.
I can’t cry, desperately wanting some way to release the emotional effects. My eyes just can’t handle it.
The only light I can handle is by the light of a lit candle.
As the candle flame gently flickers to its own rhythm, thoughts turn to the Light of my life – my Saviour, my Lord, my Comforter who sits with me in the darkness and never lets me go.
Unable to drink or eat, medication becomes nothing more than something I hope to dull the pain later.
Standing? No.
Lying down? No.
Sitting? No.
Propped up half way? Just about…
Oh how I crave the beauty of silence, when all I can hear is the storm reverberating around my weary head and lashing against the window panes of my temporary home.
Everything within me cries – Jesus
I so desperately need Jesus. Not just now, but every second of every day and night.
A cool breeze kisses my face. I know I am in the presence of my Lord and King.
I lean over and press play on my lullabies. I don’t need to search for the song I need to play, as its set ready for moments such as these –
Hidden in my heart volume 3 – By His Name – Scripture Lullabies
For a free MP3 please see http://www.hiddeninmyheart.com/volume3
As long as my spirit can cry out the most beautiful of names, I will be ok. As I set my eyes of faith on the One I am living for, nurturing the joy in the depths of my heart with His truth, knowing that one day I will see Him face to face and will be free from this unending pain.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well with my soul.
Anita ~ loves to keep her eyes fixed on the Author and Perfecter of our faith. She lives in England and is married to her best friend Matt. Her heart’s desire is to walk alongside those who are in pain, reflecting God’s Love and Grace, while sharing His message of Hope. You can find her sharing the devotions God places on her heart at www.scatterthestones.co.uk
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on January 11, 2016
Name It & Claim It… Here We Go Again…
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. – 1 John 2:15-17
I’ve talked about the Prosperity Gospel before, here. But God says it’s time to revisit.
It’s amazing to me what people will send me. What they truly buy into, hook, line, and sinker. There are millions lost in the error of the “Name It & Claim It” doctrine. People like me blow their theory right out of the water. I believe that most of them really do feel sorry for me and just want to teach me. I’m sure that some of you receive the same chats or emails or in-person confrontations that I do. And so this post is for you.
Please don’t believe them. Please don’t be discouraged by their rhetoric. Please don’t doubt for one single minute that your faith is enough, your God does love you, and that He has wondrous plans for you which include eternal salvation and a home with Him and His angels.
Here is the actual truth about their claims. From God’s own Word.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. – Hebrews 12:2-4
Jesus endured hostility, yet we expect that we will be spared from it all? Do we not still live in the same sinful world with the same powerful enemy?
And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. – Luke 12:29-31
God provides for our needs. Why do we seek so hard after treasures on this earth? Seek Him, first and only.
In fact, there is a powerful supernatural being who promises to give you all your desires.
“I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” – Luke 4:6-7
I ask you now, who are these Prosperity folk really bowing down to, as they spread their supposed gospel like a fungus? What faith are they really growing?
Don’t be led astray. Your God is your wondrous God, whether or not you feel He gives you all you ask for on this earth.
Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’” – Luke 4:8
Precious Ruler of All, I have found You. You have adopted me. Let me never wander from you, Father. Thank You for giving us Your Truth as written Word to hold to in these troubled times. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
