Change your Focus Change your Life

Have you ever told yourself you are going to stop doing something?  Just stop?  I think it is nearly impossible.  The way to get rid of a bad thing is to start a good thing.

Like when you get a song stuck in your head that you don’t love.  You have to find a good song to think about before the annoying song goes away.

Instead of trying to stop eating junk food, really start eating lots more good food.  Put your efforts into finding and creating yummy veggie dishes.

The bible says “overcome evil with good”.   But it takes effort.

Having a bad day?  How can we change our focus?   I have to make an actual list of good things, a real live pin and paper list!  Sometimes I add to my list all week long.  Title your list “Blessings” or title it “Things I don’t hate”.  Either way it changes your focus.  Then it eventually changes your mood.

There is a story in the bible of when Peter wanted to join Jesus as he walked on water.  As he stepped out of the boat he kept his eyes on the Lord and not on the waves.  He stayed above the sea until he looked away from his savior and noticed how windy it was.  As he started to sink fear gripped him.  But thankfully, Jesus also gripped him and held him up.  

The world can be a scary place.  But Jesus overcame the world.  He’s got my attention.  

One of our jobs as humans is to ask God to help with earthly problems.   And not just our problems, other  people’s too.  Remember He said for us to “cast our cares on Him”.  He said to pray for our enemies.   He said a lot of good things we should probably focus on.

I mean…we have life.  We have energy.  We have thoughts.  We can’t just stop.  We can’t be frozen and we are not asleep.  We naturally focus on something. 

Let’s ask God’s help, then every single day let’s look and look and look for the good things to focus on.

The Thrill of Hope

Christmas is coming!

That inner gasp happened to me this morning.   A thrill, if you will.  Anticipation that something really good is going to happen.   A vacation is coming and there is going to be a little something fun every day!  I’m thinking of the people, the lights, the music, the preparations, all pieces parts of the celebration.  But I love the anticipation!

When I was a young girl I would squeal when I got excited.  But now I tamp it down.  I tell myself not to get my hopes up.   Don’t raise my expectations too high.  Then I can’t get disappointed.  This is what life on earth can do to us, worry often replaces joy and maturity replaces fun.

So I said a mini prayer in my head.  I asked the Lord if anticipation is an ok thing.  Then I remembered that anticipation is just having high hopes.  And hope is all over the bible…

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.  Hebrews 6:16

Be joyful in hope Romans 12:12

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

So it is good for us to have high hopes and excitement for good things to come.  I think God would be pleased if we let ourselves have the thrill of anticipation of the things He has promised.  So let’s read the New Testament and find out what He has promised, like help and love and heaven, and let it bring us sparks of excitement and happiness. 

Hope

What do you hope for?  Make a list. 

Now cross out every hope that God did not inspire.  If you hope your neighbor steps in a mud puddle cross that one off.

Some of our hopes are so clearly from God.  If you have heard God's voice then you know you have something solid to hope in.  One time I heard "let it go" when I was praying to restore my business.  I was shocked!  But then I knew to put my hope in moving on instead of holding on.

Some things on my personal hope list are, happy healthy grandchildren, wonderful jobs for my children, loving marriages...  Pretty basic stuff.  Yet, all God's ideas.  All good things.  Obviously this is my prayer list.

My hope list also includes guidance.  That's a biggie.  That I will be guided by the Holy Spirit.  I hope I can learn to trust. And that all those on my prayer list will hear the guiding voice of our loving heavenly father.  And that rebellion will gently fall away in the hope of God's goodness.

But I think it would be fun to make another list.  "Hopes that Happened".  Because we easily forget about those.  One time I hoped for a little doggie that would want to cuddle with me.  And he is on my lap right now.  Looking at this list makes my heart leap with joy.  It feels like love.  It is ok to be happy.

And to those hopes that didn't happen, God asks us to be patient.  He asks us to trust him anyway.  The story is not over.  Because ultimately our biggest hope is in heaven.

Hebrews 11:1- Faith is the substance of things HOPED for.
Romans 12:12 Be JOYFUL IN HOPE. patient in affliction,  Prayerful always.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Always be joyful and don't stop praying. 


In other words, don't stop believing, and, get this party started!

The ONE Thing.

I was in college in the early 80s.  I was not raised in a “Christian home”.   But for some reason I put this poster on my dorm room wall.

Looking back I wonder why.  I want to ask myself, “Hey Julie, what’s up with the Jesus poster?”  I was barely following Jesus.  I was doin’ my own thing.  Making my own way and accomplishing things.  I was a little bit type A back then.  Ok, very type A.  I liked things my way.  And I got things done and I overscheduled and achieved.  Dang it, I achieved!   Move out of my way or get run over.  But still I seemed to know one thing…Jesus loves me.

I am turning 55 this year.  I am happy.  I have a wonderful husband,  great kids who I respect and cherish, a new grandchild,  a successful business, a beautiful home, a funny little doggie, and bonus, my parents are still kickin.  And yet, I treasure above all that one thing.  Jesus loves me.

I have been broke.  I mean, praying for the next meal, daily bread, broke.  I have dressed in hand me downs, drove a rusty car, and filed bankruptcy.  I have felt shame and despair.  I have basically had a nervous breakdown.  I have been weak and sick and overweight.  I have lost my peace about things like buying and selling our homes, and sending kids to private school, or college, or home school.  I watched precious family members get sick and die before my eyes.  But alas, that one thing… Jesus loves me.

Life lifts you up and sometimes drops you hard.  I live in Indiana.  We can be sunny one day and sub-zero the next.  But I have been rescued many, many times.  I have been helped by friends, strangers, and (I believe) angels.  I have seen miracles. I have experienced healings.   I have had more prayers answered than I could ever record.   I have been led by the Holy Spirit. I have “heard” God’s voice in my head giving answers to my ugly questions.  The fact that I can understand the bible is amazing to me.   I have always been provided for and I have never been alone, why?, only that one thing, that one amazing thing.

Everyone who loves knows God because God is love.  God’s perfect love casts out fear.  And no greater love has ever been shown than the sacrifice of Jesus for us.

Jesus loves me.  He loves you.  He loves everyone.  And if I could tell you anything it would be

that one thing.

The Birth of a Prince

On American magazine covers recently was headlined about the birth of the new baby in line for the throne of England.  It is fitting for a prince to be born with celebration and announcements, loud and proud!  But when Jesus, the King of Kings, was born it was very different.  God saw fit to keep it hush-hush.  But God allowed those who were looking for him to find him.

It is the same today with the voice of God.  It is not the loudest voice we hear.  The bible calls it a “still, small voice”.  It is not catchy like a commercial, or commanding like the wizard of oz.  It is the little “nah” inside when we are tempted.  It is the “I love you” when we are rejected.  It is the “lean on me” when you are down.  And when you speak his name, it is the “here I am”.

You can make God’s voice easier to hear and recognize with bible study.  God wants us to use his written word to get to know him better.  Even Jesus often spoke using scripture instead of his own words.  It can help to make a list of scripture that touches your heart.  It is best to start in the New Testament.  But here is one of my favorites from the Old…

Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.”  And behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after that an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after that a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after that

a still small voice. 

                                                                                                            1 Kings 19 11-12

In this loud confusing world God’s voice can be hidden.  

 He can seem quiet as snow, and soft as a whisper.

But he promised that he would be found by those who earnestly seek him.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me.      Proverbs 8:17

Inspired by the song “Winter Snow” by Audrey Assad (written by Chris Tomlin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy29mQfiavg