Out of Anxiety Re-Blogs Page 3 Additions

I have added a few more posts to the bottom of my Page 3 of my blog (https://triciajots4jesus.wordpress.com/re-blogs-of-my-journey-toward-wholeness-posts/ ). They include:

“Encouragement for the Anxious”

“Hope in God”

“Learning in the Struggle”

and “Value on the Journey.”

I will be adding other re-blog posts to the page as I can.

Out of Anxiety Re-Blogs Page 3 note

I have added a few posts to the bottom of my Page 3 of my blog (https://triciajots4jesus.wordpress.com/re-blogs-of-my-journey-toward-wholeness-posts/ ) Now the page begins with links to my first 2 re-blog posts:

“Hope Amid Anxiety” and

“The Journey Begins.”

Then the full texts of 6 re-blog posts follow:

“God Sends Comfort”

“Stepping Stones in the Valley”

“More Stepping Stones”

“Guilty or Not Guilty”

“Prayers in the Valley” and

“Too Late?”

I will be adding other re-blog posts to the page as I can. I hope to add a post next week to my regular “Journal Jottings” page.

Link Correction

I’ve corrected the link for my “Journey Toward Wholeness Reblogs” page, so if you had trouble with it in my previous post, try again or try this one:

Re-blogs of My Journey Toward Wholeness Posts

Or go to the sidebar on page and you will see the names of the three pages that are part of the blog. Choose “Re-blogs of My Journey Toward Wholeness Posts.

Let me know by replying to this post if you still have trouble. Thanks.

Tricia

See My New Page

I’ve added a new page to my blog called “Re-blogs of My Journey Toward Wholeness Posts.” It will be composed of copies of my posts in the “Journey Reblogs” category. The first two posts of my “Journey Toward Wholeness” are links under the heading “From the blog” titled “Hope Amid Anxiety” and “The Journey Begins.” The third post, “God Sends Comfort” follows the introductory info.

Hope you’ll check it out.

Called by Name

What an unsettling time to live! Maybe that’s why I found Isaiah 43:1 particularly reassuring.

“But now, this is what the Lord says — he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1 NIV)

You, Lord God, are speaking through Isaiah to Israel in this verse, and You also speak to me. You have created me. You formed me in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). You redeemed me from the bondage of sin and self with the blood of Jesus.

I think of lines from hymns I used to sing in church: “Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me. He has redeemed me, and I am His child” (“Under His Wings”-William O. Cushing). “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the lamb, redeemed by His infinite mercy—His child and forever I am”(“Redeemed”-Fanny Crosby).

Having made me, You know me completely. With Your infinite knowledge, You even know my name! (“…He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”—John 10:3 NIV)

What a comfort to remember these things when I feel unsteady or fearful!

Truth–Do You Love IT?

(Image by GDJ from openclipart)

“Truth is under attack in our culture,” states David Barton, author of The American Story, in a recent talk available on YouTube. He gave startling statistics especially about moral truth. He noted that 3 out of 5 Americans believe there no such thing as absolute moral truth. Among millennials, the number is 4 out of 5. Even among Christians, 1 of every 2 believe there is no absolute moral truth.

He spoke about 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, particularly about verses 10-12 where Paul talks about people not receiving a “love of the truth.” A continued rejection of truth results in being deluded and believing a lie. People then act on these lies and experience condemnation.

Mr. Barton points out that personal opinion has replaced truth and fact in our society. “My side winning” has become more important than truth.

(The above from the American History II video in a series of 3 at Christ for the Nations Church:)

American History I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTNXBYbwGFQ

American History IIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omgg6b6kZMQ

American History IIIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKKLiI-Mz-Q

All 3 videos were truly fascinating with true American history being given in each one, much of which I didn’t know and which is no longer taught in American schools.

How very sad that people in our country have drifted so far! Everyone “doing what is right in their own eyes” must stop. The only way our nation can be restored is for all of us to begin to love and pursue truth in every area so God can bless America again.

God Our Help and Hope

            A hymn we sang in the church where I grew up, “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” came to my attention a few days ago. It’s a good song to remember in these crazy times. I’ve quoted the first verse below and followed each line with a verse from the Psalms (all NIV) which assures us of its truth:

            “O God our help in ages past,”

                        Psalm 90:1 “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.”

            “Our hope for years to come,”

                        Psalm 62:5-6 “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”

            “A shelter in the stormy blast,”

                        Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

            “And our eternal home.”

                        Psalm 23: 6 “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

 

Lyrics to the entire song can be found at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/607

COLOSSIANS #16: GROW LIKE A TREE, NOT LIKE A WEED

This whole post by Pastor Tom really spoke to me. One of the things that really stood out was the idea that it is “Jesus who causes me to grow. One thing he said was, The growth comes not because we earn it, but because we trust” Jesus. He says not fight with Jesus about “basics like reading your Bible, praying and being involved in Christian community,” but only Jesus can make growth happen.

Clear Bible

Photo by Tim Gouw on Pexels.com

Sometimes our  Christian culture can give us the idea that we ought to be constantly having amazing spiritual feelings and experiences. But at best, that idea is distorted. The message of this text – the message of the Bible – is that a lot of the growth we have in Jesus takes place below the surface. A lot of it is kind of ordinary. It is quiet and deep, and maybe even slow. This applies to both churches and individual Christians. Growth is something Jesus does in us and for us. He uses simple, straightforward means to grow us, and anyone can participate in those means.

COLOSSIANS
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Download Colossians Part 16

Colossians #16. Colossians…

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Changing Thinking

When someone suggested I call customer support about one of our office machines, I grumbled, “They’re never any help.” I added in my mind: I’ve had nothing but trouble with that stupid machine from the beginning! Also, communicating with tech support totally frustrates me.

Really? Am I thinking that people should immediately solve the problems and if not, I need to get angry? Or do I believe that because I’ve had difficulties before, things can’t change? Maybe faulty thinking is behind my irritation. How can I change?

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation).

I can start with prayer. Lord, please help me! I have harbored anger and frustration in my heart. which have come out in angry words. I also felt resentful toward people who seemed to get better service than I did. I confess these things as sin. Please forgive me.

I could follow up with choosing God’s way over mine. I choose to “cease from anger and forsake wrath because it tends only to evil-doing” (Psalm 37:8–Amplified Bible). I will “put on” the new me which is being re-created in the likeness of Christ (Ephesians 4:24). Now I can forgive others and choose to overlook someone’s fault. I will walk in an attitude of generosity which rejoices when others are blessed.

As I follow Him, Jesus leads me to experience abundant life. What a relief to be able to accomplish my tasks without tripping over my old non-renewed mind!

Encouragement for the Anxious – Journey Reblog 10

(Flowers on a Journey)

When did I begin this journey toward wholeness? I had thought I began in early November of 2016, but really, I’ve been on the journey all my Christian life. Likewise, I had thought it ended by the first of March 2017, but again, my walk toward wholeness won’t end until my life on earth is complete and I see Jesus face to face. (1 John 3:2–Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.”)

Nevertheless, during that 4-month period, I struggled with the brokenness of anxiety/ depression in a way that made that part of the journey particularly noticeable. So how can I encourage others who find themselves on the same road? There is one thing I could say to those who follow Christ yet feel overwhelmed with anxiety or depression symptoms: You can be sure that God is with you. I was so wrapped up in anxiety that I had trouble believing that. Frequent verbal reminders helped me. Many Scriptures tell us this truth, but because I couldn’t feel God’s presence, I wavered in unbelief. I hope you’ll do better at believing than I did, but even if you don’t, He’s still with you, loving and helping you through it all. And He will still be with you when you come out on the other side.

How do I know? First, because God has promised and He is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”) Second, because of what God did for me. How thankful I am for God’s faithfulness to me and His patience with me!

Psalm 139:5 “You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me.”      Psalm 23:4 “Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 “…for [God] Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

(Scripture quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.)