Feeling Overwhelmed?

September 21, 2009Leave a comment

Positive Women Connections this week!

Prestonwood Country Club in North Dallas on Tuesday, Sept 22

Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in Allen on Wednesday, Sept 23

Downtown Dallas Thursday Sept 24 at First Baptist

Here’s a Positive Encouragement for today.

Most of us have experienced those times when we feel as though we just don’t have the strength, energy or ability to go to accomplish the tasks ahead of us. It may be an overloaded schedule or responsibilities with an aging parent or chasing several preschoolers around the house. Perhaps a tragedy or trial in your life has gripped you with anxiety and fear. I want to reassure you and encourage you that you are not alone. Take one day at a time and begin to turn your eyes off of the overwhelming circumstances and onto the God who loves you.

God will not leave you in your darkest hour, although you may feel as though He is far away. As a believer in Christ we have the reassurance that His spirit dwells within us and will net leave. Jesus said to his followers, “I am with you always.” There is a peaceful reassurance in knowing that God is with us. Look to Him for strength and wisdom as you face your challenges. Day by day, give your anxieties to Him and thank Him for what He is doing in your life.

You are not alone, because others have walked similar paths. You are not the only one who has gone down this road. Find comfort in the fact that others have made it through and you can too. You can find strength and comfort in connecting with people who have journeyed down these similar roads through support groups and friends.

Take steps forward. Don’t stay in a rut, and don’t allow yourself to be gripped with fear. Move forward asking God to lead you, guide you and equip you. You may not be able to conquer everything, but you can do something. One step at a time. You remember how to eat an elephant don’t you? One bite at a time!

Day by day, one step at a time with eyes on the Lord (not on your circumstances) you will get through this. David said, “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62

Listening More, Talking Less

September 14, 2009Leave a comment

Please join us for a Positive Woman Connection near you.

Thursday Sept 17 at First Baptist Dallas

Tuesday Sept 22 at Prestonwood Country club

Wed Sept 23 at Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen, TX

Here’s a Positive thought for this week:

In my line of work, my voice is quite important. For example this last week, I spoke to a moms group on Wednesday, a Bible study on Thursday and a MOPS group on Friday. Normally my voice is delightful and soothing, but by Wednesday evening my voice became terribly course and raspy. By the time I went to teach Bible study on Thursday, my voice was almost gone.

Several precious women (Sandie and Linda) prayed with me that my voice would hold up through the lesson, and it did! By God’s grace His message from Philippians was powerfully presented. I went to a board meeting for Women in Christian Media after Bible Study and the precious women there prayed over me for God’s healing touch. They put me on complete vocal rest until Friday when I was to speak again.

On Friday, my friend Christy sent a note to all the leaders at Friday’s group to pray for me and again, God allowed me to speak boldly during the meeting. But my voice was not healed. Crumb! I wanted to be all better because I was going down to Waco on Friday to hear Anne Graham Lotz speak at her “Just Give Me Jesus” conference. Of course I was going with some friends, and I wanted to be able to talk and laugh with them, but I couldn’t. I just had to listen.

Why wasn’t my voice completely healed, especially when my Godly friends prayed that it would be? Perhaps God wanted to teach me something through being silent. I heard His voice saying, “Just listen.” Sometimes the chatter of life, keeps me from listening to His still yet penetrating voice. I needed to listen to my wise friends as we spent the weekend in Waco. I needed to listen to what God was teaching me through the “Just Give Me Jesus” conference. I needed to be quiet even today as I write this and just listen to his voice.

Reflection. Taking time to Listen. Contemplating His Word, His love and His presence through being silent. I don’t do it often enough. Sometimes God just needs to grab me and stop me. I need to be still and know that He is God. How about you? When are you quiet?

My friend Jody Capehart says, “God does not take us through the deep waters to drown us, but to cleanse us.” What challenges are you facing right now in your life? Stop and listen to His still, quiet voice saying, “I love you. I am with you. I will be your strength.”

It’s all about Choices

September 7, 2009Leave a comment

Hello my Positive Friends. I’m excited about starting our regular study on September 22 at Prestonwood Country Club in North Dallas. We also have a new study starting on September 23 in Allen. Both are during the lunch hour 12 – 1. I hope you will join us. Here’s a thought for this week:

“Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” Barbara Johnson.

Life is tough, but we do have choices. We have a choice about our attitude. We have a choice to make positive changes and do things differently. We have a choice to trust God and believe he will give us strength. We also have the choice to despair and wallow in self-pity or fear.

What are you choosing to hold onto right now in your life? Are you holding onto the right to grumble and complain because things aren’t going well? Decide today to release that right to rehearse your hurts and instead begin to pray and thank God for the glimpse of hope.

Are you choosing to only see the faults in someone around you? Decide today to stop dwelling on his or her bad qualities and instead look for a treasure or blessing that person brings to this world. And yes they do bring something.

Are you angry right now at a person or at God? Choose to forgive and let it go. Choose to move on and stop replaying past hurts. Choose to be happy once again, instead of bitter and miserable.

Now I’m not saying these choices are easy. In fact they are not at all easy, yet we have a God who loves us and wants to help us make wise choices. Do you lack strength and the ability to make wise choices? Pour your heart out to God and seek His help. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

Always Learning

August 31, 20091 Comment

This past week at PWC we had the honor of learning from our friend Thelma Wells. Thelma taught us to be aware of the enemy’s schemes and to put on the armor of God as we read in Ephesians. Thelma’s words encouraged us all to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word each day. God is always teaching us.

Possibly one of the most positive words in the English language is “Learn.” Yes, if we are to grow and mature we must be continual students of life. We learn from our mistakes, our challenges and our life experiences. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by discouraging situations, we can turn them around by saying to ourselves, “How can I learn and grow and become a better person because of this?”

As the kids head back to school in the month of September, let’s remember that we never stop going to school. Every day brings its own set of lessons. We learn about people, we learn to be flexible, we learn a new skill, we learn to be patient, we learn new ways to be thankful. Observe, listen, grow. A teachable spirit is a great asset.

The Psalmist said, “Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.” Our greatest teacher is the Lord himself as we look to Him to lead us and guide us each day.

We will begin our study of the book of Philippians in Sept. We look forward to seeing you!

Precious Rest

August 24, 2009Leave a comment

This week at PWC we have the blessing and privilege of Thelma Wells speaking with us. She is a gifted and godly speaker and author. I know your spirit will be uplifted as you hear her message of hope. Join us at Prestonwood Country Club, on Preston just north of Arapaho in north Dallas, from 12 – 1. Cost is $18 for buffet lunch. See you soon!

Here’s a devotional thought for you

For the last few days I have had the privilege of spending some time in beautiful San Diego, California. Now for those of you who have been to San Diego, you know that the weather there is pretty much perfect all year long. It remains a consistent 65 to 75 degrees; a glorious reprieve from the Texas heat. Just as it is good to take a little break from the hot summer weather in Dallas, it is also good to take a little intentional break from the heat of our busy and overloaded lives.

In the Old Testament we read that God designed a plan for the Israelites to rejuvenate themselves each week, and it is a plan which can still strengthen us today. God told his people, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. (Exodus.” 20:8-10). God wanted his people to be set apart from the rest of the nations by having a Sabbath day – a day of rest from their normal activities. It was for their own good so they wouldn’t become “burned out” or live in a constant state of stress.

Do you take time to refresh and rejuvenate from the hustle bustle of your week?

Our loving and caring Father knows we need a time of regular refreshment. But we must be deliberate about setting aside a time of Sabbath. The word “Sabbath” in the original Hebrew literally means “to rest.” Ask yourself, what is work to you and what is rest to you? Do you have a time when you stop and rest each week? Personally, I began setting aside Sunday afternoon as a time of rest and reflection, praying for God’s help and guidance for the coming week. I decided to step away from answering emails, returning phone calls and running a lot of errands on Sunday – as those represent work to me. In it’s place I read, rest and pray which brings refreshment to my spirit and helps me start off my week feeling renewed.

Stop and think, what can you do differently to create a time of rest at least once a week. It may be small changes, yet deliberate ones which open up the possibility to experience more calm in your weekly routine. As moms, encourage your children to do the same. In our overly active and involved culture, it is hard to carve out a time for solitude and rejuvenation, but I believe this is why we have so many stressed out families and kids.

Charles H. Spurgeon spoke of the Sabbath not as a form of legalism, but as a blessing. He said the Lord’s day for the Christian, “is to him a joy, a day of rest, of peace and of thanksgiving. And if the Christian can earnestly drive away all distractions, so that you can really rest today, it will be good for your bodies, good for your souls, good mentally, good spiritually, good temporally, and good eternally.”