Did You Know That Commitment Leads to Action? Another Day in the Spiritual Wellness Workbook!

October 30, 2019 by Mary

Day #3

Commitment Leads to Action

Scripture Memorization/ Day 3:
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Proverbs 16:3
Our study for day three begins with, “Commitment leads to action”…as we ask God to help us remain committed to goals that add significance to our lives. Kingdom goals, goals worthy of our striving. Our affirmation for today is to stay committed to our goals, looking at what lies before us, rather than behind…each step bringing us closer toward fulfilling our dreams. God gives each of us a dream, a passion and a purpose.

Let us be careful to commit to the Lord…whatever we do. We can have what we deem to be the loftiest goals but only His plan for our lives is perfect. Let us focus today on the goals that add true significance and meaning to our daily living–goals ordained by God, our Creator.

Our worksheet asks us to write three significant goals today. Goals can be spiritual, emotional, social, physical, intellectual or financial. Perhaps you would benefit by identifying one goal in each area.

My Spiritual Goal:

My Emotional Goal:

My Social Goal:

My Intellectual Goal:

My Physical Goal:

My Financial Goal:

Once you have written some goals for 2020…ask God to show you how to achieve them. In your prayer and reflection today, think about all of these areas of discussion. Where do you need God’s healing touch?
When we commit whatever we do unto Him, we find great peace and joy.
It is only when our hearts are attuned to God that our prayers are true. He delights in the prayers of His children. Commit to the Lord…whatever you do.

To purchase a copy of the Spiritual Wellness Workbook, click here!

Do You Have the Spiritual Wellness Workbook?

October 29, 2019 by Mary

If so, you will really enjoy that I am posting my private members only content for you in the coming weeks. I pray that it helps you work through your workbook(s) and if you have not purchased a workbook, we have them here on the website. May God richly bless your studies. Thank you for supporting my ministry and my family.

Day #2
Never Give Up

Our prayer assignment today is to write a prayer about discouragement. Perhaps you are feeling discouraged about things you didn’t get done, goals you failed to achieve, health problems, or financial difficulties. Whatever is going on in your day today, take a few moments to quiet yourself and write out a prayer. Unburden your heart by sharing with God—the many triggers in your life that would cause you to lose hope and to give up.

Scripture Memorization:
Isaiah 61:7 (NIV)
Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
Your affirmation…thought for the day:

I will stay positive and will focus on the things I can accomplish.

The next step on your spiritual journey today is to list the top three things that weigh you down. You will probably be able to come up with your list very quickly.

After you have listed the top three things in your life that weigh you down, use the journaling space on your worksheet to ask God to help you stay focused and positive. Let us agree together that 2014 will be a year of restoration.

That’s it folks! You are doing great work. Changing our lives means we have to change the way we think about things, recognize how quickly we can let discouragement set in and cloud our thoughts, and begin to center our thoughts on what we can accomplish through Christ.

When discouragement sets in…repeat:

I Choose Hope.
I Choose Hope.
I Choose Hope.

Pick up a copy of the Spiritual Wellness Workbook, which is the first in a series, at our online store.

Some Thoughts and Pointers for Working Through My Spiritual Wellness Workbook

October 28, 2019 by Mary

If you have purchased my Spiritual Wellness Workbook, I am so glad you have decided to embark on this journey!If today is your first day of journaling, there is one prayer, some affirmations and a corresponding worksheet each day. Why? Because growing deeper requires intention…I don’t want you to rush through this process. I want you to take the time to reflect on the questions, prayers and affirmations.

Page 1 says, “God Has a Purpose“. He tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

1. God has a plan and a purpose for your life and for the coming year. Take some time today–on this brand new day in a brand new season of your spiritual journey to think about what it is you feel God has planned for your life. Take an index card, your workbook or a notebook and write a statement to yourself about your unique purpose.

2. List 3 personal strengths. I want to know if you have a difficult time coming up with your strengths…leave me comments to let me know. It is always easier to recognize strengths in others than it is to acknowledge our own.

3. Write a prayer today. Make it your own…a conversation between you and God. Talk to him about your purpose. Please write a prayer…God desires communion with you.

4. Give God thanks. Write it out. Tell him how it makes you feel, knowing that He has a plan and a purpose for your life.

Scripture Memorization today: Jeremiah 29:11

Some of my insights from the first day of the workbook:

(You can apply them to your own journey–if you choose)

a. Why did I have trouble listing three strengths?
b. I am not always the best evaluator of my strengths. I asked a friend to describe to me what she feels are my top 3 strengths. (This really helped)…
c. After listing some strengths, I began to pray about how I can use them most effectively for the Kingdom.

That’s it for today, folks! Have I told you that you’re amazing???

The Care and Keeping of the Whole Person: A Holistic Approach to Self-Care

September 11, 2019 by Mary

A Self-Care Education in the Making:

I was about to get an education in self-care, but didn’t know it. I was working two jobs-my first, a full time staff pastor and a second job as a staff chaplain at a large hospital. Most of my life I had set high standards for myself. I was the kid in school who was a cheerleader, band geek, dance team member, church and community volunteer, symphony orchestra musician, and I also worked a part time job. I was a classic overachiever and perfectionist.

As I approached my mid-thirties, I was raising two small children, doing bookkeeping for a family business and had started my own Christian bookstore and gift shop. In the midst of all of this, my husband and I built our own home by hand over the course of two years. My bookstore became a bustling ministry for all of the wounded people in the area and was operating as such. It was amazingly invigorating but my body started showing signs of decline.

While on staff at the hospital, my director asked me to give a presentation to my peers about “The Importance of Self-Care.” This was really the first time anyone had ever spoken to me about self-care. I had a vague notion that it was all about doing nice things for my body. This assignment began an awakening in me. Many years later, I am still learning what it means to practice the discipline of self-care. My director had given me a great gift by asking me to do this presentation. This was the start of new and unforeseen chapters in my life, and I would call upon this wisdom and learn new understandings.

God has a beautiful way of ordering the steps of our lives – putting people in place to help us through challenges. Had I never learned about the disciple of self-care, I am not sure how the years to follow would have looked. It was a highly intuitive action on the part of my director to ask me to do research on the subject of self-care and present it to my peers. He later took it another step further and asked me to do the same presentation for his classes at seminary.

What I didn’t know then was that I was to go through seasons of really difficult life challenges, such as the disappearance of my father-in-law and subsequent unresolved grief and suffering that it caused our family. Our daughter was diagnosed with an incurable illness. My mother in-law was involved in an accident which left her hospitalized and in nursing care the last few years of her life. My mother had a stroke and is now suffering with dementia. These are just some of the life events that I have weathered since I started my learning journey.

I have learned more about self-care in this long season of suffering, than ever before:

Self-Care is a discipline. It doesn’t always come naturally. It’s something we must develop and grow into and keep growing, as the care that we need is always changing.
There are no mistakes or failed attempts. Everything we do on this journey is a victory. We all start small, but as we learn and begin to feel and see the rewards of a more balanced life, it gets easier.
Self-Care requires implementing and prioritizing daily, weekly, monthly, yearly routines. There’s no way around it. You have to somehow fit it into your daily living.
Self-Care takes time and commitment. It’s easy to get derailed and go for a few days without doing your routine. Commit to staying on track. Devote the time that it takes to do what is necessary for the care and keeping of YOU – mind, body, and spirit.
You have intrinsic worth. You are so much more valuable than what you are able to produce in the world.

To learn more about self-care and to receive all of my self-care posts and how it can improve your sense of well-being and your life, make sure you subscribe to my blog updates.

Stay tuned next week for another Self-Care Wednesday, where I will be discussing different areas of self-care and tips for implementing more self-care into your life. There is so much yet to be discovered about this aspect of caring for the body, the mind and the spirit that God has given each of us.

Self-Care is doing what must be done for the care and keeping of the whole person.

Cultivating Gratitude

June 26, 2019 by Mary

Dear Friend,

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