Monday. The start of a brand new week, full of possibility. What does the start of a new week feel like to you? For many, Monday morning is a stark reminder of to do lists and stress. I challenge you to think about the start of your new week with a fresh perspective.

Like anything, freedom begins with a heart that is willing to change; a heart that is ready to let go and let God.  As we draw things close to our chests, it’s as if we feel like we have more control over the them. Perhaps, in a way we do, because we can’t see clearly when things are too close. By holding onto our problems, worries, anxieties and every other thing that bothers us, we are unintentionally holding onto suffering. However, it was never God’s intention for us to bear our burdens alone. The Bible tells us in Exodus 14:14 “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

Most of us continue suffering throughout our lives with the same things over and over again. We develop patterns and coping mechanisms and don’t even realize the degree to which we are suffering because we may have never experienced what it’s like to live without suffering. I challenge you this week to take a mental note of your core beliefs and how you handle stressors and suffering in your life.

What if you made a list of the suffering you have learned to tolerate? Here are a few examples:

I tolerate running out of gas because I don’t like pumping gas.

I tolerate paying my bills late because I forget to make deposits.

I tolerate a messy desk because it’s too time consuming to put things away when I am done.

I tolerate adult children being disrespectful.

I tolerate a negative work environment.

Can you list 10? If you’re like me, I know you can.

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Make as long of a list as you desire. Perhaps this exercise will bring to light some of the things you tolerate, which are stressors in your life. If you study the list, some or all of these things combined may be a reason for feeling apprehensive on Monday morning. As you look at the list, begin to pray over each item and ask God to show you how to resolve it to bring more joy into your life. Let him take charge and help you to identify your stressors and things you can do to change them.

• Begin your week with gratitude before your feet hit the floor.
• Choose a daily scripture to help you tackle challenges.
• Fully Rely on God (F.R.O.G.) to help you change things that need changed.

Don’t be complacent about suffering. Let go and let God. He can help guide you through your week and make your crooked paths straight. Stop telling yourself that you can fix what is broken by yourself or that your problems are too big or even too small to matter to God.

Here are some pretty thoughts to to ponder to help you to let go and let God:

All things are possible for one who believes. Mark 9:23

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:28

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you. Psalm 37:5

I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

God’s love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky. Luke 1:78

Give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love. Psalm 107:31

 

 

 

 

 

Friends,

From my home to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you are blessed this week by being surrounded by people you love, a joyful presence in your home, laughter and nourishing food to share at your table. I pray that you savor this time with your family and friends and live in the moment. As you sit across the table, may you feel God’s presence surround you and touch you to the depths of your being.

Remember to choose gratitude. That’s right. We can choose gratitude, which produces joy. Once we understand that the choice is ours, we have an opportunity to start with a fresh perspective. There are so many things in life that we get to choose. Gratitude, Attitude and Joy, to name a few.

Here’s my special round up of Gratitude Resouces!

“Brene Brown on Joy and Gratitude.”

“Show Gratitude/Always.”

“Why Gratitude Journals Work.”

Give thanks. What are some things you are grateful for today? Can you list 3-5? I hope so! This is good practice for your big Thanksgiving day meal. Go around the table and ask each person share one thing for which they are grateful.

Here is some practice for YOU! Let’s Go!

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Worship Songs About Gratitude:

Give Thanks

Thank You

Thankful

Bless you. Thank you for tuning in today. Remember, if you would like to practice the discipline of Gratitude, my workbook is available here.

xoxo.

Mary

Let’s talk about self-care from an appearance perspective today. Have there been times during your life where you felt physically inadequate or hated some part of your outward appearance? Have you ever thought, “Why doesn’t SHE have cellulite?” or “I wish I looked that great in my clothes.” If so, then you are like so many other women who struggle to feel good about themselves because our culture promotes beauty as “virtuous”.

Television, movies, fashion and cosmetic industries set us up to create unhealthy attachments to our appearance. But here’s the thing sisters-God didn’t design us to compare ourselves to these unattainable standards of the world. He didn’t design us to base our self-worth or sense of confidence on appearance.

For Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Luke 12:23 If we are focused primarily on our outward appearance, the enemy uses this to distract us from the heart and soul of our Creator. The spirit which resides in us is the beauty that shines outwardly. Therefore,  our security should be grounded in the One who calls us beautiful. It’s not shameful to want to feel good about oneself. Part of God’s unique design when He created women was beauty. But let me share this with you…read it and let it sink down into your spirit and land where it may:

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-24

How do you see yourself? Adjusting the way we see ourselves is an integral part of self-care. As I have previously stated, I believe that self-care begins with the heart and everything else stems from the condition of our heart. If we focus too much on our appearance, we begin to develop spiritually and emotionally unhealthy attachments. For instance, not liking the way we look or constantly criticizing ourselves in the mirror. The eye is the lamp. How do you see yourself? If your eye–your perspective is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

When our eyes are healthy, and we understand the depth of God’s love for us, we can accept our own perceived imperfections without negativity or a feeling of being flawed. Seeing ourselves through the Light of Christ, we understand the Truth about ourselves and others and when we understand the Truth, we love ourselves and others more fully.

Self-Care = Soul Care. Sisters, I cannot stress this enough. When we address our soul first, everything else will fall into place. God’s desire is for us to be healthy and whole and it is a responsibility He has called us to be the caretakers of the body in which the Holy Spirit resides. There is a distinction between taking care of our bodies and becoming attached to unhealthy beliefs about our bodies.

It is my belief that this can be a danger zone for women as we age in a society that values the appearance of youth. But growing older is a right of passage. We have earned our scars, wrinkles and sprinkling of silver hair. We have earned our age spots, laugh lines and a bit of drooping here and there! Don’t let the enemy of your soul rob you of this time in your life. Embrace it because God made you perfectly imperfect. Shape your identity around what God says about you rather than what the world says about you. When we look for our identity through the eyes of anyone other than Jesus, we settle for lies and insecurity.

Focus on Philippians 4:8 this week and every time you feel insecure, not enough or inadequate, remember this: