Feeling Overwhelmed

Anger. Depression. Loneliness. Guilt. These are emotions that powerfully affect our lives.We find them hopelessly undesirable, and at times, they can completely overwhelm us.

But the good news is even when we feel we’re losing our emotional battles, God is actually winning the war! Though it might not feel like it, God has a positive message for us in our negative emotions—and can use those emotions for spiritual growth and maturity.

Unfortunately, as fallen human beings, living in a fallen world, we aren’t given the privilege to pick and choose which emotions we will experience in our lives. We appreciate and value all the joy, love, laughter, peace, and excitement we can wrap our arms around. But then, we also have to deal with the dark side of the emotional spectrum.

But those emotions—the darker and more difficult ones—are important. In fact, they reveal a great deal about who we are and where we are in life.

How to Speak to the Storm in the Midst of Struggles

MARGARET ENGLISH

 

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(© Alexeybykov/ StockFreeImages.com)

Have you ever been in a stormy situation in which it seemed as if the devil was attempting to stir up everything in your life: strife, contention, hurt and wounds, anger, fear—the works?

I’m learning that in the midst of life’s storms the Lord has a powerful solution. We can speak peace to the storm, according to Mark 4:39.

This verse tells us that in the midst of a great windstorm, Jesus “arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still” (NKJ). Because Christ, the greater One, lives in us, we can take authority in a similar way over the rough places in our lives.

At times we can feel the spiritual storms beginning to blow around us. Tempers flare, fingers point, and confusion and hurt try to overwhelm us. How can we not only exist but also live happy lives in the midst of such spiritual warfare?

Facing Treachery, Again

Receive Mel Lawrenz’s weekly article, The Brook Letter.

Psalm 25 says “they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.” In the aftermath of the terrorist bombing in Boston, we may pray other words from the same psalm: “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”

FACING TREACHERY, AGAIN

Mel Lawrenz

Psalm 25 begins with these words:

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

A God Who Hears

By Mike DeVries

Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

I was talking with someone recently about a family crisis he is going through when he made this comment, “I just need God to hear me. I need to know that God is listening. Is that too much to ask for?”

Perhaps you’ve found yourself in the same situation. You’ve found yourself in a place where you are crying out to God, and the whole time you’re wondering, is He even listening? Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a place along your journey where you are looking around and asking, “God, if you’re supposed to be God, then why is ____________ happening?”

If you have been there (or you are there at this moment), you’re in good company. The Scriptures are filled with people who struggled with these exact questions. We encounter people who, in the face of tremendous doubt, have cried out to God, “Where are you?”

To Fly Again

By Suzie Eller

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

I stood on the small ladder with light bulb in hand. The weather was frigid, and changing an outdoor light was not what I wanted to do. But with darkness falling earlier it was necessary.

Something fluttered inside the lamp, which made me hesitant to reach in and unscrew the old bulb.

Peering in, I saw a bird at the bottom of the lamp with its wings pressed close to its side, and spindly legs twisted around the base of the lamp. How had this bird made its way into the lamp? How long had it struggled to be free?

For the next several moments I removed burned out light bulbs and debris, carefully trying to release the bird from its entanglement. As I tried to lift it to freedom with two fingers, it pecked furiously at my hand.

Beyond the Ashes … The Journey Back to Wholeness

Ministry wives who limp along the dark and lonely path of their husband’s moral failure share a common desire — to find healing for their broken hearts.

By Trisha Matthews*

I dedicate this article to the ministry wife who might be limping along a dark and lonely path carved by her husband’s moral failure. This failure can create issues that range from the inability to fulfill one’s role in ministry to the shame that accompanies moral failure. One thing is certain: Those who limp along this path share a common desire to find healing for their broken hearts.

No other pain can rival the pain of a broken heart. Details surrounding the events that brought the pain etch themselves into our memories with uncanny distinction. Even the feeblest trigger has the power to bring to mind the intricate elements that surrounded the proceedings of that day.
In a moment we remember the meal we shared. We recall the clothes we wore and the order of the errands we ran. We reawaken to the sensations we endured the moment we learned the devastating news.

What's beneath the use of pornography?

by Greg and Erin Smalley

This article is courtesy of HomeLife Magazine

Q. My husband enjoys looking at pornography. He says it's what other normal men do and that I shouldn't make a big deal about it. He says I should know he loves me, and besides, he's just looking. I try to keep myself attractive for him. Am I crazy for wanting my husband to look only at me naked?

A. You are not crazy! Pornography is one of the biggest issues marriages face today. There are many angles to address your question. We could focus on the mountains of research documenting the damage pornography causes; we could show how turning to pornography causes some people to withdraw from relationships; or how guilt, mistrust, and anger resulting from pornography can tear a marriage apart. But we want to go in a different direction.

Instead of focusing on getting your husband to stop looking at pornography, we want to encourage you to focus on the deeper underlying issues.

The Frog that Covered the Land

“So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.”—Exodus 8:6

This Torah portion for this week, Vaeira, is from Exodus 6:2—9:35 and Ezekiel 28:25–29:12.

The second plague to hit Egypt was the plague of frogs. Every Jewish child who goes to a Hebrew Day School knows this song: “One day Pharaoh awoke in his bed – there were frogs on his head and frogs in his bed. Frogs on his toes, and frogs on his nose. Frogs here, frogs there, frogs were jumping everywhere!”

But that’s not exactly how it happened.

The Sages point out that in the original Hebrew text, the Scripture says, “So Aaron stretched out his hand . . . and the frog came up and covered the land.” Did you catch it? One frog came up, and somehow, one frog covered the whole land! What does this mean?

When Tough Times Come

"Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (Acts 9:31)

There are times when life on this earth is hard and uncomfortable...and even downright painful. When those times come, you deeply need the comfort that only the Holy Spirit can bring.
How do you receive that kind of comfort?

I Wasn’t Ready to be a Grandma!

Written by Joan Giesbrecht

“Mom, embrace it!”

My initial response to Amber’s words were, “Yeah, right, that’s easy for you to say.” But within seconds I thought, “She’s right. I really don’t have any other choice.” But with that “embrace” has come anguish as we’ve grieved but also much joy as we’ve seen God’s blessing in both the journey and the arrival of this precious little boy. While this event may have surprised all of us, it didn’t surprise God. Before the foundation of the earth He knew all about this journey. I want to share some of it with you.

Is There Bitterness In Your House?

WANDA DAVIS-TURNER

 

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If resentment, anger and hostility gain a foothold in your life, they will diminish your effectiveness for God

I was once scheduled to speak at an annual women's conference at the Potter's House in Dallas. Before I arrived, I prepared the teaching I planned to give, "Is There a Lady in the House?" in which I describe two kinds of women: the industrious one lauded in Proverbs 31 and the "keeper at home" Paul writes about in Titus 2. But just as I was getting up to preach, the Lord told me, "You can't preach that message tonight."

At first I tried to convince Him to change His mind. But He reminded me that I was on assignment. I knew I had to say whatever He instructed, empowered and encouraged me to say--regardless of the risk or cost. And He wanted me to ask not "Is there a lady in the house?" but "Is there bitterness in the house?"

A Root of BitternessWhy bitterness? Because we cannot be the women God desires us to be when there is a root of bitterness in our souls.

You know what bitterness in the natural is. Something that leaves an acrid, lingering taste in your mouth. Something that is unpleasant, distasteful, galling and unpalatable.

Bitterness of soul is also unpleasant. It develops as a result of facing something that is grievous, difficult to accept or extremely painful. It is marked by harshness, resentment and deep animosity. And it sounds something like this:

A Living Example Of Love

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:5) 

Don't ever worry about not having enough love inside you. The Word says God's love is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost. God's love is in you. What you need to do is make a decision to let it flow.

Pray this prayer today.

"In Jesus' Name, I make a fresh and strong commitment today to live the life of love, to let the tenderness of God flow through me and heal the wounded hearts of those I meet.

"Father, teach me to love even when things go wrong. To be patient and kind when the children are underfoot. To overlook the spiteful words of an angry spouse. To rejoice when someone at the office gets the raise that I thought I needed. Teach me to talk in love, to lay gossip quietly aside and to take up words of grace instead.

The Key to a Lasting Marriage

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:32

Do you remember the Energizer Bunny?  He was the mascot and marketing icon for Energizer Batteries.  That little rabbit beat a bass drum … and he never stopped.  He just kept going and going and going.

Wouldn’t it be nice if marriages were like that? Wouldn’t it be nice if, when you tied the knot, it wasn’t a slipknot?  The sad truth is that tons of marriages don’t seem to last as long as an Energizer Battery.  

Crushed with a Purpose

When our life is hit by crushing circumstances, we may feel lost, hopeless, or be troubled by anger and despair. Scripture tells us that God not only allows suffering, but also provides a purpose for our trials.

Oh my, you should see the roses in my backyard!

Hi I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and this June, I have been picking and plucking my Double Delight roses; in fact, take a minute when you have the chance and go to my radio page at joniandfriends.org would you, because I’ve posted a photo of these incredibly beautiful roses. 

What Did You Say?

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

Friend to Friend

Fruit is one of my favorite foods. When I go grocery shopping, it always takes me longer to get through the fruit section than any other area of the store. I spend what some might consider a ridiculously long time picking out what I hope will be the juiciest apples, the plumpest grapes and sweetest bananas. Experience has taught me to quickly discard any piece of fruit that is bruised, mushy or discolored. I shake cantaloupe and thump watermelons. Ripe strawberries have a unique sweet scent and only the reddest cherries will do. Plums and tomatoes must be firm to the touch, bright in color and wrinkle-free while the more wrinkles the better when it comes to choosing passion fruit.

Holding Onto Anger

They say to forgive someone is to set yourself free.


Unfortunately, Rodd had to learn that the hard way. When Rodd and his family moved to another city they it looked like the perfect opportunity. But when the deal fell through Rodd struggled with bitterness and anger. He had a choice: to forgive or continue being bitter. 


What would you have chosen? Do you need to let go of your anger and bitterness? We can show you how.

Video provided by: TruthMedia films

http://powertochange.com/discover/stories/holding-onto-anger/

Related:Do You Want True Forgiveness?

http://powertochange.com/discover/stories/holding-onto-anger/

ESCAPE FROM CAMP 14

Shin is the first person born and raised in a North Korean monstrous slave-labor prison to escape and tell his harrowing tale.


by Jeff Jacoby

Shin Dong-Hyuk grew up in North Korea's Camp 14, one of the monstrous slave-labor prison complexes in which the world's most tyrannical regime has crushed hundreds of thousands of its citizens, working them to death in conditions of excruciating brutality and degradation. Though the North Korean concentration camps have lasted far longer than their Soviet or Nazi counterparts did, Shin is the first person born and raised in one of them to have successfully escaped abroad. His story is told in journalist Blaine Harden's Escape from Camp 14, a heart-crushing reminder that man's inhumanity to man has no limit.

Motherhood Is Not a Competition

Three ways to confront and overcome the destructive nature of jealousy.

by Dr. Meg Meeker

Twenty-some years ago, I was driving down the highway very early in the morning. I was a senior pediatric resident at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was trying to get to work early enough to check on the younger residents’ patients before I started morning rounds. It was spring and I was pregnant with our second child. I was driving about 60 mph in a 65mph zone when I saw, with my peripheral vision, a friend trying to pass me in the left-hand lane on her way to make rounds.

Depression: Illness or Spiritual failure?

Written by Cynthia Cavanaugh

Angry, frustrated and confused, I boarded a plane for Southern California. My dear friend and mother-in-law lay in a hospital bed with the shadow of death hovering. As I sat on the plane numb and expressionless. I cried, “Lord, where are you? Can’t you see my wounded heart?” I wanted to scream instead of cry, “LORD, I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE!” I felt as though his face was shrouded from me.

This was one of the few times in my journey with God where I truly felt that I had been abandoned by Him. So many traumatic events had happened. Just two weeks earlier we had buried my grandfather–the spiritual rock of our family. I had had the privilege of caring for him and walking with him through his last days and now, just weeks after his death, I was possibly facing another. I felt as though the foundation of my childhood was being bulldozed.

What Are The Symptoms Of Depression?

Written by Christian Nordqvist 

Most of us have moments or short periods of sadness when we feel lonely or depressed. These sensations are usually normal ones that sometimes occur in life. They can be the result of a recent loss, having a particularly challenging day or week, or a reaction to a hurtful comment. However, when feelings of sadness and being unable to cope overwhelm the person, so much so that they undermine their ability to live a normal and active life, it is possible that they have what is known as a major depressive disorder (MDD), also called clinical depression, unipolar depression or major depression. Informally, the condition is simply referred to as depression.