Visit My New Site!
If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been lately it’s because I’ve been busy working on a brand new site and blog! Please take a moment to visit me. I apologize but you’ll have to re-subscribe to continue getting my posts. I pray you’ll take the time to do this and join me on this journey to see how God blesses each of us along the way!
You can find the new site at: http://alightfilledlife.com/
and you can sign up for the blog at: http://alightfilledlife.com/?page_id=563
Thank you so much for being a part of this!
Many Thanks!
1. Thank you for all the prayers you lifted up for Carter. We finally got a diagnoses – Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis. It’s a condition where he will have pain caused from growth on his legs but other than the pain he will be okay and hopefully grow out of the condition as he gets older. We are very happy that it is not cancer and we finally have a diagnosis. Carter has been through so much as a little boy, open heart surgery at age one, multiple strokes and a liver condition that will effect him throughout his life. However, God will use him in powerful ways. Thank you for your continue prayer!
2. Thank you for all of your support during this blog. It really has been amazing to reach out to the world and get feedback, develop relationships and be able to support each other through our journeys.
3. Be looking for new and better things to come! I’m trying my best to improve my site, my reach and my message. In the process you will be seeing a new look and many exciting things to come. Please give me your feedback!
Thanks again for your support and I look forward to this journey with you!
Darkness and Depression
Dark and light are opposites and I think in many ways that correctly describes the depressed and the non-depressed. Lately, it seems that my depression has taken a stronger hold on me than normal. I’m not for sure the reason for this. It’s probably a combination of not being completely satisfied with certain aspects of my life, my higher cognitive recognition of my depression and just plain being worn out.
An interesting thought is that depression and happiness are not opposites. Depression zaps your vitality, your ability to feel happy emotions. Lately, I’ve been so tired that I just long to be quiet. To be alone. These aren’t necessarily bad desires. They can actually be very healthy in some cases. However, in my case I fear that they will lead me down a negative road.
What do you do when you think you are headed the wrong way? I hope you pray. I hope you pray for guidance. I hope you pray for a hand to hold. I hope you pray for strength and courage. I hope you pray for your support system. I hope you pray. These are the things I’m praying for.
Quote of the Day
A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown
No matter where life takes you use God as your compass and He will lead you through all the twists and turns in your life.
Be still. Listen to God.
If you are anything like me you are constantly busy and feel as if your life is going in circles. You work hard. You never get anywhere. You are tired. Your body earns for peace. You just want to be still.
Modern science tells us that this is horrible for our bodies and our minds:
The Value of Sleep
By Dr. Mehmet Oz. | http://www.oprah.com/oprahradio/The-Value-of-Sleep
According to clinical psychologist Dr. Rubin Naiman, getting a good night’s sleep is critical for our physical, spiritual and emotional health—yet more and more people suffer from sleep disorders and insomnia. Dr. Naiman urges us to slow down, unwind and embrace the spiritual side of sleep, and he says most sleep problems can—and should—be treated without medications. Dr. Oz talks to Dr. Naiman, who is also the sleep specialist at the Miraval Resort in Arizona and the author of Healing Night: The Science and Spirit of Sleeping, Dreaming and Awakening, about the importance of sleep and ways that you can reclaim the night:
•Dr. Naiman says that if you fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow, you are most likely sleep deprived and excessively tired. Give yourself 10–15 minutes in bed, in the dark and alone with your thoughts before you fall asleep, he says.
•If you consistently need an alarm clock to wake up, you’re not getting enough sleep. “If you get enough sleep, you’ll just awaken naturally,” Dr. Naiman says. The simple solution: Go to bed earlier.
•If you’re using excessive stimulation during the day for energy, such as caffeine, high-glycemic foods or running on adrenaline, you’re probably not getting enough sleep, Dr. Naiman says.
•Be sure to sleep in complete darkness—that means turning off the TV, night-lights and bright alarm clocks. Dr. Naiman says that even a small amount of light at night suppresses the body’s production of melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle and plays a vital role in other important biological processes.
•Dreams are extremely valuable to the human psyche, Dr. Naiman says, not only from a spiritual standpoint but from a health standpoint. In fact, he says evidence suggests that “the chronic loss of dreaming may be the most critically overlooked factor in clinical depression.”
•The process of preparing your mind and body for sleep is a valuable spiritual process, Dr. Naiman says. “It’s an opportunity to literally practice this fundamental art of letting go, of surrendering,” he says.
•Rest is just as important as sleep, Dr. Naiman says. People often confuse rest with recreational activities like bowling, reading or drinking alcohol, he says. Rather, learn to engage in things like meditation, yoga or prayer. “Rest informs most approaches to healing and I think we underestimate how powerful it is,” he says.
The Lord tells us this is horrible for our souls:
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Psalm 23:2
He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
Psalm 127:2
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Proverbs 3:24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Sleep well tonight knowing that the Lord is embracing you and taking all of your burdens away. Give up on the idea that being busy makes you better and worthy of praise. It’s a lie. Be still. Listen to God.
Quote of the Day
“Live authentically. Why would you continue to compromise something that’s beautiful to create something that is fake.”― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
Children Are Inspirational
If the daily grind of life ever gets you down I encourage you to look at the face of a child. Look at his innocence. Look at their hope. At their joy. Examine their attitude. Their earning to learn, to achieve and to grow. Take just an ounce of their attitude and apply it to your own life and watch that tiny ounce of a seed blossom into something wonderful in your life.
Today, I write this special message in hopes that you’ll take a moment to include one small child in your prayers, my nephew Carter. Please ask God to watch over him and his doctors at St. Jude’s today. Pray that the outcome of the tests are negative. And, pray that his innocence, his hope, his attitude, his desire to learn, achieve and grow never falters, never changes and is always rooted in his love for God.
Dedication. Old and Overated?
Today is my mom and dad’s anniversary. First I want to acknowledge how truly blessed I am to have them as parents. They are nothing less than wonderful. They have been great parents, great role models and great friends. I know I am extremely blessed to have them shape my life. I want to tell them thank you for their extremely hard work, their dedication to each other, to me and my brother and to God. I could not have had a better example on how to live my life with God as the foundation. Words cannot express my gratitude or complete joy towards them. Thank you for everything. I love you.
I hope this kind of dedication is not lost to future generations. Our world tends to give up on things very quickly today. But, it is a wonderful source of joy to be so dedicated to one another and to God.
Quote of the Day
God made your heart with magnificent events in mind. If your heart isn’t in what you are doing then ask God to lead you to those magnificent things awaiting you.
Fear Not, God is Here!
It is human nature to fear. What are the things that you fear? Here are some that cross my mind:
- The future.
- The unkown.
- Failure.
- Meeting expectations.
- Change.
These are probably pretty common fears. Do you ever fear God’s power? Do you ever fear His love from you? I think we all do. It can be very hard to let go and fully give your life to God. We have such a need for control! However, think of all the wonderful things that would happen in your life if you fully gave it to Him. We can’t even imagine the goodness and happiness we would receive.
Here’s to no more fear! God, I’m ready for you to take over! Completely!
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)
