Staying Fit Is a Way to Worship

/in /by

Happy Monday!

We are about to wrap up another month and we are marching along in our weekly group with the Food Essential.    I always love the genuine interest and input from everyone as we share in so many ways!

One of the really big things in The Daniel Plan is bringing together ALL the elements of our lives.  Thus, the five Essentials.  Each and every one plays a critical part in our lives and how we feel, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.  Faith, Food, Focus, Fitness and Friends.  We live and breathe each one, every day!

I like this article because it pretty well covers them all.  For me, the fifth paragraph describes my daily struggle pretty well.  I give everything to God pretty regularly.  Unfortunately, I am really good about having it crawl right back off of the alter and back onto my shoulders.  My shoulders aren’t that strong and they were never meant to be.  They were never meant to be because God WANTS to carry our burdens for us.  He wants to help us, heal us, comfort us and love us.  But – we have to allow Him to.

How about you?  Are your shoulders feeling weighed down?  Is your body feeling worn out?  After you read the article, ask yourself what changes can you make to improve physically, emotionally and spiritually.  When you do, start working on implementing those changes into your life.  You will feel much better for it!

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

Staying Fit Is a Way to Worship

Rick Warren

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1 NIV).

For change to happen in any area of your life—whether it’s financial, vocational, educational, mental, or relational—you have to begin with the physical.

Why? Because your body affects your behavior. Your muscles affect your moods and your motivation. Your physiology can actually affect your psychology.

Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (NIV).

The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can choose to crawl off the altar. We do this all the time. We offer ourselves to God, and then we take ourselves back. This is not a once-and-for-all offer. You’ve got to do it four, five, or maybe even 10 times a day!

So what is your “true and proper worship”? Here are three things you can do with your body that the Bible says are acts of worship:

Cleanse your body. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 7:1, “Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (NIV). You cleanse your body by controlling what you allow into your mind through what you watch and listen to and into your body by what you eat and drink.

Care for your body. Ephesians 5:29 says, “No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church” (NLT). Keeping your body in shape is an act of worship to God.

Control your body. “Each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thessalonians 4:4 NIV). Control your body so that it doesn’t control you. There is no reason to say, “I couldn’t help myself!”

No matter what kind of change you want to make in your life, it will require energy. To have the energy to meet your goals, change has to start with your body.

15 Signs It’s Time For A Detox

/in /by

Happy Monday!

Today’s article is important in a couple of ways.  I have a couple of ladies preparing to do a detox and I thought this might encourage them.  We just don’t tend to think of all the ways that what we put into our body affects how our body feels. 

One thing that affects many of us is the inflammation that it causes.  Inflammation then can cause arthritis, heart disease, cancer and on and on!  It affects pretty well every organ in our bodies and even the largest organ, our skin. 

  What we put in our mouth can affect our vision, our hearing (tinnitus), our nails, teeth and hair.  It affects our emotions, our intellect and even our mental status.  The big picture is that it literally affects everything about us.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, what we ingest is one of the biggest decisions/choices we will ever make for ourselves.

 If you know me very well, you will know that THE absolute biggest decision/choice you make will be the master you serve.  The health of our bodies is very important, but it is temporary.  The master we serve is for our eternity.

We have just come through a major holiday season.  It is one of the most difficult times to eat a healthy diet.  There are ooey, gooey treats at every turn.  And by the end of the season, we are hooked.  Maybe, the hardest news is that to stop the cravings and giving in to them, we have to just S.T.O.P.  Replace the bad stuff with good food that will fill you up and keep you satisfied.  A detox gets the bad stuff out of your system and gives you a clean slate.  A new start.  It’s only 10 days.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

15 Signs It’s Time For A Detox

Dr. Will Cole

The concept of detoxing is certainly not a new one. If you immerse yourself in the wellness world, even just a little bit, you quickly become aware of the hundreds of different ways to cleanse your body. From juice cleanses to Whole30 to sipping bone broth—there’s a detox out there that will tickle your fancy.

With our world growing increasingly toxic, the question is not if you should do a detox; it’s when. So start listening to your body, and if you are experiencing any one of these, it’s a sign that it’s time to start your detox method of choice:

1. You crave sugar often. 
Insatiable cravings are a huge sign that something is off. A diet filled with processed foods can put your blood sugar and leptin hormones on a roller-coaster ride leaving you begging for more junk. Doing a detox and focusing on whole, clean food sources will get those hormones back on track by providing your body with the nutrients that are currently lacking.

2. You have digestive distress. 
This is one of the most obvious signs that you need a complete diet overhaul, and a detox can do just that. Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and gas are not only uncomfortable; they’re the last things that should be happening if everything is functioning the way it should be. Hit the reset button with a detox and give your gut a break!

3. “Seasonal” allergies are a regular occurrence. 
If you have a weak gut microbiome, you’ll also have a weak immune system. And since your sinuses are just an extension of your digestive system, it makes sense that gut health and chronic allergies would go hand in hand.

4. You eat healthy but don’t feel healthy. 
Maintaining a clean diet doesn’t mean you never need to detox; even the healthiest foods can aggravate and flare a person up. Eliminating certain foods for a period of time can give your gut and the rest of your body a break. Detoxing can also fuel your body with powerful superfoods that can help eliminate harmful toxins that build up over time and contribute to health problems.

5. Your skin isn’t clear. 
Toxin and chemical buildup doesn’t do us any favors when it comes to the health and appearance of our skin. An overload of toxins can hinder the function of your liver (which is your body’s main detoxifying organ) and lead to buildup. Since your skin is also responsible for eliminating waste through sweat, all those problems can creep up to the surface in the form of acne, rashes, and inflammation.

6. You are constantly fatigued. 
Persistent fatigue may be a deeper problem, also known as adrenal fatigue. This occurs when your brain and adrenal glands are not communicating well due to elevated cortisol levels because of toxin buildup, stress, inflammation, or microbiome imbalances.

7. You feel foggy. 
If you lack the ability to focus or struggle to remember various details on a regular basis, you’re dealing with brain fog. When your body can’t eliminate toxins fast enough, they build up in your body and increase inflammation. Too much inflammation damages your protective blood-brain barrier and leads to “leaky brain syndrome.” A detox can start to flush out toxins to relieve the inflammatory oxidative stress in the hypothalamus of the brain so you can finally start thinking more clearly.

8. You are experiencing regular joint pain. 
Chronic ongoing inflammation can do a number on your muscles and joints. If you are constantly sore, stiff, and achy—especially if you aren’t pushing yourself at the gym—it’s a big red flag for inflammation.

9. You’re constantly stressed. 
Not all detoxes need to be food-based. Stress is a huge contributing factor to all sorts of health issues and can even trigger autoimmune conditions and bigger mental health problems like depression. While a food-related cleanse can also be fantastic to help relieve the physical contributors to stress, sometimes you just need to put outside stimuli on mute and recharge your mental state.

10. The idea of a detox makes you want to cry. 
If just the thought of having to give up your current eating style makes you want to cry, you may be dealing with an unhealthy emotional attachment to your food. Instead of looking at food as essential fuel for a healthy body, it can be used as either a reward or punishment. Doing a detox can be one way to see if your eating habits have emotional roots, and only then can you start to identify your relationship with food and begin to take steps forward.

11. You are struggling with your weight. 
I always tell my patients, “We need to get healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to get healthy.” Your microbiome is a vast collection of all different strains of bacteria, and without the proper balance of good bacteria, bad bacteria starts to take over, and this leads to big problems like inflammation and a slowed metabolism. Take a time-out and start healing your gut.

12. Your hormones are out of whack. 
Adrenal fatigue, low sex drive, menstrual disorders, and weight-loss resistance are all big hormonal problems. Each of these hormonal issues can be traced back to chronic inflammation, which can be due to toxins and other inflammatory foods in your diet.

13. Your sleep patterns are messed up. 
Irregular circadian rhythms can be due to underlying hormonal issues like leptin resistance and adrenal fatigue, which I mentioned above. You’ll be getting your full eight hours in no time once you’ve started to bring your inflammation and toxin levels down.

14. You are depressed and anxious. 
Lingering feelings of depression and anxiety often stem from inflammation. “Leaky brain” starts to wreak havoc by triggering an inflammatory-autoimmune response against your brain and nervous tissue. When you start to decrease inflammation by cutting things out of your diet you may find that you start to feel a sense of calm.

15. You get cold sores. 
Painful cold sores are something that 90 percent of us have had to deal with at least once in our lives, and about 40 percent of people have recurring flare-ups. This is due to the herpes simplex virus HSV-1—not to be confused with the HSV-2 strain that is most associated with the STD genital herpes! Most of the time the virus is dormant in your body, just waiting for an opportunity to strike. When your immune system is weak due to factors like toxins and inflammation, the virus is more likely to activate. So, if you are consistently battling these pesky sores, it’s time to boost up your immune system with a detox.

Daniel Plan Team New Year Thoughts

/in /by

Happy Monday!

Sometimes, life can just be overwhelming.  No matter how strong you think you are and how strong you try to appear, it just. becomes. overwhelming.  This week has been like that.  Sometimes, you just need that extra long hug (or maybe two) and hear someone say they love you and really care.  Yesterday was like that.  By the time I made it to the kitchen after church, with an angel friend in tow to help me do clean-up, some other very special angels had beat me to it and had it done.  Lord, never let me forget how blessed I am!  Thank you to my church family!

I pray for God’s will, I pray for healing and peace and for comfort and then I pray some more.  I even pray for God to listen and answer my prayers.  Seriously, who do I think I am that I need to remind GOD of anything!  He sees my tears and He knows my pain.  And, He answers my prayers.  The answer may or may not come the way I expect or when I expect, but He answers and His view is much more expansive than mine!

Even on those days when life overwhelms, I know God is still in charge.  I know God has a perfect plan for me and for everyone else too!  All He wants is for us to open that door and let Him be God, doing what God does.  He puts special people in our path.  Sometimes, they will serve as reminders and sometimes they are doers, taking care of things that are just beyond the realm of overwhelmed. 

Thank you, Lord, for your grace, mercy and unconditional love.  Thank you for never giving up on me even when, for all practical purposes, you could and should.  Thank you for reminding me, once again, that my power is from You and only You!  And thank you for answered and unanswered prayers.  May we rejoice in the answers and grow and learn from the unanswered.  In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

Happy New Year!

As we turn the corner and head into 2019, I wanted to share with you a few simple thoughts that have been significant throughout my life. They have been a guide post through all the ups and downs that have come my way, and my prayer is that they encourage your heart and soul as you look to the New Year ahead. 

Based on my favorite excerpts from the Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional…
“The key to deep and lasting change isn’t trying harder. The real power comes from a simple shift in our focus to Gods’ power within us, as He is the one that specializes in miracle makeovers. Just try to imagine what changes could happen in your life this year if you had a greater dependence on God’s infinite power instead of your own willpower.

Effort is necessary, but it’s effort fueled by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, and energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give Him the most pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

God loves you so much that He freely put his power to work in your life. His love invigorates. His love revitalizes. His love strengthens. His love renews. His love empowers you when you don’t have the power.”

So as you seek to make changes for the year ahead, invite God’s love to touch every area of your life. Finding the courage to change comes from the power of the one who loves you most. Know that each of us at the Daniel Plan are committed to you, as we find strength in God’s power and trust in Him for all that is ahead.

New Year’s Blessings,

Dee and the Daniel Plan Team

New Year, New You

/in /by

Happy 1st Monday in 2019!

Here we are, off to a running start in a brand new year.  It seems like we just started last year!

This year, as in every year, is bound to bring some joys, some adventures and some challenges.  The joys and adventures are easy.  What about those challenges though?  They may involve you or they may involve someone you care about and one is as bad as the other. 

The older we get, the bigger the health challenges seem to get.  It may be multiple small things or it might be something big and dreaded.  I remember a day when I didn’t know anyone who had cancer.  Now, it seems as if I’m surrounded by it.  Alzheimer’s Disease risk seems to increase daily and I have a few friends who have had heart disease issues.    So where does that leave us?

There are things that can decrease or increase our risks.  What we put into our bodies, what we put into our minds, and what we allow into our hearts will all have an effect on our health.

What we put into our bodies: Food/Alcohol/Drugs – Food is pretty important.  You can’t live without it, but if you don’t do it well, you may not be able to live with it either!  We can focus on the best quality that we can and make it real, whole food as opposed to chemical and artificial ingredient laden pretend food.  If it grows on a plant, eat it.  If it’s made in a plant, leave it behind.  The less processed our food is, the better!

Alcohol: If you are attempting to drown your sorrows or drink your nutrients, it won’t work.  If you do choose to drink, do it in strict moderation, remember it is empty calories and NEVER drink and drive.  Drugs: Unfortunately, some prescription drugs are sometimes necessary.  Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor what they are for, what are the side effects and long-term effects, how long do you need it and is it really necessary.  You may be surprised by some of the answers.  There are no good reasons or good consequences for illegal drugs. 

What we put into our minds – Think about what you watch on television, what you read and even some of the people we associate with.  There is a saying: Garbage in – garbage out.  What you allow into your mind is eventually going to come out, it may be in your actions, your words or most likely, both.  Is that really who you want to be?  We will serve one master.  Will it be God or will it be Satan?

What we allow into our hearts: Do you know anyone who seems to be perpetually unhappy?  We all have our days, but some have nothing but those days.  I am NOT talking about mental illness, I am talking about bitterness and resentment.  Something in their life didn’t go right and they refuse to let it go.  Jealousy and envy, like bitterness and resentment can control our lives.

In the absence of the Ghost of Christmas Past, it will take a serious attitude adjustment to bring about change.  The best place I know of to start is to review, once again, which master we serve.  You can choose to live a bitter claim to existence or you can choose to make a change.  If we surrender our life to God, our hearts will feel His love, not all the garbage we had there before.

It’s a brand new year.  What are your goals for 2019?  I choose joy and peace.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

New Year, New You

The Daniel Plan

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. —Isaiah 43:19 NIV

A new year is a time to start fresh. No matter what your history is with faith, food, fitness, focus, or friends, this is a great day to turn a new page.

God wants to make a path in the wilderness for you to journey on. If you’ve had areas of wasteland in your life, he wants to pour streams into that desert and make it bloom.

Nothing is impossible for him. God says, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27 NIV). The answer is no.

With this new year, it’s a good idea to set some goals for yourself. Goals are the steps we take each day, week, and month to get from where we are today to the future we dream of having. A goal is a dream with a deadline.

If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you like to do with your life this year? What is one goal you’d like to start with, knowing that it’s up to God to make it possible? Food for Thought: God is doing a new thing in you. He’s making a way in the wilderness for you to walk toward the life he has in store for you.

3 Practices to Transform Your New Year

/in /by

 Happy New Year!

I don’t know about your house, but in mine, Christmas has left the building!  The decorations are down, the mess is cleaned up and somehow, it seems a little lonely…

Before Christmas, every time I look at the tree or the lights or nativity, I am filled with a sense of expectancy, peace and joy, all rolled up into one big happy package.  The expectancy isn’t from waiting to open gifts and the peace and joy isn’t from anticipating what is in those pretty bags and packages.  They come from celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Each time I look at these traditional signs of Christmas, I am reminded of the greatest Gift of all.

All of this got me thinking.  That feeling doesn’t need to go away, packed up in storage until next year.  It’s in my heart so I can still celebrate it each and every day!  Before Jesus’ birth, they were waiting for a Savior.  Today, we are waiting for our Savior to return!  And the peace and joy are what I feel knowing I will be with Him for all eternity.  So!  I will celebrate Christmas every day, with peace, joy and expectancy!

Do you have that peace and joy?  It’s a free gift from Him to us.  Merry Christmas every day!

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

3 Practices to Transform Your New Year                          
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined 
what God has prepared for those who love him.”  
1 Corinthians 2:9  

If you’re like me, 2018 has been filled with so many ups and downs. No matter what your journey has held, we want you to know that you are
not alone, and hope is within reach. As we head into the New Year, we
wanted to take a moment to refocus on a few simple practices that
promise to enrich and empower your life in the days ahead. For decades,experts in every walk of life have found that the common practices of
high performing individuals are consistency on the fundamentals. They
show up day in and day out and stay committed to what’s most importantto making them excel in their lives. So, whether you want to cultivate a
deeper walk with God, get in better shape, start feeling better or discovernew opportunities to serve… building a few daily practices can be
transformative. The three below have been most significant to me…
 
#1 – Take an inventory and discover what rejuvenates you
As you begin to reflect on what your hoping for in the New Year, it’s best to start by evaluating what makes you feel most invigorated and alive.

 According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “being fully energized comes down to a
very simple principle – take out the bad stuff and add in the good.” In
pursuit of our best life he suggests doing an inventory of our energy gainsand drains and to start by simply making a list of what fuels us.

Keep in mind this list is unique to you. You may find yours filled things
like enjoying a good meal with friends, taking in the sunset, listening to
your favorite music, reading a great book or something as simple as walking your pup!

As you reflect on what fills each of your days, be reminded of the things
that rejuvenate your life. When you get to the list of energy drains, it
may include things like watching too much TV, eating fast foods,going to
bed late, dropping your exercise routine, etc. The goal here is to start
letting go of the areas that drain you and to begin developing a
routine that brings you joy.

#2 – Develop a daily routine to recharge physically
Tom Rath, author of Eat Move Sleep suggests that these three elements
are the key areas we need to reboot and recharge. He puts it this way – “Ifyou eat, move, and sleep well today, you will have more energy
tomorrow. You will treat your friends and family better, you will achieve more at work and give more to your community.” 

Well, I guess that says it in a nutshell. It’s about focusing on steady
improvements in the way we eat, move and sleep. What I have found in working of thousands of individuals to improve their health is that small steps = huge results, in fact it’s transformational. So, let progress not
perfection, be your goal as you learn to love foods that nourish you, find movement you enjoy, and put a priority on having a good night sleep. 

#3 – Cultivate life giving rituals for your morning routine
If you’re looking to jump start your life, it’s imperative to dial in the way you spend the first and last part of your day. Hal Elrod, the author of
Miracle Mornings has this to say, “How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) will dramatically impact your life. By
simply changing the way you wake up in the morning, you can transformany area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible.” So, whether you’re spending 5 minutes or 50 minutes, the goal here is to steep your
soul with inspiration and develop a life-giving routine for beginning each day. A morning routine may include a prayerful reflection, time in God’s word, a few pages of an inspiring read, recording your gratitude’s, an
invigorating walk, or catching up on your favorite podcast. Explore
finding a new morning rhythm and enjoy what works best for you.

Considering that these foundational practices become the fabric of our
life, there is arguably no single skill that is more important than learninghow to incorporate these fundamentals into our lives.
So now it’s up to you. Have fun designing ways to enrich 2019 as you
focus on habits that rejuvenate you, routines to recharge physically, and life-giving rituals that set the tone for each day.   

Blessings, Dee and the Daniel Plan Team

Advent Week 4 – The Candle of Love

/in /by

O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels’ voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born

It’s Christmas Eve.  These last three weeks, in the tradition of Advent, have been a time of preparation, a time of waiting…

A time of waiting, not for Santa Clause or for the opening of too many gifts, but the waiting for a Savior. 

“Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11  

The promise of this Savior went back as far as Genesis 3:15 and the wait began.  This coming is mentioned throughout scripture for all that time until one holy night in Bethlehem.

As you go about your day and evening, maybe at a candlelight service as I will be, or just a quiet evening at home, ponder the significance of it all.  A tiny baby, come to save the world.  And there is not a thing we can “do” to earn it, it’s only through the grace of God.  That is enough to bring me to my knees.

Hope, Peace and Joy, and now Love.  Hope gives me peace, peace gives me joy, and the three add up to a wondrous love.

May each and every one of you experience all of these.  Not because everything in your life is perfect, but because our God, our Savior is perfect.  Merry Christmas!

Glory to God in the highest!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

ADVENT WEEK 4: THE CANDLE OF LOVE

Gail Rodgers

The ring was special! It signified she belonged to the organization. As she wore it she was aware of all it represented and of who it said she was. With it she was more conscious of how she acted. As a follower of Jesus, you wear a distinguishing mark as well. Is it visible?

You wear His love.

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

When Jesus came to this earth, He brought a special kind of love. This love is unselfish, compassionate, unconditional. He loves us just as we are. Our condition is irrelevant to His love. It is a love that picks us up just where we are in life and carries us further than we could ever go on our own.

He gives us His love so we can give it away in the same unselfish, compassionate, unconditional way He gave it to us. He tells us this love will be our trademark. It will distinguish us as followers of Jesus.

Your actions reflect Jesus to the world around you. You can choose to offer love or to hold it back. In situations where it is hard to offer love, ask Him to give you an abundance of His own in your heart so you are able to give it away.

As you move into Christmas this week, be reminded of the distinguishing mark you carry as a follower of Jesus. Ask for His love to be evident in your words and actions as you interact with others. Seek to bring unity and balance into relationships or situations. Listen to people with sincerity and interest. Ask for a graciousness that comes from His Spirit as you mingle with those in your circle.

Wear the love of Jesus as your distinguishing mark as His follower.

Here is a prayer to help you do that.

Father God, Thank you for Your generous love to me. Thank you that You see the abundance in my life rather than all the shortfalls I have. Help me to offer that same gracious love to those I mingle with this Christmas season. Pour Your love into my heart so I can give it away. May they know I am a follower of Jesus by my love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

ADVENT WEEK 3: THE CANDLE OF JOY

/in /by

Happy Monday!!

Hope, Peace and now Joy!!  How uplifting that is!  This has Jesus written all over it!  We are celebrating the birth of a very special baby who came to change the world.

Prophets told of His coming long before He arrived.  So long that many had forgotten or given up hope.  And then when He came, many believed He had come to save them, except thought He was there to save them from the Romans.  A king who would save by the sword.  Instead, they got a King who loved them so much that He stretched out His arms and died for them.  He brought salvation by paying for their sins (and OURS) with His life.  He was Handed over to die a horrific death so they, and US, could live eternally.  What a glorious Savior and King!

Hope, Peace and now Joy!  All brought to us by a tiny baby boy.  Born of a virgin, raised as a carpenter and died as a King.  His humble beginning opened the door to our rich ending.  A gift just waiting to be accepted.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

 

ADVENT WEEK 3: THE CANDLE OF JOY

Gail Rodgers

As I re-juggled my “to do” list of Christmas preparations, my thoughts bounced around the changes that have come and how Christmas will be somewhat different this year — good changes, challenging changes, hard changes — the interesting mosaic of life. It’s different for all of us, yet we all share in that changing landscape of life. Sometimes finding joy in the changes is easy. Other time it’s very challenging.

As I pondered the changes in my life, and in our world, I thought about Christmas and the birth of Baby Jesus. Sometimes that manger scene seems so irrelevant and so far removed from day-to-day life. Yet an old verse in the Bible brought freshness to my soul this week as I pondered how the Baby Jesus impacts my life today. It truly gives new cause for joy — to stop and listen again.

“For unto us a child is born …and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Any need you have in life and in the changing landscape of your mosaic can be answered by Jesus. If you need wisdom or strength, He will be your Counselor. If you need a mountain moved, He is your Mighty God. If you need comfort, forgiveness and gentle healing, He is your everlasting Father; and if your heart is anxious and troubled, He will be Peace to you. Jesus is our rock and our hope — our cause for joy!

Let your heart pause with thankfulness as you prepare for Christmas. Look at the manger scene with the fresh wonder of all He is to you. Let joy seep into the changes of your life. No need or change that you face will not be met by Him. He is so much more than just a baby! Invite Him into your changes! Let joy fill your soul.

Here is a suggested prayer to increase your joy:

Heavenly Father, fill my heart with the fresh wonder of what that first Christmas means for me today. Thank you that today or in the future, any need I have can be encompassed by You, Jesus. Let joy flood into my soul as I lean on You to be my Wonderful Counselor, my Mighty God, my Everlasting Father, and my Prince of Peace! Help me to look with expectation to what You will do in my life and fill me with Your joy! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

ADVENT WEEK 2: THE CANDLE OF PEACE

/in /by

 

Happy Monday!

 Last week in Bible Study, we talked about things like being set free from sin’s control, becoming a slave to righteousness, not sin and realizing you are a child of God by being chosen by Him and brought into His family.  How does that make you feel?  It gives me a sense of gratitude, joy, hope and peace!  It makes it very personal.  He loves me enough to choose me, with all of my scrapes and dents and unworthiness,  to be adopted into His family.  That leaves me totally speechless.  It also gives me peace.  I know where I have been, but now I know where I am and WILL be!

Paul was a classic example of persecution, both giving and receiving.  We all know the story of Paul, when he was still Saul.  Persecuting Christians is what he did.  And he did it with passion.  Later, after being confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road and his name being changed to Paul, he did everything possible to be the change and to serve.  Yet, he was the one who was now being persued and persecuted.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28

“. . . in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness”

Wow!  How easy it would have been to have just quit!  Just denied Christ and went on about his life.  Except it wouldn’t have been easy at all for Paul.  I think it was impossible for him.  His life had been changed forever and his life now belonged to Jesus Christ.  He found his peace even in his suffering because he knew who he belonged to.

Philippians 4:11-13

11 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Paul found his peace.  What about you?  Do you have the peace that only Jesus brings?  Can you be content no matter what your circumstance may be?  It’s not too late.  He’s waiting for you.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

 

ADVENT WEEK 2: THE CANDLE OF PEACE

GAIL RODGERS

The angels proclaimed “Peace on Earth” when the Baby Jesus was born. Today we wonder as we listen to the evening news, is peace possible? We all need two kinds of peace in our lives. We need inner peace, but we also need peace with others. God addresses both. He tells us what to do to find that peace.

INNER PEACE

Inner peace begins with a relationship with God, and it continues as we focus on His strength and allow Him to fill us. We can exchange our weakness for His strength in any area of life. God’s Word says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is focused on You because He trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

Personalize that verse with your own name in it: “God will keep me in perfect peace as my mind focuses on Him and trusts Him.” Inner peace hinges on your trust in God.

If inner peace is eluding you these days and anxiety is spilling over in your life, choose to trust God. You can choose to put your hand in His and draw from His patience and wisdom as you take each step. He will guide you through the maze of life if you ask Him. Choosing to trust God with those blind corners in your life will take you down the road to inner peace. Choosing not to trust Him will take you down the road to stress and worry. Inner peace is there for the choosing.

PEACE WITH OTHERS

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Peace with others begins as we understand that God has called us to be peacemakers in our world. Is there somewhere in your own world where you can be a peacemaker this Christmas? Is there an invitation that needs to be extended to smooth over a fractured family relationship? Is there an apology to be made or a silence to be broken that has stood as a barrier for too long? Don’t miss the blessing God promises in your life as you respond to His call to be a peacemaker in your own circle.

We can help bring peace to our world one heart at a time.

ADVENT WEEK 1: THE CANDLE OF HOPE

/in /by

Happy Monday!

Until a few years ago, even though I had heard about Advent, I didn’t know what it was about.  Each year, I learn a little more and understand it a little more.

The first week is for hope.  I think this is a beautiful explanation.

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

ADVENT WEEK 1: THE CANDLE OF HOPE

GAIL RODGERS

Christmas is coming! There are loved ones to see, gifts to give, baking to share. We prepare our homes for the celebration. Yet even more important than this outward preparation is the preparation of our heart.

The Advent season is a beautiful reminder to prepare our hearts as we prepare our homes — to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus! At the start of this week, we light the first of the four candles in the Advent wreath: the candle of Hope.

Is your heart filled with hope? Do you have a confident expectation of your tomorrow? What happens when the road ahead is filled with loss and stress weighs your shoulders down? When confident expectation for tomorrow dwindles, what can you do? How can you walk in hope when you feel hopeless inside?

In one word, the answer to confident expectation is “JESUS” — the Jesus of Christmas.

Hope in Jesus comes from more than just a belief that He was once a baby in a manger. This hope in Him has been called “an anchor for the soul.” It is something deep within that secures you through the storms of life.

Putting your hope in Jesus will give you these four things.

HOPE FOR HELP

We are invited to come to Him and confidently ask for help. Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

HOPE TO OVERCOME

Things that leave one feeling powerless and hopeless come in many forms. With Christ’s strength you can overcome great obstacles, and faith in Jesus gives hope and help to overcome: “and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

HOPE FOR POWER

Sometimes in life we find ourselves with a task that simply looks too big for us. We do not just need a cup of God’s strength added to our own; rather, we need His strength in us to do what we need to do. He will give it! 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Seeing our weakness as the entry point of God’s strength gives access to His power!

HOPE FOR ETERNITY

When we put our faith and hope in Jesus, it not only gives us help, strength, and power for where we walk today, but it also gives us hope for life after death. It is a confident expectation of the ultimate “tomorrow.”

The God of Hope sent His son to be our Savior. He is only one prayer away. If you want the confident expectation of His strength and wisdom in your today and His help and hope for your tomorrow, you need only ask so they you may overflow with hope.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Here is a suggested prayer to receive abundant hope:

Dear God, I have gone my own way and have put my hope in so many things that have disappointed me. Thank you that you sent Jesus, that first Christmas long ago, to be my Savior. I believe He came for me. Forgive me and lead me today. Show me how to live in the confident expectation of how You can impact my life, my character, and my circumstances. I place my hope in You right now and ask You to make Yourself known to me in my life right where I walk. I thank you. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

My Favorite Habits of Happiness

/in /by

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with much to be grateful for.

I love Christmas!  I love the music and the decorations, but I especially love the reason we celebrate.  The birth of a savior!

It always saddens me to think about the depression and sadness that so many experience from Thanksgiving through Christmas.  It may be social isolation… the absolute loneliness of having no family or friends.  Maybe we, as God’s emissaries can help with that.  Grief also can play a big part in depression.  A loss, whether recent or in the past, may be amplified during the holidays.  Another fixable cause is the pressure felt during the holidays.  It may be overwhelming socially or on a more personal level.  It’s just really important to know our limits and live within them.

Maybe, if we are mindful of those around us, we can offer a kind word, a cup of coffee, a hug, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen and a prayer for peace.

We all need that those things at some point.  If that’s where you are, call me, or call someone!  There are people who care!

In the words of Dolly Parton, I leave you with these words:

“I hope life treats you kind
And I hope that you have all
That you ever dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this, I wish you love”

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

 

My Favorite Habits of Happiness

Dee Eastman

Did you know that we can rewire our brains for happiness? Research shows that while 60% of happiness is determined by our genetics and environment, the remaining 40% is up to us.  Pastor Chuck Swindoll takes it a step further and says that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. Both statistics are extremely motivating, as they illustrate the keys to our happiness are no longer in someone else’s pocket, but in our own.

The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude and actions we will embrace for that day. And whether our natural bent is to view the world with the glass half full or half empty, the key is knowing that we can intentionally fill it up the glass! There is an unlimited reservoir right at our fingertips as we simply take our focus off the glass and become aware there is a pitcher of water sitting right next to it.

I love the pitcher illustration and it’s a crucial mindset shift to make. The truth is our reality is shaped by the lens in which we view the world. We can change our lens by taking our eyes off our challenges and refocusing on the strength we can gain from cultivating our spiritual life and deepening our relational world. This subtle shift gives us the ability to reshape our reality and expand our joy.

I first read this illustration from Harvard Professor, Shawn Achor who has made a career studying the science of happiness and has authored several books on the topic as well. His studies have shown that practicing simple strategies every day for three weeks can transform a pessimist into an optimist, and keep the hypothetical ‘pitcher’ completely full.  Wow!  When I read that I was intrigued by how huge his claim was and decided to give his five strategies a whirl for twenty-one days.

Here are “The Fab Five” that have become a few of my favorite habits of happiness…

Expressing Gratitude – Grab a notebook or journal and write down 3 things you’re grateful for that occurred over the last 24 hours. They don’t have to be profound. It could be a great cup of tea, the warmth of a sunny day, or a hug from a friend. The practice of gratitude rewires our brain to scan the world for what is good –I love that!

The Doubler – Take one positive experience from the past 24 hours and spend two minutes writing down every detail of the experience. As you remember it, the brain labels it as meaningful and deepens the imprint. How great to be able to relive our most positive experiences and boost our mood in the process.

Random Acts of Kindness – Every day make a conscious choice to brighten someone’s day by sharing the love. These can be as small as an encouraging text or email or as thoughtful as paying for someone’s lunch. And the best part is it will not only make their day but yours as well.

Prayer and Meditation – Start each day with a time of prayer, with the goal of offering an open and surrendered heart to God. It’s a great way to live out the verse from Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” This new habit has for sure become the favorite part of my day.

The Fun Fifteen – Do 15 minutes of an enjoyable cardio activity, which can be as simple as a hike with the dog (that’s mine!) or a walk on the beach (also mine!). The effects of daily cardio have been shown to be as effective as taking an antidepressant. Wow – this gives a whole new benefit of putting on my tennis shoes and getting out the door!

Well, I must say the experiment has been a huge success, so much so that I have continued with it for much of the last 6 months and am not ready to stop anytime soon! These habits have become building blocks that have fostered profound growth in my life.  And four of the habits take just two minutes or less to do, so the experiment is very doable and easy to integrate. It has become a very practical way for me to implement the truth of Philippines 4:6-8.

 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

My favorite new habit has been the morning ritual of starting my day with prayer and meditation. I used to roll over and look at my email upon waking (ughhh – not the best way to start the day!). I have found that making a new goal to start each day by soaking up the goodness of God and opening my heart before Him has been incredibly life giving. It has become the highlight of my mornings and provides a great foundation to cultivate other spiritual practices throughout my day.

Another benefit of the experiment is that it fostered a curiosity of what other habits could be built into my life that would keep ‘my pitcher’ full, with the goal of not only filling my glass but being able to spill over into the lives of those around me. Since reading Achor’s research, I have branched out and explored additional habits of happiness. A few others I am enjoying are a consistent time in nature, intentional time with those I love, a complete ‘unplug’ from electronics, devouring cliff notes of inspirational books, and a focus on savoring the simple pleasures that abound (if I simply take the time to notice).

I hope my small explorations have encouraged you to look for creative ways to add replenishment to your life. Know that the entire Daniel Plan team’s hope and prayer is that you would be encouraged about cultivating your own favorite habits of happiness and that they become a source of deep encouragement in your life as you seek to honor God and serve those around you.

So, my question to you is which habits will you explore?  Let us know what you’ll be trying – as we’d love to be on this journey with you!