Thankfulness for the hard things?

We are entering a season of thanksgiving. There are some who have very little to give thanks for...yet Scripture says to give thanks FOR everything. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Seriously? Yes, seriously--even when there are no feelings to match the words. We don't have the perspective that God does, but as we ask to see from His point of view we will find our attitude changes. For those times we can see His fingerprints in the events our lives we can give thanks. That will sensitize our spirit to see even more evidence of God at work in our lives.

When MS took away my life as I knew it--career, voice, vision...you name it, it was lost to me. At first I was numb, then angry at God. He could have prevented it; so why didn't He? I soon learned that anger used up what little strength I did have so I moved on to grieving over the losses. I can't remember the exact track I took, but I moved through all the stages of grief--the bargaining, the attempts at acceptance, etc.

And then, after years of holding onto "God is good regardless of how it looks," it happened. I saw not only the MS, but all the other hard places in life from His point of view and all I could say was "Thank you!" He knows the good stuff that He built into you. He also knows what it will take for you and me to dig deep enough to find those good things that will result in a sense of fulfillment.

So here are just a few of the things I am grateful for: (in no special order)

• That I am no longer in the classroom - I loved it when the "aha" happened and I saw understanding in the eyes of a student. I don't see that very often these days. But...the blessing is that I don't have to get up early or correct papers! Nor deal with difficult parents and their difficult children or speak English by 8:00 a.m. I do not have to cope with the indocrinazation of philosophies I do not agree with or teach concepts that I am opposed to. Nor deal with the politics that go on in educational circles.

• That I am housebound - We no longer need to have two cars! The blessing is that I have a husband who is happy to be with me regardless. With the internet and telephone I am able to keep in touch with friends all over the world! And my social needs are quite easily and simply met.

• I am grateful for MS - God showed me that what I thought was being sidelined was in actuality a promotion--my classroom has been greatly expanded. I have time to write the things that God shares with me. I love to receive emails from people who have read my books and found them life changing. The more I let go of the old "me," the more I can embrace the new that the Lord keeps bringing. Hard things strip away all the stuff of life that we surround ourselves with that keep us from seeing that He still delights in you and me. that blew my mind. The stripping away creates space for us to feel the worth and belonging that He gives.

Give thanks, even for the hard things in life. It changes the focus away from the problem onto the solution. It calms the restless thoughts and raging emotions so that we can see the He has pulled us out of destruction and anointed (set us apart) for accomplishing good things--good for us personally and good for others. Author Sheldon Vanauken called such an event a "severe mercy!" I would have to agree.

What hard place has the Lord walked you through? What about that experience can you give thanks? For those of you still in the hard spot, I pray that He will clear away the barriers so that you can feel his comforting presence and see what it is that you are thankful for!

Blessings, Carol Brown
www.fromgodsheart.com

The Teaching Room

One morning in 2010 I had a tremendous “head spin”—the Lord took me somewhere. It appeared to be an “ante” room adjoining His throne room. This is a little teaching room where scribes come to take down the words of the Lord. We are to meet here daily and He will teach me. With the short term memory of a gnat I turned around and forgot, the Lord graciously helps me to "find" it this evening!

The things I cannot understand I will put on the “mystery” shelf. Someday, Lord, You will restore the human spirit and brain to the capacity that Adam had. He could walk and talk with you face to face. My bandwidth has been severely limited because of the fall. Salvation can repair that to some degree, developing relationship with You to an additional degree, actively putting into practice what You teach me will repair me yet more. I will be fully restored only when face to face once again. Here is what was on God’s heart that day and these are the notes I took down.

Healing: There are things about healing which the human mind cannot fathom. First understand that the bottom line is, I, God, am good and every good thing proceeds from My hand.

Time is different in the spirit—actually there is neither time nor distance in the spirit. Now this blows my mind right here...I don't have a place for that! I know how Nicodemus felt. Three sentences out of His mouth and I'm already lost! Sheesh! Time and distance are earthly constructs. I stand outside your time and I wait for the fullness of time. Healing out of time will have ramifications you cannot foresee.

Consequences—sin has consequences. Having to live with the consequences of sin--if forgiveness is received and a clean and contrite heart are maintained--the consequences can lead to maturity and depth of relationship. Consequences are sometimes developmentally necessary. If there were no consequences, a youngster who hurt himself in a foolish act would not have any incentive not to go out and do it again! They serve as a reminder, as a boundary. Remove the consequences and you lose the impetus to mature and deepen your relationship. I would much rather you develop our relationship with Me than be free of consequence, shallow and immature! I choose to put up with your moaning and groaning because I know it is all noise and does not affect the set of your will to lean into Me.

I am so glad that the Lord looks on the heart and doesn't listen to all my kvethching! Consequences are good for me? Okay. Like Arthur Burke says, "I never would have written the script this way, but since You have, I am choosing to believe You see something I don't see, and from Your point of view this is good and right and loving. Therefore, I celebrate Your wisdom from my place of limited perspective."

I am compelled to take some Selah moments and think about these things. If you would like to share your Selah moment with the rest of us, I for one would be grateful.

Blessings, Carol

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Joy Starters

I’m so excited about this new project I can hardly stand it! Learning fascinating new stuff is one of the greatest joys of writing!

Recently I was asked to join a multifaceted writing project. Shepherd’s House, http://www.lifemodel.org, a counseling and training ministry, is behind the creation of a leadership training project called THRIVE. The training literally trains the brain how to remain relational regardless of what is going on.You train your brain in all the skills you need to return to a state of joy from scary or upsetting feelings. Joy is defined as “happy to be with you.” There is also some teaching because as an American you want to know the what, why and how of things!

Training is different than learning. Learning is cramming information and concepts into your head. Training is developing reflexes—doing something over and over again until it becomes automatic, a default response.

It turns out that your brain functions best in an environment of joy! You might think, “So…?” So, the problem is that joy is often in short supply. Far too many don’t have the brain skills needed to get them to joy much less back to joy from scary stuff. “And why is that” you ask? It is because brain skills are passed on from your parents or care givers. If they don’t/didn’t have those skills, or were not inclined to interact with you as a little one, it is highly unlikely that you will get them on your own.

Where you experience trauma your brain shuts down—it is overwhelmed and cannot process what is happening. It will store the traumatic data somewhere and come back to process it later when it is safe and you have the resources to process with. But during this shut down there were skills that you should have acquired, leaving a developmental hole. Following this traumatic time you will avoid coming even close to the emotions that were happening at the time of the trauma. The brain screams, “Pull up! Pull up! Avoid!”

You say you want relationship but somehow relationships never seem to work out…or you self-sabotage. People wonder at your behavior, why you run the other way, or why you fall off the wagon yet again.

Is it possible? Could it be that the solution to these chronic relational problems is to train or retrain the brain and give it the skills it needs to do relationship?

Scripture says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. But loving God or loving another person means that there is a relationship. If satan can create enough chaos and/or trauma in your life, you will miss out on acquiring these essential life skills. If your brain does not have the skills needed for relationships satan can separate you from the love of other people and from the love of God. You will feel like you cannot hear God; that you are unworthy. It is not the truth of course, but that is how you feel nonetheless.

Training in the the brain skills of relationship could revolutionize the Church! Can you imagine a church full of joy filled people? Can you imagine committee meetings where individuals have the skills and the maturity to disagree and still remain relational? Can you imagine youth feeling safe enough with adults to seek their wisdom as the youth is learning how to come back to joy from his or her scary places?

The THRIVE relational brain skills also work on the factory floor and in management…it rebuilds people. It results in leaders and authority figures that can lead, supervise or manage from the authority that is who they are rather than the title they put on and wear. And the neat thing is that when you acquire these skills you can not only use them at home but pass them along to extended family, friends, co-workers…you too can be a joy starter!

For more about THRIVE training go here: http://www.thrivetoday.org/

By Carol Brown

Author of The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity and Highly Sensitive

Sassy Pants and Sassy Pants Makes Amends

www.fromgodsheart.com

http://connectwithcarolbrown.blogspot.com
http://sassypantsco.blogspot.com

Upside Down Kingdom?

I've been thinking that God's kingdom is rather upside down and backwards. For one thing, up is down in His kingdom. The rich are poor and the poor are rich. The foolish confound the wise. And the one who wants to be great must be servant of all. We are advised to love our enemies and rejoice when they persecute, revile and slander us. We are to work to accumulate rewards in heaven and are not to worry about food or clothing…getting ahead. Now how does that fit with the social norm of being upwardly mobile?

Maybe it is we who are upside down? And maybe backwards?

 

Ya, the bit about backwards! There was a time when I was asking God why I seemed completely unmotivated—to do anything! I had no energy, and energy I learned comes from joy. I was unable to feel enough joy to motivate myself to do what I needed and wanted to do. How can I be a believer, have Jesus resident in my life, He who is the origin of joy, and not be able to experience enough of it to be able to function, at least to a minimal level? This is serious in light of Nehemiah 8:10, which says that the joy of the Lord is my strength. Not much strength...and the dip stick on my joy tank was reading mighty low! His response to my question was quick. I had no sooner asked than the following verse came to mind.

 

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

Well, if that Scripture is true, I am in some way not accessing or availing myself of resources that I already have. His grace is sufficient, yet I certainly seem unable to boast about or glory in my infirmity! How can I be grateful to God for my infirmities? What needs to be different?

             "The focus." What? Say again, God!

God speaks without words and explains: "Your equation is backwards! My equation reads: Weakness + abiding in My joy = strength. Your equation reads: Strength + abiding in My power = joy.

“You think I should flood your body with strength first, then your life would demonstrate the power of God and you could go about serving others, and that would produce joy. However, that would actually enable your flawed humanity!”

“The belief that you must earn love and belonging is not the truth, but that is your foundation! If I gave you strength and power first, you would have the energy to continue to perform and do good works. You would think and feel that you were demonstrating the power of God, but you would do so from a foundational belief that love and belonging must be earned. Yes, good would happen, but you would also reproduce that foundation in others and perpetuate the erroneous belief that love and belonging go to those who serve Me." Pause for a “Selah” moment.

"I want to give you a new foundation, one built on truth. You were first conceived in My mind—I loved you then and you belonged to me then—only later were you conceived in your mother's womb! I have given you love and belonging from the moment I conceived you in my mind! Nothing you can do will ever make Me love you more—or less!”

This whole business of thinking God thoughts and living God values can turn your life upside down and really mess with your mind! It feels to me like God could make some big changes real fast. He has pulled up all the tent pegs, thrown all the feathers and fur out of the nest and sticks are poking me. I’ve read that eagles make the nest uncomfortable like that just before they make the young fly on their own. Change is in the wind. I have a suspicion some flying lessons are about to be scheduled; it’s a little unsettling! Exciting, but unsettling nonetheless.

How has God messed you up lately? Share with us by dropping a note in the comment box.

Blessings, Carol

www.fromgodsheart.com

Author of The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity, Highly Sensitive

and The Sassy Pants Series http://sassypantsco.blogspot.com

 

Shed a Little Light?

 "If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

I have puzzled for some time over Matthew 6:22,23. It says, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if
your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, you whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

In particular I have puzzled and pondered that last sentence..."if then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" I finally asked the Lord for some light on the subject. Why wait so long? Sheesh!

Slowly an understanding bubbled up within me. "If your eye is healthy"... if you focus on the things of God, letting them nurture you and you let your heart break over the things that break His heart, if you love the things He loves, if you run hard after Him to know His ways then wisdom, goodness, kindness, justice and mercy will inform your understanding and drive your motivations and all you think, say and do. "...your whole body will be full of light."

"If your eye is bad"...if you focus on the deeds and things of darkness, if you focus your eyes on gratuitous violence, smutty or pornographic literature, stuff of the occult, death and other such things, then deeds of darkness will inform your speech, your behavior, values, your understanding and drive your motivations. "...your whole body will be full of darkness."

If darkness is what informs your understanding and drives your motivations then how great is the darkness because it is both internal and external. It is profound darkness. You will not understand the impact of your words and deeds. You will not see where you are headed. So, when the enemy ambushes you, beats you up and leaves you for dead you will not know what hit you. Sadly, you will probably rail at God "Where were you when I needed You?"

Knowing how complex and multi-layerd the Lord is I am sure that this is only a beginning understanding of this verse. I would love to hear what various ones see, hear and understand about the verse. I can sense the depth; there is more beneath the surface, but I don't know what all is down there. Hidden treasures for sure. What gems have you found?

Still pondering, Carol

website: www.fromgodsheart.com for all my books

God Thoughts on Anxiety

 

  

 

"Do not be anxious about your life..."

 

Jesus admonishes his disciples 5 times in Matthew chapter 6 about being anxious! Seriously? Has Jesus looked at my life? Has he seen my husband's schedule or looked at our checkbook? And now the car dies! Anxiety. Worry. It’s the national pre-occupation, right? Everyone does it; and it's not just an American thing. Obviously it was a problem in Jesus day as well or He would not have made such a point about it! He wants us to pay attention. Anxiety is not to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Tension headaches drive you to Advil or Tylenol. It ties your gut in knots, turns your shoulders into bricks and stomach acid tries to eat a hole in your intestines. Worry keeps you up at night or causes you to grind your teeth. It wears out your adrenal glands! When the adrenals go, there is a domino effect. Motivation plummets. You battle depression and exhaustion. Anxiety does awful things to your body.

 

Anxiety and worry do awful things to relationships as well. We snap at our spouse, our friends, our children. We lash out and say things we don’t mean and then have a hard time saying, “I’m sorry.” When we drive ourselves until the last nerve is frayed...our child asks a simple question, and appropriately so; but we hear it as a demand. It is the straw that breaks us and we behave badly. In that moment we are modeling for our child what God is like…but we don’t model the truth about God. The sad part is that we reflect back to our child a picture of himself that is also not true. He sees in our face that He is a bother and a burden rather than a delight.

 

So how do we stop the cycle? First we must understand the problem. The problem is that we do not trust God. Ideally, we are to learn to trust God by first trusting our parents, then our family, and then we branch out into the community. If parents do job well they will be able to soften the blows when other family members, friends and classmates turn on us, betray us and otherwise let us down miserably. But what if parents leave gaps; sometimes they are trustworthy, but other times not so much? That relationship mirrors our relationship with God. First, we learn to not trust ourselves or God and then we develop a tentative approach to relationships with extended family and most certainly, we are tentative in regard to trusting outside the family.

 

Like it or not, the picture we have of trust within the family (especially trust of parents) is projected onto self and God. God wears Dad’s face; He wears Mom’s face. Parents talk to us—that’s how we learn to talk. They walk us so that we can walk. We trust them; that’s how we learn to trust. If they teach us that we should not trust, that trusting is a bad idea…what then? We worry. We test the chair before we sit down. We do that because we have this wonderful ability to generalize. Rather than, “I cannot trust my parent in [this] situation.” We generalize to, “I cannot trust my parents.” It is further shortened to “I cannot trust.” And then a funny morphing happens—it becomes a command that we give ourselves: “Do not trust!” So we hold our cards close to our vest and are tentative and careful as a life stance. Behind that stance is a lack of trust that God has our back; a lack of trust that He will provide. We have plenty of evidence from abandonment and neglect, to lack of provision, from abuse of various kinds to savage betrayal.

 

Jesus tells us plainly how to solve the problem:  “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” Simple, but not easy. I was complaining to God about the cares of this life one day when God told me to stop. He said that was His responsibility that He accepted when I accepted Him as Savior. It was His part of that covenant. My part of that covenant was to seek Him and develop the maturity and character of Jesus as my own. That stopped that whine session! Even though I know better, I have whined since then—old habits die hard. We are anxious about the necessities of life: food, clothing, housing, cars, bank accounts, etc. but Jesus tells us to look around and see the evidence of His provision. Birds are fed without “earning” it. Wildflowers are dressed more elegantly than Solomon! He gently encourages us that we can solve this problem! Here are some other blog that speaks to the issue: http://lynndove.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/interview-with-author-harold-metzel/ and http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/how-stop-trashing-yourself-2012-09/ So what can we do?

·       Don’t deny reality, but take our focus off the problem and put it on God—get to really know Him

·       Use your Bible as a life manual—read the red print to know how God thinks about how to do life

·       Don’t give up

·       Ask God for someone trustworthy—someone who will present a different picture of Him; someone who can help you sort through the debris

There is plenty to fuss about in life--but we know Who is in ultimate control. When the waves threaten to overwhelm we can call out to the One who calmed the sea. Are you or have you been an Olympic class worrier? Would you share some tips on how you beat the habit?

 

Blessings, Carol Brown, author of The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity and Highly Sensitive, and The Sassy Pants Series for children of all ages!

Website for more information or to buy books: www.fromgodsheart.com

Contact via Comments here or Facebook at: http://www.ittybittyurl.com/fhb

Email with personal questions/comments at godsheart@comcast.net

Bits and Pieces

Whew! What a struggle just to break in to the blog so I could update everyone!

We attended a conference for seers last weekend--I think it was last weekend. I still have foggy moments! : ) Anyway it was one of those wonderful events when you cram the van with a bunch of people and drive all night, then attend sessions all day. Crash and repeat, crash and repeat and then drive all day and half the night to get home! I was comatose for days but I planned for that...just didn't plan for it to hang on this long! We learned new things, practiced what we are still learning.   We were reminded of things we knew already but tend to forget, enjoyed lots of prayer, were affirmed and generally blessed!

It was wonderful to be in a room filled with highly sensitive people. I didn't feel out of place or wierd, not once. One of our group was physically healed. It was great fun to see her able to sit after having to stand or lie down for over a year. Her muscles had frozen in place, which is very painful. And for me, one of the biggest "take aways" was the community building that happened while travelling. We were able to spend 12+ hours together going and again coming home--you know people better when you do things together. With MS keeping me home so much this is a blessing to me. I now feel free to call any one of the group to visit or even to ask for help with transportation.

Another blessing! I finished the manuscript that recounts the parable of MS--working title is Through the Wilderness...the pathway to holiness. Now it enters the stage of collecting reviews and endorsements and securing a publisher. Anyone know a publisher who does memoire/inspirational devotional/spiritual adventure guides? But finishing the manuscript is not the blessing : )

The blessing is that I have been invited to join in a writing project for a group that I really admire. Since things are still in the "get acquainted" stage I will not yet mention names...but I'm so excited! I was poking around and asking the Lord for which of His list of books would He want me to begin. I had hardly thought the prayer and there was the email invitation!

So there you have it. That's what's been happening and why I haven't been as regular in posting. I'm slowly getting my feet under me and my thoughts collected. Next post will be back on the God Thoughts. Hope God has been blessing you these last couple weeks.

Blessings, Carol