Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Stop It

“Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying.” (Paul Billheimer)

If the fear of public speaking is one of the general population’s greatest frights, apprehension of praying publicly may be the Christian equivalent. A prayer is an honest conversation with your Heavenly Father. At times, some of us have battled with a sense of distance between us and God. Prayer can reconnection us with the Almighty.

How do you pray publicly in a way that's helpful to listeners? To pray on behalf of others is a huge privilege. When we get to Heaven, we may find that was the best thing we ever did. In prayer together, the leader brings others on a holy errand to the very throne room of the Heavenly Father.

The Christian never prays alone, and the Christian never leads others in prayer by themself, but always has the promised and sufficient help of the three: the listening Father, the interceding Son, and the helping Spirit. With this confidence, you can take steps to better pray in front of others.

1.   Always be clear: Your great aim as you lead others in prayer is that they would pray along with you. You should pray with simplicity and humility, encouraging others to join their hearts to yours. It is good to pick one or two items for prayer and pray thoroughly and briefly about them. This allows others time to lead. The words and sentences of your prayer should also be clear and personal. Use your natural way of speaking.

“Dear God, if I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me.  If I start to give up, Keep me going. Lead me in light & love. Amen!” (Hope in Recovery)

2.   Always be corporate: When you lead in public prayer, you are not praying for yourself only but also with others. You are asking them to join you as you approach God and to make your petitions their own. For this reason, you should try as much as possible to use corporate language (“we,” “us,” and “our”), and to pray for things that are common to everyone. Your most feeble prayer may unite the hearts of the church before the Almighty. Briefly, remind others of forgotten truth, stir them to renewed faith, or move them to greater divine love. Praying together may be just what they need.

“It is in fact the most normal thing in the common Christian life to pray together.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

3.   Always be ready: Your readiness for public prayer always begins with a regular habit of private prayer. Get ready by studying other prayers from a variety of sources. Think ahead to what you might want to pray. Your prayer topic can from anything in your private life. Be prepared to pray any time you are asked to. It’s not as difficult to do as you might expect. Remember it’s actually just you communicating to your Heavenly Father.

“It is not the body's posture, but the heart's attitude that counts when we pray.” (Billy Graham)

“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.

Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don't want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of
good time is seldom in sync with ours.”  (Oswald Chambers)[i]

We recommend this Building Church Leaders training tool:
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[i] Sources used:

·        “3 Tips for Leading Prayer” by Megan Hill

·        “Leading in Prayer” by Drew Dyck
Inspired by the novella, Unspoken, by Francine Rivers

A Surprise Advertisement

“Manicure is an advertising. Pedicure is a pleasant surprise.” (Janina Ipohorska)

Bobbi and I both go to a salon for two very different reasons. My wife (a supervisor) regularly has a manicure done, which is a cosmetic treatment of the hands and fingernails. This can include the trimming and polishing of the nails, and the removal of cuticles. This word is Latin for manus "hand" and cura "care."

I (a diabetic) infrequently have a pedicure performed, which is the professional care and treatment of the feet such as removal of corns and trimming of toenails. This word is Latin for pedis "of the foot" and cura "care." Regular manicures and pedicures provide benefits for youth and good health. Here are the important benefits:

1.   De-stress: We all know that body massages are a great way to relax and rejuvenate your nerves, but sometimes all it takes to relax is a hand and foot massage. Manicures and pedicures are a great way to relax while improving the look and feel of your hands and feet.

If you’re feeling stressed, some of us tend to pick at our cuticles, leaving them dry, cracked and bleeding. Plus, having great looking nails can always help to put a smile on your face, making stress levels decrease. 

2.   Improve the health of your nails: With regular manicures and pedicures, the chances of your nails developing fungi and other infections are reduced. Our hands, especially, are exposed to a lot of elements and products on a daily basis.

It’s a good idea to have a deep cleaning so the dead skin cells on your hands can be removed. That encourages new cell growth, leaving your nails stronger and healthier. 

3.   Increase blood circulation: During any manicure or pedicure, you receive a relaxing massage of the hands and feet. This helps to improve blood circulation and improves mobility for the joints. 

 

4.   Keeps hands and feet smooth and soft: Winters can be harsh and long. With regular manicures and pedicures during these months, one can help to keep your skin and nails smooth and soft despite the exposure to the harsh seasonal elements. If you don’t take care of your hands and feet, you can experience dry, cracked skin that leaves painful sores and potential scars.

 “You can’t buy happiness but you can get a mani and a pedi, and that’s kind of the same thing.” (Anonymous)[i]




[i] Sources used:

·        “4 Important Benefits of Manicures and Pedicures” (http://skinklinicdayspa.com/4-important-benefits-of-manicures-and-pedicures)

·        “Manicure” from Dictionary.com
·        “Pedicure” from Dictionary.com
·        “Pedicure” from Wikepedia
 

Monday, October 30, 2017

The Truth

“Belief is truth held in the mind; faith is a fire in the heart.” (Joseph Fort Newton)

 Humans differ from the animal world in one major way that influences their lives dramatically. Humans have to make meaning of the things they do and the events around them. Animals simply function on instinct. You will not find a dog wondering why he chewed a slipper, or a cat trying to understand why she likes to lie in the sun. You will find humans asking questions of behavior about the world around them. We impulsively make meaning of our experiences moment we exist.

The mind has an interesting way of sorting information so that events are matched to our beliefs to assist us in making sense of life. On any given day, our brain is scanning every experience we have to search for anything that connects with our existing beliefs. All information will be considered for the material that gives confirmation to our beliefs. When a match is identified, the brain accepts it as truth. Other information that doesn't fit is deleted. Below are ways our beliefs create our reality.

1.   Your beliefs influence other people’s behavior: Your beliefs can shape your reality by influencing other people’s behavior (from close relationships to complete strangers). Your beliefs may also elicit corresponding behavior from romantic partners. People who see their partners in a more idealized light (link is external)than their partners see themselves tend to become more satisfied with their relationships over time, experience less conflict, and are more likely to stay together. More secure partners are more likely to behave in generous (link is external)and constructive (link is external)ways, which provides greater relationship satisfaction.

 
2.   Your beliefs influence your behavior: One of the most basic ways that beliefs can shape reality is through their influence on behavior. Contrary to the common assumption that overconfidence can backfire, research suggests that it may actually be beneficial. These kinds of people (link is external) tend to appear more socially skilled and higher in social status. People with beliefs are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors like eating well and exercising.

 

Beliefs about who you are as a person on a fundamental level can be especially powerful. Some evidence suggests that praising character ( as opposed to behavior) is a more effective means of promoting positive behaviors. 

 
3.   Your beliefs may impact your health: Health and disease are influenced by multiple interacting factors (many of which are not fully under your control). This includes genetics, exposure to environmental toxins, history of trauma, and socioeconomic circumstances. Middle-aged adults who held more positive beliefs about aging lived an average of 7.6 years longer (link is external) than those who held more negative beliefs (even when controlling for current health and other risk factors).  
 
How can you harness the power of belief to improve your life? You can engage in practices that change your habitual way of thinking (such as keeping a gratitude journal (link is external)or learning mindfulness meditation (link is external)). These practices can help you notice and appreciate the good in life, and keep you from getting caught up in negative thoughts. You can set clear intentions on how you want to approach each day.

 You can recognize that while beliefs may be powerful. They are not all-powerful. Life is full of suffering that we do not deserve. Recognizing the limitations of belief can make us more compassionate towards those who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances (including ourselves).
Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”  (Mahatma Gandhi) [i]




[i] Sources used:

·        “3 Ways Your Beliefs Can Shape Your Reality” by Juliana Breines

·        “How Our Beliefs Affect Our Lives” by Penny Parks
 

Four Things

“Four things to learn in life [are] to think clearly without hurry or confusion; to love everybody sincerely; to act in everything with the highest motives; to trust God unhesitatingly.” (Helen Keller)

We all get confused at times, but prolonged periods of this can cause us to feel that we are stuck in a never-ending web of uncertainty. Confusion can make us feel powerless.  What if you knew that confusion was good for you? It is also a sign of powerful change.  If everything made sense all the time, how would you ever grow?

 
If you were always certain about every decision you made how would you ever evolve as an individual? Confusion does serve a higher purpose. It is a sign that your mind is expanding more, and that you are allowing all of yourself to make room for something that wasn’t there before.  Being confused is a process of opening up. You are taking the time to understand things. Here is what you can do to overcome your confusion (and find the joy):

 
1.   Accept where you are: Sometimes, you get confused because you are meant to be stuck. This is usually a sign that more information needs to be delivered before you can move forward. 

 
2.   Be patient: Being confused is a sign of change and you may need to let the journey unfold more before you make a decision. Be at peace with the fact that you don’t have all the answers.
 
     Just accept the way things are, and trust that motivation will reach you when the time comes to make a decision. If you do need to make an immediate decision during a period of confusion, the best thing to do is tune into the wisdom of your heart.

 

3.   Focus on what you know: When you are confused it can be easy to get trapped in a web of constant, recurring thoughts that appear to never end. To clear this, start focusing on what you don’t feel confused about. Start focusing on what you are sure about. When you do this, it will automatically help to weaken the cloud of confusion over your life.

 

Go with how you the certainty you feel inside yourself. Begin taking a step forward, and see how it feels. Keep slowly walking in that direction. Be steady until you are ready to take that leap of faith. The beauty about being confused in life is that there really is no wrong turn or wrong path.

 

4.   Take a deep breath: Center yourself, and firmly state, I don’t know what to do, and that is okay.” When you firmly state your uncertainty, you move out of the confusion, and into certainty. The more you focus on your certainty, the more at peace you will feel with where you are at. Trust that every road you travel is a needed lesson for your life.

 Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm.” (Charles Caleb Colton) [i]



[i] Adapted from: “4 Ways to Find Direction When You Are Feeling Confused” by Tanaaz Chubb
 

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Church Time

“Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let's not go to Church. Let's be the Church.” (Bill Hybels)

We talk about having personal belongings. We employ a personal trainer to help us shed pounds and get that coveted physique. We open a personal bank account to manage our finances. Christians introduce this language into their faith as well. You’ve heard people say they want an intimate personal relationship with Jesus.

Christianity is not about a personal relationship with Jesus. The phrase is never found in the Bible, and scripture runs contrary to it. Our life with Christ is communal, not individualistic. When the Bible speaks of believers, they are part of a community (a fellowship of other believers). Christianity is about a church relationship with Jesus.

I know this runs contrary to what many believers think (or desire). In an age when we are more isolated than ever, talk of community sounds like a radical departure from the normal. It is. The norm of the Christian faith should not be isolated believers, little islands of spirituality, but a continent of Christ’s followers banded together by our commitment to God.

Christianity will never be a singular endeavor, or a private relationship just between Jesus and me. Our Savior will always be constantly reshaping us into His image. The church surrounded by other believers is the one body of Christ. Through His Word, Jesus teaches us how to…

1.   Love like Him.

But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34, CEV)

“Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken.” (Rich Mullins)

2.   Respect others like Him.

“Respect everyone. Love the community of believers. Reverence God. Honor your ruler.” (1 Peter 2:17, VOICE)

“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.“ (Bryant H. McGill)

3.   Forgive like Him.

“Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.” (Colossians 3:13, CEV)

“Forgive others as quickly as we expect God to forgive us.”(covermyfb.com)

4.   Serve like Him.

“I always showed you that you should work just as I did and help people who are weak. I taught you to remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘You will have a greater blessing when you give than when you receive.’” (Acts 20:35, ERV)

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” (Steve Maraboli)

5.   Persevere like Him.

“You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything.” (James 1:3-4, GW)

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” (Maya Angelou)

“Father, help me to recognize the people in my life who need someone to stand with them. Help me to love others as You do.” (dailyscrolls.com)[i]



[i] Inspired by the sermon “The Jesus-Centered Relationship: Reflecting Jesus in Your Relationship” (Installment two, final) Sunday, October 22, 2017 Elder Ryan Edwards CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.
 
Additional source used: Christianity Is Not About a Personal Relationship with Jesus” by Chad Bird
 










Saturday, October 28, 2017

A Veterinarian

What do you call a veterinarian with laryngitis? A hoarse doctor.What do you call a veterinarian with laryngitis? A hoarse doctor” (Anonymous)

Laryngitis causes a hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation and inflammation of the vocal cords. The vocal cords get inflamed and swollen when you have laryngitis. Overuse of the vocal cords leads to the distortion of sounds and hoarseness.
 
Laryngitis symptoms include a raspy voice, losing your voice completely, coughing, trouble swallowing, a dry or sore throat, a tickling, scratchiness in the throat, a constant urge to clear the throat, postnasal discharge, and fever. Most of the time ordinary laryngitis symptoms will disappear within two weeks.

 
Some causes of laryngitis include bacteria and viruses, overuse of the voice, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), allergies, smoking, alcohol use, exposure to irritants and toxins, and use of inhaled steroid medicines. By using the soothing and anti-inflammatory herbs, foods and essential oils below, you can reduce swelling and get your voice back soon.

  

1.   Apple cider vinegar is helpful when trying to balance stomach acid levels. It’s It also provides enzymes and probiotics, which improves your ability to digest foods properly. This will help people who have laryngitis due to acid reflux.

 

It can also fight infections. The use of vinegar to do this dates back to Hippocrates. Take two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in one glass of water three times daily to help cure acid reflux that causes laryngitis.  

 

2.   Garlic is popularly believed to be useful for the common cold, one of the main causes of laryngitis. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties, helping to kill bacteria and viruses that lead to inflammation and infection.

 

Garlic also acts as a natural expectorant that helps to loosen mucus. Whether you are using garlic raw or cooked, you can take advantage of its many benefits by chopping or crushing it. Add it to a soup, stew, salad or sauce. You can also eat one to two cloves of raw garlic daily. Combine it with raw honey if you don’t love the taste.

 

3.   Ginger helps to soothe inflamed mucous membranes of the larynx. It is used to warm the body and break down toxins in your organs. It’s also known to cleanse the lymphatic system and make decrease susceptibility to infections in the respiratory system.

 

Ginger  also decreases inflammation, swelling and pain (some of the most common laryngitis symptoms). To use ginger to relieve laryngitis, add raw ginger to a smoothie or juice, use ginger powder in a soothing soup, or drink a cup of ginger tea two to three times daily.

 

4.   Lemon essential oil inhibits the growth of bacteria and the spread of viruses that cause respiratory infections and laryngitis. It also detoxifies the body and loosens mucus in the throat so you won’t need to cough as forcefully or often.

 

This lets your voice box rest. To use lemon essential oil to relieve laryngitis symptoms, add one to two drops to a glass of warm water or tea, or combine the same amount with a teaspoon of raw honey. You can also inhale lemon oil directly from the bottle or add it to a diffuser at home.

 

5.   Marshmallow  root has been used traditionally to treat sore throat and cough. It contains mucilage that coats the throat and helps to relieve irritation. It also reduces swelling in the lymph nodes, speeds up healing time, and reduces aggravating dry cough.

 

This is why marshmallow extract is added to many cough syrups and throat lozenges. Don’t take marshmallow at the same time of day as prescription medications, as it can potentially interfere with some drugs.

 

6.   Peppermint essential oil is a helpful  for allergies, which is a common cause of laryngitis. It can offer relief from scratchy throats. It also acts as an expectorant, providing relief from allergy symptoms, as well as colds and coughs. It can discharge phlegm and reduce inflammation of the vocal cords.

 

Peppermint oil is especially helpful for people with laryngitis. It decreases contractions that cause you to cough, which reduces irritation to the vocal cords. You can use peppermint oil in a number of ways to treat laryngitis symptoms. For internal use, add one to two drops to a glass of water or cup of tea. You can also apply peppermint oil topically to the chest and throat, or diffuse it at home.

 

7.   Raw honey is one of the oldest traditional medicines considered to be important in the treatment of several ailments, which include respiratory conditions. It has antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities in addition to a high nutrient value. It maintains a moist environment, which helps to soothe irritation and relieve laryngitis symptoms like coughing and hoarseness.

 

Raw honey can also help to relieve seasonal allergy symptoms, which can cause laryngitis. It desensitizes them to the flora triggering their allergic reaction. To treat laryngitis, add raw honey to warm water or tea throughout the day.

 

8.   Rest your voice to get rid of laryngitis. Don’t talk unless you have to, and when you do, speak softly. Whispering actually irritates your larynx more than speaking softly. Be sure to avoid whispering. Even clearing your throat can further irritate your larynx.

 

Some other lifestyle treatments for laryngitis include: drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol, using a humidifier or vaporizer, sucking on lozenges or chewing gum, gargling salt and warm water, chewing your food, and eating smaller meals.

 

9.   Slippery elm has been an herbal remedy in North America since the nineteenth century. It is known for its ability to treat GERD, sore throat, and cough.

 

Like marshmallow root, slippery elm contains mucilage, a substance that becomes a slick gel when mixed with water. This mucilage coats and soothes the mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines. This makes it ideal for sore throat, cough, and GERD.

 Skillful listening is the best remedy for loneliness, [talkativeness], and laryngitis. (William Arthur Ward)[i]



[i] Sources used:

·        “Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)” (https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/reflux-disease-gerd-1#1)

·        “Laryngitis Symptoms: 9 Easy Natural Treatments” by Dr. Josh Axe  

·        “Loquacious” from Dictionary.com

 

Dedicated to my wife, Bobbi Kinker, who had this.

 

Everything

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