Tag Archives: Jesus

Faith trumps worry!

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Good day!  I hope you are finding the time today to celebrate and remember all the dedicated men and women who have sacrificed their lives, their time, their bodies, and their hearts for the purpose of maintaining our freedom.  I appreciate them!

One particular soldier I would like to mention is our first grandson, Josh, who is currently training for the Navy SEALS.  He’s only 19, but his passion to serve God and his country is strong.

Thus far, it has been a grueling experience, unimaginable to most, but it seems the worst of his training is behind him!

It’s interesting what is behind our decisions and choices in life.

Living in Brooklyn and walking back and forth to school, Josh was once robbed at knife-point.  The perpetrator wanted the laptop Josh was carrying home.  He was about 8 or 9.  Thankfully he was not hurt… at least not physically.

Around that same time, the twin towers were struck.  Josh’s church, pastored by his other grandfather, was in Manhattan and so, he witnessed the devastation weekly.

The effects and fear of terrorism was very real for this little guy.

A few years later his family moved to England where is father secured a pastorate position. By then, however, the sentiment toward Americans had turned negative and Josh experienced hardship far too often in school BECAUSE of it.

All these things affected Josh’s faith in God, too.  For a few years, he seemed unreachable.  We worried at times about where all this would lead for him.

We worried because we couldn’t see the future.  We worried because our faith that our God is faithful and loving was not as strong as our fear.  We worried because we were afraid Josh’s wounds would dictate his choices negatively, as it did for us in our younger years.

Somewhere along the line, though, God quieted our hearts as we sought Him.  We didn’t know how all this was going to turn out … only that Josh had God’s favor, as did we, and thus we could count on the outcome to be a favorable one.

No one would have guessed that Josh would desire to try out for the SEALS.  When Josh announced his decision, the opportunity to shriek, “NO!!” rose large.  But we saw how determined he was, and even before enlisting, he trained hard.

When he was accepted into the program, straight from civilian life, we knew he would not need our worrying.  He would need our faith.

That’s what all our men and women need.

Thankfully we are persuaded that faith is a much greater force than worry.

And in what do we have faith? 

In our God who loves us, redeems us, and restores us from all brokenness, and even more, grants us the freedom for which we all long.

Remember the soldiers, today, and remember your God.

Holding God and you in brilliant remembrance!
Maryann

Be Happier! Tell God About It

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I’m always amazed when I read the word and see psychological/health principles vividly displayed.  Many think the word of God irrelevant, and yet more and more, current brain and psychological studies reveal what the Bible has been saying all along, specifically in this discussion:  For happiness and health, we need forgiveness.  Internalizing our fears and guilty feelings creates havoc in our minds and bodies.

Let me show you what I mean:

I discussed in the past couple of posts how Ps 32:1-2 points out a way to HAPPINESS, and that is to live in a perpetual state of a clean slate which is only obtained by believing at a deep heart level that God has already forgiven you.  It is NOT by trying to always be good! Further, because God holds nothing against you, you need not hold anything back from Him.

Feeling guilty carries with it the fear of punishment, and we do all kinds of things to avoid that… blame-shifting, denial, aggressive attacks.

On the other hand, some people accept all forms of guilt… they feel responsible for everything that happens, take the blame for it all, and subconsicously harbor a belief they deserve punishment, and the circumstances of their lives reflect that.  Read any basic Psy 101 course and this dynamic is sure to be examined.

Now venting, blaming others, and punishing others for the guilt we feel inside is not a healthy response.  But neither is internalizing it so your body gets bombarded with a steady stream of harmful chemicals triggered by persistent negative thoughts.

Listen what David says in Ps 32:3:

When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.

Keeping our negative thoughts inside and not dealing with them in a healthy manner affects our minds and bodies in severe ways.

As a former neurotically guilty person, feeling responsible for everyone and everything, here’s what I have learned to do:

Tell God all about it.

I write daily letters to Him and when I need to, I share my deepest, darkest secrets and feelings.  I share my screwiest ideas, my stupidest questions, my greatest fears, and silliest offenses.

And guess what?  I not only have not been zapped, but also I feel and see His smile.

He’s never forsaken me.  He, instead, sticks close to me, enlightens me, clears up my confusion, and reassures me that He loves and yes, even favors me!!  I need not grovel because He is the Lifter of my head!

If you don’t have that kind of intimacy with Him… ask Him for it and try it out!  He will meet you, if you let Him!

To your good mental, emotional, and physiological health!

It’s Java, Jammies, and Jesus time!

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Hi Friends!

Spring has sprung up here in western New York, and though the cliche can get old, for me, the feeling of newness each year never does.

In fact, in Spring, I find it so much easier to see the buds of new attitudes and perspectives that the Lord has been cultivating in me over the past winter.

This “reveal” encourages my heart and solidifies my belief that He is indeed actively working in my heart and mind, renewing it, and thus transforming me.  I love being transformed!

Do you love His transforming process? Continue reading →

It’s trash day!!

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Good Morning, and welcome to another edition of Java, Jammies, and Jesus!

As you know, I love my time with the Lord each morning. He clears my head of the debris I’ve unintentionally collected during the previous day. If we are out there working in the world, walking our neighborhoods, watching tv, or engaged in any activity that involves people, there are plenty of opportunities to get a little slime on us, or pick up some trash along the way.

Opportunities show themselves in everyday life! Sometimes when I work with a woman about her issues, her spouse may not understand that her confidence will lead to his benefit, and so he feels threatened and hurls a piece of trash at me. Other times I’m in the marketplace amongst people who are complaining left and right about how bad the economy is, or all the ailments they are suffering, or how rotten their marriage it — and I may buy on to the negativity myself and walk away saying, “yeah, that’s right… things are going to hell in a hand basket…” And still other times, the things I am hoping for are so delayed in getting to me, that I let doubt pollute my faith.

I know I’m not alone about this. We all collect trash throughout the day that wears us down, keeps us low, fogs our vision, or adds weight to our load.

Well, I know of no better remedy than to go before the Lord each and every day and express gratitude for any and everything I can. The bigger the clog in the drain, the more gratitude I need.

Then I ask the Lord to bring to the surface any negative thought that I have collected and show it to me, so He and I together can dissolve it, kick it out, whatever it takes… I don’t want it.

We live in the realm of the unseen Kingdom, but it is more relevant, real, and practical than the seen world. Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:3, that we have EVERY spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now you may be struggling with your health, or your finances, or your marriage, or your job… and spiritual blessings may seem insignificant to your relief.

But I am here to say, that every thing real begins in the spirit realm. Peace is a spiritual blessing. A huge spiritual blessing! Our peace, or lack of it, will flow into our bodies and contribute to our health, good or bad. It will flow into our finances. At its ultimate end, a person who has no peace about finances will often lie, cheat, and steal… and even murder! So the appropriation of spiritual blessing is key to living life well.

Well, debris from the day before litters our path to peace.

Express gratitude, worship the Lord, and get rid of the trash with Him, and then….

listen to His delight in you just for showing up. Let Him, by His Spirit fill your heart and mind with love, and goodness, and appreciation for you! Feel His peace, and then… move through your day, taking periodic breaths of fresh air, knowing in your heart, that you are loved and well cared for.

This is Maryann Ehmann with another morning edition of Java, Jammies, and Jesus! Have a great day!