by Alisha | Oct 24, 2013 | Uncategorized
Day 9 of the Cultivating Your Soul series –
These are the things I prize
And hold of dearest worth:
Light of the sapphire skies,
Peace of the silent hills,
Shelter of the forest, comfort of the grass,
Music of birds, murmur of little rills,
Shadows of clouds that swiftly pass,
And, after showers,
The smell of flowers
And of the good brown earth –
And best of all, along the way, friendship and mirth.
~ Henry Van Dyke
Have you ever wondered why the Lord placed Adam and Eve in a garden instead of building them a nice little home in which to dwell? Perhaps it’s because He knew just how much our human souls would need the beauty of His creation.
There is nothing like walking along the ocean shore at sunset to put all of life’s problems in perspective. And there is nothing like looking out over a majestic mountain range in the autumn, viewing the gorgeous colored foliage to make your soul thrill! Or what about standing at the top of a gorge or canyon as your heart flutters and toes tingle? Or the awe you feel at the base of an immense waterfall? Or the smallness of being lost in a dark and tangled forest?
So often in life we are faced with problems and trials, and unfortunately, we can get so caught up in ourselves and our own little world, that we forget there is an enormous world out there, created by an omnipotent and mighty God who knows just how to solve those problems.
In the cultivating of your soul, be sure to get out of doors and remind yourself of the One who created your soul, the One who created the huge, expansive universe and everything within it.
Nature can awaken your soul and stimulate your senses, making you feel more alive. And on the other hand, it can quiet and still your soul, bringing you immense comfort, tranquility and peace.
You need the beauty of the natural world. And God has already given it to you.
As Psychology Professor, Richard Ryan, wrote, “Nature is fuel for the soul…We have a natural connection with living things. Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments.”
Nature nourishes the soul, increasing your energy and giving you a heightened sense of awareness. Just spending a little bit of time outdoors each day will enhance your sense of well-being and satisfaction.
So, find some way to connect with the Lord’s creation as often as you can:
- Go on a nature hike into the hills or mountains with your family and enjoy a picnic afterward.
- Bask in the sunshine of a local park while you take your lunch break.
- Plant and cultivate a garden.
- Take the dog for a walk on a daily basis.
- Stroll along the beach squishing wet sand between your toes.
- Or better yet, play in the ocean with your kids.
- Lie under a starry sky watching for shooting stars
- Or under big, puffy clouds imagining all sorts of creatures from their shapes.
Whatever way you can take in the natural beauty that surrounds you, do it. It will work wonders for your soul!
Next post … Houses for Your Souls to Live In.
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Linking up with the Autumn Hopscotch at iHomeschool Network.
by Alisha | Apr 29, 2013 | Uncategorized
How do you smell? I’m sure you’ve probably had a shower this morning – or if you’re a mother of small children, hopefully you’ll get one sometime this week! 😉 But that’s not really what I’m talking about.
What sort of spiritual fragrance are you giving off?
Have you ever hugged someone wearing really “loud-smelling” perfume, then afterwards walked away reeking of it? Perhaps you regretted that embrace for the rest of the day!
Or a much nicer scenario: Maybe you’ve put on your husband’s jacket to warm up and the moment you wrapped yourself in it, you smelled his cologne, so strong and masculine, like him! The jacket smells like him because he’s worn it close to his body on a regular basis.
The same thing can happen to us as we spend time in the presence of the Lord. By being close to Him on a continual basis, we can become “fragranced with His presence.”
Let’s look at a verse from the Song of Solomon. Remember that this is a story of marital love, but it is also an allegory of God’s love for Israel and Christ’s love for the Church (His Bride). So, when we read of the man (or bridegroom), we can apply those words to Jesus:
Song 1:3 (GNT) There is a fragrance about You, the sound of Your name recalls it. No woman could keep from loving You.
Jesus has a fragrance about Him. And Ephesians 5:2 (AMP) speaks of His fragrance: Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and it is a sweet fragrance to God the Father. The New Living Translation says it is “like sweet perfume to Him.”
2 Cor. 2:15-16 (NLT) says, Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God… a life-giving perfume.
As we spend time in the Word, fellowshipping with the Lord in prayer, being obedient to His will, and walking in love to the people around us, we become more and more like Him. We pick up that sweet fragrance of Christ which is a life-giving perfume to others.
When we live our lives in union and communion with Him, we become fragranced with His presence. People around us may not realize that fragrance with their physical sense of smell, but they will sense His sweet presence and peace emanating from us.
We will radiate a confidence, an assurance, a peacefulness, a joy – even in the midst of trials and tribulation. Why? Because we’ve been in His presence. We know He will care for us and provide for us no matter what. We don’t have to worry or be afraid. We know from being in His presence that He loves us and will always be faithful to us.
Determine to spend time in His presence so that you will be a sweet perfume to the Lord and to those around you. Become fragranced with His presence!
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by Alisha | Mar 25, 2013 | Uncategorized
The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:15 to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts.”
Have you ever wondered how to do that? It’s not always so easy, is it? Especially when the cares of life, the weight of worries, and an overwhelming flood of emotions are bearing down on you.
But the Lord would never tell us to do something that we couldn’t do, right?
One thing I find very interesting about this verse is that the word “rule” here comes from the Greek word, brabeuo, which refers to an umpire or referee.
In fact, the Amplified Bible adds that facet to this verse, which I believe helps give it a bit more clarity. It says,
And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds…
Now, here’s a useless bit of trivia about me: I love Atlanta Braves Baseball! So, when March comes around and the leaves are budding, the flowers are blooming, birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and the whole earth is coming alive, my mind immediately turns to “Spring Training” and “opening day” for Major League Baseball!
(Stay with me here, I’m going somewhere with this…)
Now, being a Braves fan, I am well aware that their former manager, Bobby Cox, holds the all-time record for ejections (158 regular season, and 3 post-season). And I have personally watched a lot of those.
Let me set the stage: An umpire would call a strike or a ball or any play that Bobby didn’t agree with, and out of the dugout he would come. You could see him spewing off words. He would get right up in the umpire’s face and argue…and then it would come, the “magic word” that always got him thrown out.
The umpire would throw his arm and yell, “You’re outta here!” And Bobby Cox would add another ejection to his resumé.
This is a fabulous illustration of what we must do when thoughts or emotions come to our mind that produce worry, fear or any other negative emotion.
Peace is to be the umpire of our heart and mind.
When those thoughts or emotions come, arguing against the Word of God, screaming at you, getting right in your face, trying to upset you, trying to get you out of faith and over into doubt, then eject them! Throw them out of the game! Say, “You’re outta here!” And refuse to allow them to stay in your mind.
Let the peace of God decide and settle with finality all questions (all thoughts, all emotions) that arise in your mind. If it doesn’t produce peace, it has to go!
Never allow those thoughts to “stay in the game” and wreak havoc in your mind! You are in control.
If you didn’t read last week’s post, What Are You Thinking?, then I suggest you read it and the “thought checklist” which will help you know which thoughts you can think.
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by Alisha | Mar 17, 2013 | Uncategorized
Did you know that the thoughts you allow yourself to dwell on are vitally important?
Thoughts are shapers. They produce emotions which produce decisions, actions and habits. If you are constantly thinking negative thoughts, you will make wrong decisions, which will cause you to take inappropriate actions and eventually develop bad habits.
Martin Luther once wrote, “You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”
You may not be able to keep a thought from entering your mind, but you certainly can keep it from staying there. How? You must do exactly as the Word says – cast it out! (2 Cor. 10:5).
Never allow a thought that is in direct opposition to God’s Word remain in your mind.
Instead, keep your mind “stayed” (fixed, firmly established) on the Lord, then He will keep you in perfect peace!
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJ) says, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
So, how do you know if you’re thinking a wrong thought?
When a thought comes into your mind, you must first determine where it came from. Was it a “God” thought? Did it minister life or faith or peace to you? Or did it minister fear, worry, dread, doubt or unbelief? If it is one of the latter, then that thought is from the enemy and must be cast out.
Another method for determining whether or not a thought is from the Lord or from the enemy is found in Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
This verse gives you a “checklist” for which thoughts you can think on and which thoughts you can’t.
Thought Checklist:
- Is it true?
- Is it honest (honorable)?
- Is it just (right, fair)?
- Is it pure (clean)?
- Is it lovely (pleasing, agreeable, friendly)?
- Is it a good report?
- Is it virtuous (excellent)?
- Is it praiseworthy (commendable)?
If the thought lines up with this list, then it’s okay to think on it.
Love thoughts, faith thoughts, peace thoughts, joy thoughts – those are the thoughts that you should continually dwell upon. Those are the ones you are to think about.
Think about God’s Word (His goodness, His faithfulness, His grace, His mercy, His healing power, His provision). Meditate on it continually.
When you train your mind to think on the Lord, when you learn to keep your thoughts fixed, or “stayed” on Him, you will have His peace that passes all understanding.
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by Alisha | Feb 4, 2013 | Uncategorized
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
Hebrews 4:9 (NKJ)
Are you truly in faith for what you’re needing or desiring from the Lord?
One way to answer this question is to determine if you are resting in Him or if you’re worrying and fretting.
Hebrews 4:3 (KJV) says, For we which have believed do enter into rest.
If you are truly in faith, believing the Word of God, then you have entered into rest.
Rest is a place, and you have to enter into it. In that place of rest there is peace, quietness, confidence and trust. You are not struggling, you are not working, you are not trying to obtain – you are resting in the promises of God.
Hebrews 4:10 (AMP) says, For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors…
Have you ceased from all your labors? Are you totally surrendered to Him? Are you completely secure in the fact that God is going to come through for you? Or are you anxious and constantly struggling with thoughts that He might not come through this time?
If you’re in faith, you’re not working, worrying or wondering. You are resting. You are trusting. You are confidently expecting God to do just what He said.
Faith is like being in deep waters. If you’re struggling, panicking and thrashing about, you will begin to sink. But if you’ll lie back and relax, trusting the waters to bear you up, you can rest and float.
As Christians, we must enter that place of rest. We must relax and confidently trust in the Lord to fulfill His Word in our lives. We don’t have to struggle. We don’t have to panic. We don’t have fret. But we do have to believe.
Hebrews 4:11 (AMP) tells us, Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves]…
Yes, you will have to work and strive diligently to enter into that place of rest. But once you’re there, you won’t struggle or strive again. You will relax in His arms, you will receive His strength and you will watch as He works in your behalf.
Isaiah 30:15 (AMP) says, For thus said the Lord God, the Holy one of Israel: In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved; in quietness and in trusting confidence shall be your strength.
And in Matthew 10:28 (MSG) Jesus said, Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Ask the Lord to show you how to enter into His rest. Remember, He will never tell you to do something that you can’t do. He is always there to help you. He wants you to succeed. He wants you to be blessed. He wants you to receive whatever it is that you need of Him.
So enter into the rest of God. Wait patiently and confidently in Him. God is not a man that He should lie — what He has said, He will do (Num. 23:19).
(photo credit)
