God’s Truth

Psalm 32:1-2 NLT

Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

Yes, what joy for those

whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,

whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

Attitude Adjustment

The Lord’s Word reaches far into the depth of our souls. There is not a single thought that we can hide from Him. Like a small child hiding behind a skinny tree, thinking she cannot be seen, we run around convincing ourselves that God doesn’t really know what’s going on inside our heads and hearts. But He does know it all. He sees our actions from the inside out!

But our God is a merciful God, willing to forgive and redeem every shred of sin from our lives. The questions remains, will we let Him? Will we bow before the Holy One, the Ancient of Days, and yield our deepest thoughts unto Him? Will we trust that He can be in control of our lives, providing new mercies each morning?

Last night, my six year old daughter randomly picked Psalm 32 to turn into a bedtime prayer. We do this every once in a blue moon–take Scripture and pray it out to the Lord. It was actually the eight-year-old’s idea last night, and while she scoured Joshua looking for the “Be strong and courageous” verse, the little one settled into Psalms. Both were worked equally as well as prayers (and even echoed their own personalities and prayer needs!).

My challenge to you today is two-fold. Take Psalm 32 and turn it into a prayer for yourself. For example, pray…

Dear Lord, Oh, what joy it is for me, that my disobedience is forgiven, that my sin is put out of YOUR sight!

Continue on throughout the Psalm using the same technique. Pause when necessary to become more detailed before the Lord.

The second part of this assignment is to scour the Word, in either your own Bible or by searching in Biblegateway.com, looking for God’s truth to pray back unto Him. You will be blessed extravagantly, my friend, as you take hold of the truth that never changes.

Psalm 32 NLT

1 Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

2 Yes, what joy for those

whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,

whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

3 When I refused to confess my sin,

my body wasted away,

and I groaned all day long.

4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you

and stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,

that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

7 For you are my hiding place;

you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule

that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,

but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Oh, Ancient of Days, we give you great honor, glory, and praise for being a compassionate God that is so quick to forgive our sin. Help us, Lord, today to live in that truth. Help us to bow our knee before your throne, admit our mistakes and evil deeds, and to ask you honestly to purify our hearts. We love you, Lord–or we are learning to–and want to live the life you’ve set out for us! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

(Used with permission from Extravagant Grace )
You can read more from Elise on her website Extravgant Grace

Reflection upon my childhood and gratitude to those who have shaped and moulded me into who I have become are the topic of my diary this week.  As you know, I recently moved back home and am living with my mother, along with this move, I am not only being spoiled (rotten) but I am reminded again of my past roots and I must express my gratitude to God.          

As a small child, I remember going into homes that were so holy that I felt God’s presence.  People prayed and knew God in a way that is absent today.  Please do not misunderstand me…many people that I know love God and know Him but yester-year that is in my past …they loved Him so much that they devoted themselves to Him that one could totally feel His Almighty Presence.  I believe that one can still feel His Almighty Presence; however, we are just starting or getting back to acknowledge and/orgetting to know it and feel it once again.

My grandparents prayed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, went to church each Sunday, spoke no harsh words, and lived for the Lord.  They were examples of faith and they passed down the Love of God to their children.  Without their wonderful example, my family would not have had the choice to become believers.

My mother became a believer, although her life was not the easiest.  She used her faith and trusted God to answer His promises.  I watched her as a child, a teenager and as an adult, as she demonstrated her faith walk.  Daily my mother would go to church seeking God out, as my father, who was an alcoholic abused her, and left her with no money to raise six children.  Never did she say a harsh word about my father only that he was sick.  Trusting in God, we lacked for nothing and we got by, as mom would say, “… only by the grace of God.”

Grateful am I to God…yes.  To give me a mother and a family that believed in the God-head.  Grateful am I that God loved us and carried us when we were down and out…yes….because…we were always taken care of because of our faithful family!

Thank you Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit for placing me in this family.  The family that is mine.  The family that believes in you and helps to see me through.  Thank you Lord for all you do, especially when I am down and when I do not see all of the love and support that goes on behind the scenes…the prayer and the love from all of my family…thank you Lord, for all of your special love!

We are on holidays….I hope you will come back for my post on Aug 17/08

I hope to come back refreshed and revived!

Thanks for stopping by!

Every week I receive two or three emails from individuals who are living with or know someone who has mental health difficulties. Each story is unique. Each story is the same. Living with or knowing someone who has a mental health disorder is no easy task.

Many mental health disorders are chronic and result in a lifelong illness. It never goes away. However, with appropriate treatments (medication in conjunction with expert therapy) and the educated and informed support of family, friends, employers and co-workers it can be managed (as long as the individual with the mental health disorder commits and participates in his or her wellness plan).

The following are provided as suggestions to families and friends to help support your loved one who has a mental health disorder. These suggestions will enable you to not only manage your response to someone with a mental illness in a positive manner but aid in the ability of your loved one to self-manage as much as possible his/her illness.

• Educate yourself. Just as you would with any diagnosis, it is imperative that you and/or family members and the individual who has a mental health diagnosis be educated about the illness. This includes learning about the appropriate drugs for the illness that has been diagnosed. You should know about dosages, possible side effects, and what to do. Read all you can about the mental health disorder from reliable sources. As you gain an understanding of the various behaviors that occur as a result of having the disorder, you are less likely to be blind sided by them.This places you in a position to respond effectively to the illness.
• Find the right doctor. Become your loved one’s advocate. Before going to the doctor make sure that you and your loved one put together a comprehensive list of questions and concerns. Make sure that you get a psychiatrist and other health providers who will take the time to listen closely to both you and your loved one. Always be sure to get second opinions if necessary.
• Know the triggers. As you begin to understand the underlying causes of this illness you will be able to recognize the warning signals that may trigger an episode in your loved one. Coldly assess what your loved one can and cannot handle. Some people with mental illness cannot handle money, some household chores, time commitments, etc.
• Write a crisis plan. When your loved one’s mood is stable, agree on a plan to limit damage during mood swings. Be prepared to act before the symptoms worsen and your loved one begins to spiral out of control. Compensate assertively for the things that your loved one is unable to handle. Have a list of symptoms of mania, depression , and suicide risk available with suggestions about what to do. Keep a list of helpful phone numbers easily accessible, including health care providers, family friends, and a suicide prevention crisis line. Be sure to give this plan/list to family members and friends.
• Create a Safe Environment. It is important that you create a safe environment where your loved one is able to express his or her frustrations and anxiety about living with a mental health disorder.
• Communication. It is essential to work hard at keeping communication lines open.
• Maintain your own identity. “It is imperative that you realize that your life doesn’t stop to revolve around your ill loved one. Take care of your own health and your own needs”. (Healthy Place) Resist becoming consumed with your loved one’s illness.
• Hard truths.. You cannot fix what is wrong with your loved one. It is not your fault. Your loved one must recognize and accept the fact of having a mental health disorder. There is no ‘cure’ for mental health disorders. However, if your loved one refuses to recognize and/or accept their illness, are unwilling to receive treatment and learn to manage their illness there is nothing more you can do. You must establish limits to the support that you and other family members and friends are willing to give. These limits must be enforced without feelings of guilt.

Next Week: How to understand and help when the family member or friend wants to stop taking their medication.

Don’t forget, if there is a question that you would like to have answered or a topic you would like to have discussed, be sure to email me at dbeverlyhills@gmail.com. All questions will remain anonymous. All answers will be sprinkled with my perspective.

I never thought i would like chocolate cake until i tried wicked wanda, and now i have found something to make it even more irresistible!  I made my sister’s wedding cake this past friday, and she requested chocolate cake with MOCHA icing. Yum!  Well, i was baking out of my own kitchen and they did not have cocoa ( i had made the cake mix earlier at home and brought it with me in pre measured zip lock bags for  convenience sake!)  So, i used hot chocolate powder, and instant coffee. Wow! what an awesome frosting! Basic vanilla butter cream, with about a table spoon of each added and voila, awesome mocha frosting.  My sister was very happy with it and so were the people i smuggled pieces in napkins to (  the cake was for the head table only, but  there was plenty left over!)

I think i will be making this cake again…. after all, my two favorite things are coffee and chocolate!

Happy Caking!

God’s Truth

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Attitude Adjustment

Love. It is greatest, according to this verse, compared to faith and hope. Isn’t that interesting? We talk about our faith so much. We talk about hope, especially for the future or in terms of our health, our children. But how much time do we really spend meditating on what it means to love and be loved?

Interestingly enough, this has been something the Lord has put on my heart over the past few months. In a sermon at Oneplace.com entitled, Four Words That Can Change Your Marriage, Pastor Greg Laurie brought to light the challenge of loving in this culture and our misunderstandings of the Biblical definitions of love.

The English language only has one word for love. Love. We love donuts. We love music. We love our children. We love coffee. We love our spouse. But in the original Greek language, there are many words used to describe different expressions of love*:

AGAPAO ~ to esteem, cherish, favor, honor, respect, prize, relish, to be devoted to, as in God’s love revealed in Christ

ERAO ~ intense or passionate love, highly sensual and even intoxicating

PHILEO ~ is a love of personal affection, fondness for something, often the love of friends

God’s definition of love is far and wide reaching, encompassing much more than our limited understanding. These three Greek words are just a sample of how the Lord expresses His love for us, and only a hint at how He has equipped us to love others.

Just imagine what would happen if we paused in the midst of our impulsive use of the word love to find a more fitting word to describe our emotions? And likewise, imagine if we gave equally as much time to the practice of love described by the Lord, based on the concept expressed by Biblical scholar, Spiros Zodhiates’,

“The single most brilliant and ethically profound piece ever written on love is Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is the proper behavioral mode for the expression of faith (Galatians 5:6).”

Shall we soak into our hearts how wide, and far, and deep is the Love of Christ and share that with others this week. It isn’t enough to just love the things in our world. It is time we love the people, the way Christ loves us.

Heavenly Father, you tell us that the greatest of these is love. Help us Lord Jesus, to understand the enormous meaning of your gift of love, act of love, and commitment to love, as much as our human minds can comprehend! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

source: Lexical Aids to the New Testament, compiled and edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D.

(Used with permission from Extravagant Grace )
You can read more from Elise on her website Extravgant Grace

            This has been a week where God has really been speaking to my heart, in so many ways, and I mean, so many ways.  As I have left my home in a small town I have now moved to a small city, back home living with my precious, mother of eighty one years.  I am de-stressing and looking at life through a different perspective once again.  A new chapter in my book of life has begun so to speak.  It has not been easy, leaving my lovely home, where my late husband and I loved and laughed but it was time for me to move on, yet, I know that with time and the help of God…

“… all things are possible, through

Christ, Jesus our Lord, whom gives us strength.”

            God started talking to me at a very young age and as my faith increased I became more dependent and more in love with Father God, then I started to hear His voice daily.  Hearing Him is easy.  Listening and obeying is the difficult part. 

 “…Be still and know that I am Lord”

            Maybe I was six years old when God taught me that I knew that I had to respect Him as a Father.  He is my Father.  I really didn’t have much of an earthly father but my Father God is incredible.  The voice that I hear is like a whisper and it nudges me to do things from giving, remembering things, you name it I do not know how it is but I know that it is His voice.

             Last weekend I went out to visit my friend and her son, at the lake.  Arriving we sat outside her cabin, at the picnic table, ready to talk and to play cards.  Upon the table was a book entitled, “Do You Hear God’s Voice?”  While she went inside to make coffee and to prepare something to eat, her son, a twenty-seven year old, autistic, male started to read the title of the book cover, in his slow, steady but broken pace.

             “Do..Do..You..He.ar.  Hear God’s Voice?”  He smiled sweetly, closing his eyes in communion with God and the universe.  I always love it when he laughs, as I know that heaven smiles with him.  Bless his heart.

            I asked him, “So, do hear God’s voice?”  Again he smiled that beautiful smile and laughed as the words that he read really added meaning this time.  He never gave me the answer but I knew that God was speaking through him just as he had on many occasions.

            God speaks to us in many ways through nature.  If we stop and care to pay attention.  Unfortunately, some people many not be convinced of this event because of the noise in their personal lives and/or their relationships with God.  Many of us may miss His loving kindness and dismiss it as a coincidence or a freak of nature.

            How many miracles have to happen before some of us will truly accept the fact that Jesus did become a man and empty Himself totally of His Godliness and die on the cross for us?  How many times must God rescue us and will we deny His existence?  Thomas didn’t believe until he actually saw the holes in Jesus’ hands…how many of us will demand proof from God that His kingdom actually exists and that His son, Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins?

What’s in your book bag this week?

I want to point out a not really a reading book this week, but one that is important! It’s called Lord, Help me to Build a Healthy Child - A Mother’s prayer journal, written and Illustrated by Audrey Jeanne Roberts.

While I’m not even sure if you can buy this book/journal anymore, I’ve found it just lovely and helpful for my prayer time for my children. Some pages have Bible verses on them, while others have ideas of what to pray for your children.

Do you pray for your children? Do you do it regularly? Do you write it down, or do it orally? I’m hoping by writing it down (I actually bought each child a bible, and pray for them on different days of the week) that I will be able to gift them with my expression of love when they are older!

I am having a hard time with words this week!

I hope you have a blessed Sunday worshiping our King!

I have been plagued by anxiety and panic attacks since my early twenties. ‘Back in the day’, little was known about the undeniably paralyzing effects of these experiences. Today, there is so much information that one should never have to remain in the black hole of anxiety or become controlled by panic. Yet, no amount of information will help ease the effects of anxiety and panic unless you have a plan in place.

In recent months my anxiety and panic attacks have escalated.  I am beginning to experience an inability to cope with daily problems and activities. The desire to do the things I enjoy is slowly disappearing. I am becoming consumed by excessive fears, worries, and anxieties. As a mental health professional I know that I cannot handle this alone. It’s time to rely on the training and expertise of another mental health professional.

With the decision made to go into therapy to learn to help myself through situations where I have begun to feel so helpless, I have also made the decision to start implementing a  personal wellness plan. I don’t have the whole plan of action together. It’s a slow process. I have to give myself time to see what will work and what doesn’t work.

So here is what I was thinking. No one is ever alone. There must be other individuals who are trying to find their way through some tough spots. There are others who must question whether it is time to seek professional help. Other individuals who desire to get started on a mental wellness plan. Women like me, who want to let go of or learn to manage what they feel is holding them back from their fullest potential.

I’d like to share some information and ideas.

Here is a list of generalized warning signs that you or someone you love may need to speak to a mental health professional:

• Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
• Feelings of extreme highs and lows
• Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Strong feelings of anger
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Denial of obvious problems
• Numerous unexplained physical ailments
• Substance abuse

And some ideas to begin putting your own personalized mental wellness plan in place:

• Eat sensibly. I am beginning to explore the value of certain vitamins in relation to anxiety and depression such as Omega3 and vitamin B12.
• Maintain friendships. This is something I am working on. In recent years I have grown apart from the one friend I could share my darkest moments with. Beginning new friendships is a difficult and complicated process for me. Yet, I will commit to making that one small step.
• Learn something new. I am going to start taking different classes at the local scrapbook store. This month I am going to take a beginning Quilling class. Something I have never tried before.
• Acknowledge three good things. Bring the focus back to all that is good in your life. I have begun to do this with my new Friday meme called ‘My Joyful Journal‘. Perhaps this would be a great beginning in the development of your own mental wellness plan.
• Keep an eye on personal stress. Learning to say no will help tame the ‘bad’ stress which can certainly act as a trigger for those days when you may feel yourself ‘going over the edge’. This is a stressful time for my family. Not because of my recent flare ups with anxiety and panic, but because of the illness of another close family member. Saying no to many other things is critical to keeping only the things on your ‘plate’ that are manageable.
• Talk about your feelings. This is why I blog (grin).
• Get enough light. Make sure you get your daily requirement of fresh air and sunshine. Even if you are in your pajamas (like me). I make sure I sit outside at least thirty minutes…and not under the shade of the orange tree. Our bodies need a certain amount of sunshine each day….go soak some up.

Although there are oodles of ideas to get you on the right track with positive mental health, these are the ones that I have begun with. I hope that the information provided in this post and the ideas that I have begun to implement in regards to my own mental wellness, have provided you with the knowledge and understanding that we are never alone. There is always someone who knows exactly how you feel. It’s just a matter of talking about it.

Don’t forget, if there is a question that you would like to have answered or a topic you would like to have discussed, be sure to email me at dbeverlyhills@gmail.com. All questions will remain anonymous. All answers will be sprinkled with my perspective.