Our Deepest Fear

~On our deepest fear by Marianne Williamson~

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

What do we do with those ‘In want of discernment’?

Today [and many others] I’ve found myself wondering and praying about this subject… Not only because I am the one standing in need thereof on occasion, but also because it concerns me when I see those I love standing in need… And as such felt strongly impressed to write on this topic:

“”When we see a brother or sister doing/saying something that’s just Not quite rite: Mercy/Love? Mentor? ‘Sincerely’ pray for them? 1 Cor. 9:22″”

I’d been praying about this also because it pains me to see the way “we” [yes, me too] can be so quick to judge and spit out a little quaint/crude statement… not seeming, at that moment, to care about the ensuing ripple effect it creates. We are, both in the heat of the moment and sometimes still afterward, often just hard heartened and self righteous about it because after all [s]he are wrong! They shouldn’t have done or said that! After all we are right and they are Not…etcetera, etcetera. And that’s just that! Therefore, our behavior is justified.

I often wonder WHY pray tell, for the love of peace and our precious Christ Jesus whose name we are suppose to embody, whose name we have claimed because He has claimed us, we do not try to go to these folks and ease into mentoring or helping them to see a better way… to walk along side of them… IF ONLY for a brief while… In His love…………

And frankly as it pertains to my own self, my family, and my community of faith I’m more than woefully disappointed when I act or hear or see anything short thereof… My heart literally aches over our momentary lack of compassion for others; which sometimes can cause more than a momentary stumbling block and emotional pain to another.

People are both seeking and hurting in large numbers these days and that includes the Saved and Un-saved, as well as those inside and outside the church. Many of them did not grow up with the guidance, favor, or blessings that others of us were privileged to… And we really cannot judge a book by it’s cover to know who these very wounded souls are. Thus, in their efforts to fit in, or to do good, or in other cases in their effort to find freedom from deep, ’seemingly’ unspeakable, [soul] wounds, they sometimes get confused and might respond or react without Godly counsel or much thought… and maybe more than once or twice when we refuse to reach out to them.

If each of us set about the notion, with justification that our plates are full, that someone else will step-up, it’s most likely no one will and their process of trial and error will continue for some time.

If we are Christians, we cannot and must not hold these happenings over their heads for life or even for a day… We are Not entitled to hold a magnifying glass [especially one that we could not and would not be able to stand-up to, let alone live under our own selves] over their lives, their every statement or their actions friends; our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said Not. I recall something to the effect of “Let He who is without sin cast the first stone.” And He said that over a much more serious offense, an absolute disobedient act to one of God’s covenant commands, than what we tend to get hung up on in our daily lives as it pertains to others.

Today God lead me to this Scripture, and although I’d read Corinthians before, this is the first time I actually “saw” it! Ah, Who doesn’t love the Scriptures given St. Paul of God? He gives us several important principles for ministry:

“”To the weak (wanting in discernment) I have become weak (wanting in discernment) that I might win the weak and overscrupulous. I have [in short] become all things to all men, that I might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some [by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ]. 1 Corinthians 9:22 (Amplified Bible)”"

“”(1) Find common ground with those you are in contact with. (2) Avoid a know-it-all attitude. (3) Make others feel accepted.” (4) be sensitive to their needs and concerns. (5) Look for opportunities to tell them about Christ.”" — And I paraphrase by adding: Look for opportunities to help your sisters and brothers, including the less mature, and/or those who err [intentionally or not] to aide them in understanding how to be more Christ like. — “”These principles are just as practical and important for us as they were for St. Paul.”" [NLT Life Application]

And this prayer was by chance one for the day:

“”Father God, the creator and preserver of all, we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of people; that you would be pleased to make your ways known unto them, your saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for your holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.”"

___
Again, I too have been guilty of this on occasions, but with Gods help will continue to not only forgive and grow in Christ, but to also apologize and repent when called for as well as resist getting entangled in such behaviors/sentiments, which is nothing short of a ploy by the adversary to conquer us individually and then the majority by dividing up the Body one by one.

Father God, Please give us — give me — ears to hear and hearts of obedience. And once again I say Amen.

In closing this states my intentions herein much better than I:

“A servant of Jesus Christ,” [writes this] “to those who are called (chosen), ‘dearly loved’ by God the Father and separated (set apart) and kept for Jesus Christ:”

“”Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you . (Jude 1:1-2)”"

What’s On Your Bucket List?

Just felt inclined to post my bucket list today… So, without further a do:

Top 12:

1. Remember daily to completely and totally trusting “everything” to God. a.) be able to Reflect upon my greatest weaknesses, and realize how they are can also be my greatest strengths/assets because they draw me nearer to God.

2. (learn how to) Evangelize for Christ in my community and maybe one day nationwide. a.) Learn to use a microphone and to speak (effectively) in public.

3. Fall as deeply in love – as one human possibly can another – with my husband.

4. Become the type of Mom that helps her children and family to make life-time memories, which make them look back at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 etc. and smile in happy reflection of days gone by.

5. (Save money to) Take our children to Disney World.

6. (Save money for) A Missions tour for Christ in another country.

7. Have a portrait painted of Juan and me – oil painting family heirloom style.

8. Be able to plant and grow a beautiful garden.

9. Be a mentor to young women ages 18-25 years old.

10. Teach illiterate people to read — what would life be like without the joy of being able to read a book? I can only imagine!!

11. Be able to give to charity abundantly – anonymously.

12. Get physically into optimum health & shape.

Not particularly ordered but still important to me:

~ Re-Learn to play my saxophone with some degree of skill.

~ Learn to sing in tune.

~ Read & Complete one book every 2 weeks.

~ Learn how to take a compliment.

~ Overcome fears of failure.

~ Accept self for who I am… who God made me to be.

~ Send mom a dozen white roses for Mothers Day each year.

~ Look into my children’s eyes, see myself, and smile.

~ Visit the Holy Land.

~ Masters degree.

~ Send a message in a bottle.

~ Learn to ballroom dance properly.

~ Attend at least one major sporting event: the Olympics, the U.S. Open.

~ Continue my language studies — Learn to speak Spanish and/or Arabic with better accuracy – fluently.

Now then that’s mine…… What’s On Your Bucket List?

…look at your situation now?

I thought I’d share my [possibly] funny discussion board posting from my Christian counseling class with yall this week where we were told to “Describe how this module’s lesson(s) changed the way you look at your situation now?“

We first talked about un-forgiveness and were also assigned to view lessons 9 + 28 and then to read chapter 4 in Caring for People God’s Way. Which begins by telling us that Generally “thinkers” tend to behave in logical, rational, deliberate, and systematic ways, while “feelers” generally tend to behave in emotionally expressive ways.

Which tells me that I am quite [literally?] a paradox! What I mean by that is that I am a big “thinker” and a [even bigger] “feeler” [an extraverted, thinking, but primarily feeling and intuitive - Persuader] according to the assessment from both a DISC and a MBTI [an enfj to be exact, it said]… as such the “thinker” [bit] apparently makes for a paradox as it is in direct conflict with my natural inclination to act or think according to perceived “feelings!?!”

How is this relevant? Well, it is my latest [self] discovery after reading chapter 4. LOL! ) With all these “assessments” I’ve had done one would think I would have thought of this sooner though……!

As far as how it has changed the way I’m looking at my situation now — I’m just not sure about that yet. I’m thinking I will have to think – pre-contemplate – about it for a bit, do some more contemplation – through reading – Preparation – some research and then determine how I feel about the various avenues of action I could pursue in what I need to change and course I’ll be taking the [best known available] action of  continuing to talk to my Hallowed Father – Abba [a lot] regardless of the above contemplation during that whole “pseudo-code” [like] process! It is no doubt a good thing that He really does understand us better than we do ourselves – therefore I think it to be wisest to just let Him take care of the maintenance.

Please note [that although, these are real assessments] a large portion of this writing is meant to be comical not literal… I have it on reliable authority that the final assessments contained no alarming or elevated indications for concern… ) but I couldn’t think of anything else to write about from the lessons as it pertains to the Professors query and this type “analytical” stuff [as contained in chapter 4] is of an [unusual] interest to me. Hopefully, at minimum — funny or not — it demonstrates my having reviewed the lesson!

The ENFJ -  clip from the Myers and Briggs Foundation:
Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Finds potential in everyone, wants to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.

DISC – Persuaders – a small clip from my 34 page assessment:
“Persuaders are integrative leaders who work with and through people. They have an outgoing spirit and high interest in people. A very creative person, makes friends easily, uninhibited in trying new things and prefers going by her feelings rather than just facts.”

DB4 – Subject: …look at your situation now?

Can You Sing at Midnight? Part II

This particular message was intended to remind us not only to praise Him during times of trial but also it spoke to me that God does not intend for us to be “happy plastic people” tucking it all “privately” away……… I personally suffered “privately” with grace [not] like any decent saint would — HA! sarcasm — for far too long over and over again before I realized that is the most assured path to insanity in which one could take, not to mention probably a kin to purchasing a ticket to hell.

So, regardless of my happiness Or lack of I reach and I share and I’m jest about over “worrying” what the “perfect” among us think of it or me… More than likely they are far too busy being perfect to even think anything of it or me in the 1st place any whom. Hence we can reach and share and be strengthened as well as strengthen others like the disciples did or we can suffer every small thing solo and sentence ourselves in our own insecurity and paranoia.

One commentary that I have suggest that it is believed the disciples were signing either Psalm 17 or 86. If one were to take a look at these words they were not just shouting Alleluia! to The Lord God Almighty, they were publicly crying out to the Lord and in the process it brought comfort to others who were suffering…

I’ve often found, based not only from public comments in forums but also private communications, that if a song, prayer, or message ministered to an emotional, spiritual, intellectual, [etc.] need of mine that it does the same for others when shared… it aides in strengthening our brothers & sisters again I say [at the expense of being redundant] when shared…… We all need to know [from time to time] that others are having or have had these same feelings or issues. It often helps everyone to grow even if it is just ever so slightly.