Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 3). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That's true, isn't it? David says, "Sometimes we’re afraid because we know what’s coming in the future. But more commonly, we’re afraid of what we don’t know about the future. We’re afraid of what might happen. For instance, the Gallup organization asked thirteen- to seventeen-year-olds what they were most afraid of. In descending order, the top ten fears of these teens were terrorist attacks, spiders, death/being killed, not succeeding in life/being a failure, war, heights, crime/violence, being alone, the future, and nuclear war." He goes on, "Notice that all these fears are future focused, and all are merely 'maybes.' These teens may encounter none of them. Whether the future is just a minute from now (you’re waiting on a doctor’s diagnosis) or five yea...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book, Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World (p. 2). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That is so true. David says, "It’s not a lucky chance. It’s not ungrounded optimism. No, it’s a rock-solid belief in the character of God. That’s not to say we are guaranteed rosebushes without thorns or a life free from tragedy or disaster. But because we know that God is all-knowing and all-powerful and for us, we can face down our fears and trust the outcome of our circumstances to Him." He goes on, "Hebrews 11:1 says, 'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' The antidote to fear is faith. And faith gives us hope in the midst of whatever scary thing we face. When the apostle Paul was giving counsel to Timothy, his young protégé, he knew Timothy was afraid of something—probably of his assignment to lead the large church...

A thought by Max Lucado, from his book, Begin Again (p. 78). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes we do. Max says, "When God breathed into Adam, he gave him more than oxygen; he gave him a soul. He made him an eternal being. "Because of your soul, you wonder why you are here. Because of your soul, you wonder where you are going. Because of your soul, you wrestle with right and wrong, you value the lives of others, and you get choked up at the singing of the national anthem and teary-eyed at the sight of your baby." He goes on, "Your soul unites you to God. And your soul needs an anchor. Your soul is fragile. It feels the pain of death and knows the questions of disease. Your liver may suffer from the tumor, but your soul suffers from the questions. Hence, your soul needs an anchor, a hooking point that is sturdier than the storm. "This anchor is set, not on a boat or person or possession. No, this ancho...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book,  Leading in Tough Times  (p. 22). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) This is so important to see. John says, "Just because you have the right to do something as a leader doesn’t mean that it is the right thing to do. Changing your focus from rights to responsibilities is often a sign of maturity in a leader. Many of us are excited in early leadership years by the authority we have and what we can do with it. That power can be exhilarating, if not downright intoxicating. But each of us must strive to grow up and grow into a leadership role without relying on our rights. If we can mature in that way, we will start to change our focus from enjoying authority for its own sake to using authority to serve others." He goes on, "Inevitably, leaders who focus on their rights develop a sense of entitlement. They expect their people to serve them, rather than looking for ways to ser...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book,  Leading in Tough Times  (p. 14). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And we want to be successful. So, take that first step! Earlier John said, "The first step you must take as you approach tough times is to prepare yourself as a leader. You need to make yourself ready for the challenge of leading others through adversity. Of course, you must lead yourself well and make good choices. But you should also think about what kind of leader you want to be as you lead your team forward. Knowing yourself as a leader, what works best and is most effective for you and your team, is important at any time. But when you face new challenges or significant change that impacts the work environment and your goals, you need to really think through who you are going to be to your team and make sure that you remain true to your values, no matter how difficult the journey gets or how much pres...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book,  Leading in Tough Times  (p. 11). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Having hope is so powerful. John says, "John W. Gardner, former secretary of health, education, and welfare, said, 'The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive—the hope that we can finally find our way through to a better world—despite the day’s action, despite our own inertness and shallowness and wavering resolve.' Hope is the foundation of change. If we continue to hold hope high, and we help others to do the same, there is always a chance to move forward and succeed." He goes on, "Productive organizations led by strong leaders are hard to beat. Their effectiveness is high, and so is their morale. Former general George C. Marshall said, 'Morale is the state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is confidence and zeal and loyalty.… It is staying power, the spir...

  A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book,  Leading in Tough Times  (p. 8). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) So true, so true. John says, "One of the most challenging tasks any leader faces is being a change agent and leading people through tough times. But it can also be one of the most rewarding. Economist John Kenneth Galbraith asserted, 'All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time.' He goes on, "In tough times the people we lead find out who we are, and we also find out what we’re made of. As author Jack Kinder says, 'You’re not made in a crisis—you’re revealed. When you squeeze an orange—you get orange juice. When you squeeze a lemon—you get lemon juice. When a human being gets squeezed—you get what is inside—positive or negative.' "The best way to approach tough times is to...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book,  Leading in Tough Times  (p. 5). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It is a choice that will make a difference. John says, "The difference in the way they approach it depends on how they see it. Performance psychologist Jim Loehr says, 'Champions have taught us how to take an experience and essentially write the story of its effect. If you see a failure as an opportunity to learn and get better, it will be. If you perceive it as a mortal blow, it will be. In that way, the power of the story is more important than the experience itself.' " He goes on, "If you respond right to adversity, you see it as something that can help you to become better than you were before. I read a poem years ago by James Casey called 'Climb the Steep.' The first stanza says,  "For every hill I’ve had to climb  For every rock that bruised my feet  For all the blood and sweat ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book,  Leading in Tough Times  (p. 3). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It sure does. John says, "It causes us to stop and look at our situation. And at ourselves if we have the courage. Adversity creates an opportunity for self-discovery. As the great Egyptian leader Anwar el-Sadat said, 'Great suffering builds up a human being and puts him within the reach of self-knowledge.' This I believe is true—if we embrace it." "One of my favorite books is As a Man Thinketh by James Allen. My father required me to read it when I was in my early teens. One of the ideas that left the strongest impression on me as a youth was this: 'Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.' " John goes on, "Adversity comes to us as a teaching tool. You’ve probably heard the saying 'When the pupil is ready, the teacher will come.' That is not necess...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from her book, Leading in Tough Times (p. 1). Center Street, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Well, it is, isn't it? John says, "This is particularly a problem in America today. We expect a smooth and easy road to success. We expect our lives to be hassle-free. We expect the government to solve our problems. We expect to get the prize without having to pay the price. That is not reality! Life is hard." "He goes on, " In Life’s Greatest Lessons , Hal Urban writes,  "Once we accept the fact that life is hard, we begin to grow. We begin to understand that every problem is also an opportunity. It is then that we dig down and discover what we’re made of. We begin to accept the challenges of life. Instead of letting our hardships defeat us, we welcome them as a test of character. We use them as a means of rising to the occasion." John continues, "This reality is especially importa...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 47). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And there is a so much to learn. Christine says, " And I’ve learned that when triggers happen and expose another tender place, we need to invite him in once more. God promises to heal us each and every time—whether it’s a wound that heals quickly or in stages—and he always keeps his promises: 'He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds' (Ps. 147:3)." She goes on, "For those moments that have surprised me, those triggers that just seemed to pop out of nowhere, I have learned to be thankful because when we aren’t healed of our invisible wounds, whether big or small, they invariably seep—and seeping is always a telltale sign that we are drifting. That we have quit going to the Healer for healing. That we have lost sight of pursuing Christ and anchoring ourselves in him the way he intended....

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 34). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) So important to understand. Christine says, " It’s a gateway to deeper trust. It is a declaration, 'Yet I will trust you . . . yet I will praise you!' Have you ever been in church, worshipping with all your heart, and poured it all out on the altar and said that to God? I have so many times after I’ve suffered loss, betrayal, disappointment, failure, heartache, and even sickness. In those times, what has resulted has not been anti-faith or anti-hope—quite the opposite. It has led me to greater faith, greater hope, and greater trust. It’s been how I’ve rediscovered my joy in a time when I didn’t have any. "Still, I wonder if we have been led to believe that to be a good and nice Christian, we need to be in control of our emotions all the time, though the Psalms show us that God wants us to pour them all o...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 32). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It's great when you have someone. Christine says, " I don’t know who you turn to when you need a listening ear, when you’re trying to make sense of something that’s happening, and you want to walk in even-if faith, but you are finding it difficult to do. When my mind is racing and I need to get something off my chest, I typically turn to Nick or to one of my dearest friends, as they are the ones who have helped me the most when I’ve needed to look to Jesus and set my anchor once more. Maybe for you that’s your mother, a favorite aunt, or your BFF. For me, what’s been especially hard, though, has been the times when what was weighing on me was so deep, so painful, or too hard to understand that I needed more than what Nick or my friends could give me—like when I wanted to ring the bell. In those times, I’ve n...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 30). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And that is what I want. Christine says, " Even if! That’s the kind of faith God wants us to have all the time. Even-if faith is what keeps us tethered when we are in the midst of a crisis, when we do not understand what is going on, when our situation is painful, confusing, demoralizing, disheartening, disappointing. Even-if faith keeps us from drifting. It anchors us. It’s now faith! It’s faith for the present moment and for whatever fiery trial we’re going through. Maybe you’ve learned you can’t graduate on time. Maybe you have been given a grim diagnosis. Maybe you’ve lost a dear friendship. Maybe you have lost your savings or your business. Maybe you’ve lost someone you loved deeply. And the pain you are feeling is something you’ve never known and something you never want to feel again. The only kind of...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 26). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Many of us have the problem of control. Christine says, "I don’t purpose to be this way, but I’ve always been the kind of person who is more likely to take matters into my own hands than to trust God. It shows up in my life when I focus too much on people acting in predictable ways, on liking things done a certain way and everything being in its place. Without meaning to, I can get obsessed with schedules and plans. I guess you could say, without Jesus, I can be a bit of a control freak, but to be honest, it’s not entirely without reason. After years of doing the hard work of learning to trust God through every unknown—to embrace the pain of healing and recovery time and time again—I have come to understand that some of my control tendencies have their origin in coping mechanisms, ones I developed having com...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 23). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) This is so important for us to do. Christine says, " To keep ourselves from drifting, there are times we need to hit the reset button and make sure we are trusting God more than anything and anyone else, including ourselves. We need to be checking the links in our chain connecting us to Jesus, the anchor of our soul, on a regular basis so we don’t find ourselves drifting unaware. Then, when a crisis of any kind hits, be it a financial one, a relational one, an emotional one, a spiritual one, a career one, a health scare, or even a global pandemic, we aren’t trying to drop anchor in a storm, when all the waves are so high that they are about to overtake us. We aren’t scrambling and playing catch-up on trusting God with all our hearts." She goes on, "Think of it this way: on a typical bicycle chain, there is ...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 19). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) But it is so important. Christine says, " Something that I know doesn’t come easy to a lot of us because trusting God takes intentionality and perpetual, repeated choosing. It isn’t passive but active—and our trust is tested with time and trials." She continues, "We tend to think that we are trusting in him and that trusting is easy until . . . until we start to lose control of the things we’ve worked so hard to control—whether it’s our children, our marriages, our homes, our schedules, our routines, our friendships, our education, our careers, our savings, or even our spiritual lives, as strange as that may sound. We think we’ve reached a certain level of maturity, but if we face a crisis bigger than or different from anything we’ve ever faced before, we realize we have more room to grow. More room to tru...

  A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 13). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes it can. Earlier Christine said: If we neglect paying attention to God, then our hearts will drift.  If we neglect paying attention to our spouse, then we will find ourselves disconnected.  If we neglect paying attention to our children, then we will experience distance.  If we neglect paying attention to our friendships, then we will find them strained.  If we neglect paying attention to our finances, then we will find ourselves in debt.  If we neglect paying attention to our health, then we will find ourselves sick.  If we neglect paying attention to our learning and growth, then we will find ourselves stunted.  If we neglect paying attention to our thoughts, then we will be hostage to untruth.  If we neglect paying attention to our rest, then we will find ...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 10). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) So true, so true. Christine continues, " Firmly established. Even in the strongest of currents and the worst of storms. Even when we can’t see our anchor in the depths below. 'Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?' (Rom. 8:24)." She says, "Hope does what it was meant to when we simply trust Jesus and leave our anchor to do his work. Even when we feel the current swirling around us, forcefully wanting to move us, we don’t have to give in. Yes, our hope will always be tested—it doesn’t change the condition of the sea—but to let go of Jesus, the anchor of our soul, to quit trusting, to become distracted, to lose sight of what’s holding us in place, will only set us adrift. "Maybe your spouse has walked away, a friend has cut you off,...

  A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 6). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Christine has a list of questions in three areas she asks herself in keeping from drifting in her walk with God. She says, "About my relationship with God, I ask: Have I stopped pursuing God and started deprioritizing my time with him?  Have I stopped consuming God’s Word and started living off leftovers?  Have I stopped responding to the Spirit at once and started delaying?  Have I stopped caring and started growing callous about former convictions?  Have I stopped praying and started obsessing? Have I stopped seeking more of him?" She goes on, "And about my relationships with others, I ask:  Have I stopped forgiving and started harboring? Have I stopped sharing and started withholding?  Have I stopped committing and started shrinking back?  Have I stopped laugh...

A thought by Christine Cane, from her book,  How Did I Get Here?   (p. 6). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) He does, He really does. Christine says, " He has been contending with it ever since the fall. He knows how effortless our drifting is. In our thoughts. In our actions. In our day-to-day lives. In the simplest of things. He knows how tempted we are to gradually shift from having our hope in him to having it in other people—a common error that usually works well until someone disappoints us." She goes on, "It’s all too easy to stand on alternate sources of security and significance while saying we are standing on our faith. To put trust in our education, our plans, or our careers. To fall back on what we know, on what we think has made us successful. To rely on our gifts, our talents, or our abilities—as though we possess them apart from God (2 Cor. 4:7). "And we may be doing all this without even ...