Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Mark Batterson from his book,  Win the Day   (p. 8). The Crown Publishers Group. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And the stories we tell make a difference. Mark says, " True or false, those stories become self-fulfilling prophecies. If you tell yourself the wrong story, you live a lie. If you want to change your life, start by changing your story." He later says, "What stories are you telling yourself? And where do they come from? Are they helping you or hurting you? Are they accurate or inaccurate? Are they carefully crafted or off the cuff? And who is narrating the story? You? Your parents? Your doubters? Your haters? Or have you given editorial control to the Author and Perfecter of your faith? (Hebrews 12:2} He then say, "'Every person is composed of a few themes,' observed C. S. Lewis. 1 Those life themes reveal themselves in a wide variety of ways. Sometimes it’s during the regular routine of li

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 48). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes they do. Norman shares, " Jesus said, 'A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of' (Luke 6:45)." Norman says, "No one has to be a helpless victim of their thoughts—even if they were stamped on their minds thirty years ago. Again, look at the promises in Scripture. Paul wrote, 'God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]' (2 Timothy 1:7 AMP, brackets in original). Scriptural teachings about our thoughts aren’t just informative, the

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 47). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Yes there is! Norman says, "Our thoughts can also create a calmness that helps control our emotions and rein them in before they spin out of control. Every positive or happy thought spurs our brains to action, releasing chemicals that make us feel good. These help us become a today and tomorrow person and break loose from the past. Take this statement: 'I am a today and tomorrow person,' and repeat it out loud ten times every day. We’ll experience a difference in mood and attitude." He goes on, ".. thoughts follow specific pathways in the brain. They don’t bounce around randomly landing somewhere. Each pathway was created for a specific purpose. God created our brains to function this way. This memory stage is similar to a library. It’s responsible for the first emotiona

  A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 45). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   It really can be. Norman says, "We get caught up in the 'what ifs.' Perhaps we’re interested in what can go wrong in life. We’re fascinated by the possibilities. And when a possibility is discovered, we latch on with all of the 'what ifs' our minds can create." He continues, "Worry is a special kind of fear. To create it, we elongate fear with two things—anticipation and memory. We then infuse it with our imagination and feed it with emotion. Then we become 'our own creation.' In its positive sense, anxiety is a God-given instinct that alerts us to fearful situations and prepares us to respond appropriately. But worry can also be like a car alarm system that won’t turn off. "Pastor Earl Lee illustrates the difference: Worry is like racing an automo

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 43). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Yes, they do! Norman says, "To change thought patterns is not a simple step-by-step process or an overnight event. Our brains weren’t designed to make sudden, permanent changes. "The brain follows patterns of established neural connections (habits) built over the years. This unique organ of the body—with its billions of neurons and millions of pathways, circuits, and memory cells—doesn’t erase or 'write over' what it’s stored. So when we begin changing patterns, we should expect the old ways of thinking and talking to challenge the new ways. Change is possible; it just takes time and effort. He goes on, "Our thoughts influence our character, shape our attitudes, determine our behavior, affect us spiritually, and even influence our immune systems. Our thoughts create emot

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 42). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And it's not easy. Norman says, " We’ve tried different approaches or programs, prayed about it, been prayed over, and so forth. But we still struggle. It’s not that easy." He goes on, "If a new thought coincides with what we already believe about ourselves, it will be accepted by us with open arms. If it doesn’t, it will have a difficult time finding a place to fit in and be accepted. Isn’t it interesting how we even resist thoughts that are new, positive, and in line with biblical thinking? We resist giving up old mental messages because we’re comfortable with them, even if they’re not the best, not true, not helpful, or keep us stuck in the past. Sound familiar? I’m guilty of doing that. In my office I have filing cabinets filled with files. In my mind, I probably have hund

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 39). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Our thoughts are so very important in making our life enjoyable and productive. Norman says, " They’re glimpses of ideas. Whether you choose something to think about or you don’t, your brain is always on. If you don’t choose your thoughts and direct them somewhere, your thoughts will wander. Thoughts are simple. They’re basic, but it’s hard to measure them. They direct our lives. They impact our mind, our body, and our emotions. Long and involved or short and direct, they influence our lives." He goes on, "What we think affects our bodies. In fact, in the next minute what I’m asking you to think about will create a response in your body. Take a couple of breaths and relax. Now, think of a lemon. Imagine cutting the lemon in two. Scrape out a couple of the seeds. Hold the lemon up