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General Health, Holidays, Uncategorized

4 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

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It’s November! The crispness of autumn invigorates the body as well as the spirit. Change is in the air!

The winds of autumn swirl the leaves and play on our senses.

The changing weather may prompt you to make personal changes, as well. Lean into these promptings.

Unfortunately, there is a downside to November, as well as December. This time of year, often comes with feelings of being overwhelmed attached to over committed schedules. Of course, we wouldn’t want to miss out or cause our loved ones any disappointment.

But where do we draw the line between healthy activities and unhealthy expectations?

Here are 4 Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays:

1) Listen to your body. If you are tired, then choose to rest. If you’re hungry, then don’t put off eating. Don’t wait until you’re thoroughly exhausted or worse – SICK – to begin meeting your own basic needs. You know yourself best. Listen when your body is trying to tell you something.

2) Don’t be afraid to say “no” from time to time. Don’t worry, “they” will get along just fine without you. Overextending yourself doesn’t help anyone.

3) Skip the sugar. I know…I know…there are so many treats that we only get this time of year. But you’ll pay for the indulgence later on. Say “yes” to your health by saying “no thank you” to sugar laden treats.

4) Stay in tune with your Creator by choosing to be JOYFUL always and by remaining in PRAYER. Stay close to the heart of GOD by remaining thankful.

“Always be joyful. Pray regularly. In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Consider the root of your celebrations and keep the main thing, the MAIN thing. Staying fervent in fellowship with your Creator will have a positive effect on all other relationships, keep you focused on what’s truly important and in the flow of shalom.

Happy Fall Y’all!!!

With much love and shalom to you,

Emotional Health, Peace, worry

The thinking solution: simple steps to become worry-free

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Has anyone ever referred to you as a worrier or said that you over-think? It’s true that people who tend to worry also tend to be “over thinkers”. Now, I’m not a fan of the term ‘over thinker’ (or ‘worrier’). However, I do believe that this terminology points out a general truth: the truth being that those who worry are usually people who have amazing thinking capabilities.

After all, in order to begin the worry process (in regards to a situation) one must think over different (frightening) scenarios that could possibly go wrong. It’s a vicious cycle. But the point I want to make is that due to your amazingly strong thinking capabilities — it may be thinking that will help get you out of that vicious cycle of worry.

Below, is an exercise that I like to refer to as “The Thinking Solution”.

The goals of this exercise are: to choose a (positive truth) thought over a (negative) thought; to give all cares and worries over to GOD; and to stop the habit of worry and to begin the habit of inner peace.

Step 1: When you feel worry coming over you, STOP, and ask yourself….

Step 2: What are you worried about? Name “it” (bills, the future, physical health, etc) and then ask yourself….

Step 3: Is there anything that I can DO to help improve “it” right now? If there is, then do what you can today. Then tell yourself that you have done all you can, for now, and then let “it” go. If there is nothing that you can do today, then tell yourself that and then let “it” go.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.“ – Philippians 4:6-7

Step 4: Invite GOD to be part of your decision to “let it go” …tell Him your concerns and picture yourself placing your cares in His arms …leaving them with Him. You can trust Him. He is FULLY capable!

“Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” – Psalm 55:22

Step 5: If the negative thought/worry pops up again, ask yourself something along the lines of: “what if ‘it” goes well instead of goes wrong?”. Remind yourself that you’ve placed your cares into the arms of GOD and choose to “let it go” again.

“Now may the Lord of shalom himself give you shalom always in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Decide to enlist your amazing thinking capabilities to work for you rather than against you. The habitual thought pattern, of worry, usually does not happen overnight to an individual. It may take years to cultivate the worry-fear loop that so many of us get stuck in.

So be patient with yourself as your begin the new thought pattern of peace and trust. It may take time. But it will most certainly be worth it. When you choose shalom over worry and fear, your mind, body & spirit will thank you!

Shalom to you,

Click here for more ways to regain peace: https://shalomtotalwellness.com/2020/03/27/how-self-awareness-can-lead-to-peace/

Encouragement

a divine release is coming: a word of encouragement

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For those who feel they’ve been holding their breath due to present circumstances….a Divine Release is coming.

For those still mourning past circumstances…a Divine Release is coming.

For those who are afraid of what the future may hold…a Divine Release is coming.

For those who’ve felt bound by relational fears, and unholy ties….a Divine Release is coming.

For those who are waiting alone, in the secret place….a Divine Release is coming.

For those who feel as though life has them in a holding pattern….a Divine Release is coming.

For those who have been rejected by those who you treated with nothing but kindness and even showed restraint towards….a Divine Release is coming.

For those who have shed tears, cried out, and grieved over the current state of your family/nation/other nations/the church…a Divine Release is coming.

For those who have been stung by those who preach against stinging, judged by those who preach against judging, or rejected by those who preach inclusion….a Divine Release is coming.

For those who have a heavy heart and may not even know why….a Divine Release is coming.

Just as Noah sent out a raven, and then a dove, to find a dry, resting place, you have lovingly sent out your shalom to others. With great depth of sadness, your “raven” and your “dove” returned to you as there were very few – and perhaps none – that would receive the shalom that you offered. (see Genesis 8:6-11)

Many have no room for the shalom that GOD offers because they are too busy leaning on their own understanding. As a result, their hearts and minds have been left unguarded and open to the spirits of manipulation and control. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

But just as Noah – once again- sent out another dove to find a dry, resting place, there will be a time when you too will – once again- send out your shalom and it will be received by others. (Genesis 8:12)

Until then, do not be grieved when others refuse the shalom you offer. Freewill is given to all and just as the shalom of YHWH is freely given, it can freely be refused. GOD, Himself, will see that you, yourself, will receive that which you so lovingly attempted to share with others.

The painful scenarios you have experienced may cause you to feel that you have lost out. But the truth is – you have lost nothing and those things you feel you’ve lost will return to you! “Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘Shalom!’ to the household. If a seeker of shalom is there, your ‘Shalom!’ will find its rest with him; and if there isn’t, it will return to you.” (Luke 10:5-6)

Just as YHWH commands all debts to be forgiven, and released every 7 years (known as the Jubilee Year) you, too, have a personal “Jubilee” just around the corner. A time that will astonish even the greatest of skeptics and scoffers.

Things may appear to get worse sooner than later. But remember, appearances can be deceiving.

As the winds of change blow, the spiritual atmosphere may become more tense because (after all) you’re in the midst of a spiritual battle.

Do not give into despair. Hold on, dear friends, and praise YHWH ahead of time for the good things that are on their way….a Divine Release is coming!

Shalom to you!

Healing Approaches

The ABC’s of healing: keep it simple

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For many of us, healing seems far out of reach..whether it is mental, physical, or spiritual healing needed.

The extent of the damage can be overwhelming and our needs appear innumerable. I’d like to suggest, however, that perhaps the “answer” is not so far away. Perhaps it is not as complicated as it seems to be.

Yes, there may be several elements that need to be in place in order to heal and what you need will most likely look different than the next person. But it all boils down to this – what I like to refer to as the “ABC’s of healing”:

A – Acknowledge the pain

B – Bring the pain to GOD and

C – take small steps to Carry on

A: Pain loses some of its power once you acknowledge it. Recognize that yes, “it” hurt you deeply. But also choose to walk, out of it. This helps you regain power over the pain.

B: Bringing the pain to GOD is the safest, most effective way to put pain in perspective. GOD is most certainly bigger than any painful situation and it is HE who has the answers to health and healing.

C: Although it is very possible to experience a complete healing at once, for many of us, it is something we may have to walk out. Be patient with yourself by taking small steps to carry on. Remember, small steps will lead to big progress.

Don’t get bogged down by assuming your healing journey will be as difficult as the pains you’ve endured in life.

Sometimes all it takes is a few tweaks, determination, and choosing to walk in the right direction.

Be encouraged, friends.

Shalom to you,

joy, Spiritual Health

how to ACTIVATE JOY

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There are many things in life that are beyond our control. Pain, loss, and difficult circumstances come to us all. That old adage of how “you can’t control others, but you can control how you respond to others” is very true. This can be applied, not only to people, but to other areas of our lives, as well.

The year 2020 is a perfect example. Oh yes, this year will go down in the history books as being one of the most difficult years – world wide! With bad news seemingly coming at us from every angle, sadly, it is no wonder that suicide and depression is on the rise.

However, it doesn’t always take catastrophic news, hitting us from every angle, to lose our joy. In fact, for many, joy seems to have been out of reach for the majority of our lives. There are people who only experience joy on “special occasions” like when they’re vacationing, spending money, eating, etc. This will cause the person to go to great lengths to seek the next “high”. Of course, this isn’t authentic joy…this is a temporary happiness caused by external pleasure.

The truth is that joy comes from the inside and not from ideal circumstances or external pleasures.

If you’re not sure how to lean into a life of joy then there is good news! You don’t have to wait for joy to jump on you – you can activate it! Being joyful is just like everything else – it takes practice and being purposeful in order to achieve it.

Below are 3 Simple Ways to Activate JOY:

(1) Look for the Simple Beauty in Life. No matter how ugly you may feel things are, there is always something beautiful to celebrate. Remember when you used to pick wildflowers, or draw pictures, as a child? You thought they were so pretty and couldn’t wait to share them with someone else! Well, you don’t need a dozen roses and a picture to post, on social media, in order to find joy in beauty.

Beauty isn’t always this enormous (or expensive) display. It can be found almost anywhere including within the mundane of routine. Tap into the wonderment of seeing beauty in the simple things, of life, again…..and joy will follow.

(2) Be Present. It’s easy to get distracted when you are facing difficult circumstances. In fact, you could be sitting in a comfortable room, surrounded by people who love you, but if your mind is focused elsewhere then you will miss the moment. Allow your body to feel the comfort of the room. Look your loved ones in the eye and listen to them, share with them, and appreciate the time you have.

Sadly, we don’t all have the gift of a comfortable room or a bunch of loved ones, in our lives. But we can all partake in cozy occasions. Make space, in your life, for those things that bring you comfort (a favorite meal, a cup of tea, a soft blanket, a nap, etc.) and thoroughly relish the time spent with those things. Life may not be a constant laugh fest but it can be full of wonderful moments. You can decide what to focus on, choose to be present…and joy will follow.

(3) Focus on Strength Rather than “Happiness”. As strange as it may sound, being happy is overrated. I’m not saying that sadness is better by any means. But know this: happiness is temporary and is usually dependent on external circumstances. Happiness is a butterfly that flits here and there but never stays. Rather than placing so much attention on being “happy”, focus more on being a person of inner strength.

Please don’t misunderstand me here. I am not saying that if you lack joy, then you’re “weak”. What I’m saying is that chasing after happiness is a pursuit in folly because, once found, it will not last.

The root of JOY is STRENGTH, not happiness.

It is strength that determines what your focus in life will be. It is a person of strong character that refuses to give up. When outward circumstances turn sour, you can always tap into strength to keep you going. In fact. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that the joy of the LORD is our strength!

If you feel lacking in the inner strength department, do not despair. All good things come from our Heavenly Father and it is His strength, working through us, that we lean into.

Pursue strength… and joy will follow.

Shalom,