August 23 Reasons not to Fear

Affirmation: I find a balance between giving & receiving.

This means that you are willing to give and help others. And you are willing to let others give to you and help you.😍-I am grateful that I can help and support others and that I have people who help and support me.—-

Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Guidepost 4: Cultivating Gratitude and Joy, Letting go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark

Start practicing:

Reframe your expectations about the level of joy you’re capable of experiencing in life. What if you expected to bring joy into each day?

Make noticing what you’re grateful for a part of your daily life. (Like keeping a gratitude journal.) There’s always something you can be grateful for. And therefore, always a reason to feel joy.

When you feel fear or scarcity, use it as an opportunity to practice gratitude. For example, if you fear losing something, connect with the reasons you’re grateful to have that thing/person/opportunity in your life in this moment.

I suggest that you add to your daily habit stack: Name 5 + things you are grateful for, then ponder each one and allow yourself to feel the joy. Do this every day.

(-I am grateful for the clouds in the sky and the birds in the trees. Running water that I can choose to be hot or cold. For my family and friends at home and around the world. -Jacque)

———-

Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews

The Guided Decision 

I will seek wisdom

Sometimes the questions are complicated, but the answers are simple.

Ask and it will be given to you, Seek and you will find, Knock and the door will be opened to you. Matt 7:7

-I am grateful for those around me who are wise,  for those authors who share their wisdom and for the writers of the Bible who recorded God’s wisdom.-JP

Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

AUGUST 23 

LET THE REASONS NOT TO FEAR OUTNUMBER YOUR REASONS NOT TO TRY. 

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. JOHN 16:33 

Jesus never asked anyone to play it safe. We were born to be brave, and He modeled that for us. He challenged established systems, calling those in power to the carpet, befriending folks on the fringes of society. 

It turns out Jesus was trouble, and it’s exactly what He guaranteed we would find ourselves: “In this world you will have trouble.” Jesus never promised following Him would be easy. Yet it’s pretty easy to doubt and wring our hands when the going gets tough. It’s what Jesus says next that makes all the difference: “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Notice Jesus doesn’t focus on the trouble. Instead, He highlights where we are (the world) rather than how we are (in trouble). No matter where you step in the whole wide world, Jesus has us covered. 

There’s no place you can go where Jesus hasn’t won the day. You don’t need to help Him out. He doesn’t need it. You don’t need to be His public-relations person putting a spin on things for Him. He doesn’t need one. We don’t need to try to win arguments He said He’s already won. Adversity isn’t going to evaporate anytime soon; however, we can face it boldly with a big, brave, humble love. Aligning with love will earn us weird looks and find us in more than a few tricky circumstances. A glance at the lives of anybody who has followed Jesus can prove this world just doesn’t quite get it. Don’t get stressed out, and don’t become distracted. 

If you choose to be brave by choosing love and people give you some funny looks or get mad—if choosing loves gets you into some trouble—it doesn’t mean you failed. It more likely means you actually believed what Jesus said and did something about it. Following Jesus means a life of being constantly misunderstood. Get used to it. 

Jesus never asked anyone to play it safe. How have you been brave recently?

-I am grateful for God’s love and that He has overcome the world. I am grateful that God loves me and does life with me.-JP