November 30 The Way We Love Difficult People…

Affirmation: Peace and happiness are inside me.

(“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”                1 Thessalonians 5:18)

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Practice, practice, practice…when things are smooth give thanks, when the path is uneven and bumpy give thanks, when it is pitch-black-scary give thanks.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”                1 Thessalonians 5:18

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Guidepost 8: Cultivating Calm and Stillness and Letting Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle

BRENÉ'S INTENTION

“For me, anxiety can feel like a briar patch that will tear me to shreds if I don't put up a really thick shell. Anxiety is something we all feel; it's stress; it's work; it's sick kids. What I didn't realize, because it happened so slowly, was that anxiety was not something I was experiencing; it was something I was living. It had become a lifestyle. I realized that I didn't need to put up a defensive shell to cut off the world I needed to stop living in the briar patch of anxiety by learning to cultivate a practice of calm and stillness.”

This Lesson's Intention

"I want to heal with calm, so I will practice calm."

“small things matter” | “breathing is believing” | “questions before answers”
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”                1 Thessalonians 5:18

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 

The Active Decision 

3. I AM A PERSON OF ACTION. I am Resilient 

I will create a new future by creating a new me. I inspire others with my activity. I am a leader. I will create a habit of lively behavior.

I will walk with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. My activity will create a wave of success for the people who follow me. As a leader, I have the ability to encourage and inspire others to greatness. I do not fear failure, because failure exists only for the person who quits.

I do not quit. I am courageous. I am a leader. I seize the moment. I choose now. I am resilient. 

(From Jacque: sometimes your action is calmness.let go of the anxiety and be calm and still before racing into action. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

November 30

The Way We Love Difficult People Let’s Everyone Know The Baby in The Manger Isn’t Just Decoration.

“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” Matthew 5:46

When my kids were little, we used to pile into the car around Christmas time to take a tour of the lights around our neighborhood. We poured hot chocolate into thermoses and grabbed our favorite Christmas music. At a top speed of about 5 mph, we rode by homes that lit up the sky like the northern lights.

We always loved the nativity scenes. It is not every day you get to see baby Jesus in a front yard, so we delighted in the season that put Him front and center. After the tour, we always had a family chat about what it meant to show Jesus to people at Christmas time. Sure, He made an appearance in our Christmas pageants and decorations, but we knew decorations didn’t start to tell the story.

We knew the way to show Jesus to people was to love the way He loved. When He went away, He said He was leaving His Spirit with us so we could become like Him and act like Him. It means we can love people who are excluded and alone during the holidays. It means we can love people who don’t love us back, the ones who seem to find joy in antagonizing us.

The way we love difficult people lets everyone know the baby in the manger isn’t just a decoration. When we look for opportunities to celebrate people who have wrongd us, we show people a God, who gave His life for those who wouldn’t receive Him.

Who is on your list of those difficult to love this year?(“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”                1 Thessalonians 5:18)