BF2013: The End ...The Beginning...

 

Well, today is the end of BlogtoberFest 2013. While I haven’t blogged every day in October, the challenge of blogging every day has been ever present. I haven’t pressured myself to write about anything deep and meaningful; I’ve just waited for topics to arise, which they have. I also haven’t pressure myself into posting every day; if the day was too much for me, as it sometimes is, I just let it go and waited until the next day.

That all being said, today is The End.

October has brought about many endings for me. Realisations from God that there are certain things that I need not concern myself with any longer. And with these endings come new beginnings. God is always good like that.

An end to being pressured by the world to be like it, or to keep up with it.

The end to feeling guilty about having to appease people.

The beginning to a new stage in my life after the realisation that God HAS answered my prayer in a particular area.

The start of new routines and activities at home.

We are taught in Ecclesiates 3 that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”

Nothing is meant to stay the same forever. There are to be endings and beginnings. And for this I am thankful.

 

A big thank you goes to Michelle from Shells in the Bush for hosting BlogtoberFest 2013. My writers appetite has definitely been whet to write more now.

BF2013: Experience...

BF2013: Love IS the Greatest...

 

Love is not washed away by the waves.

Love is not manipulative.

Love is not accusatory.

Love is not conditional.

Love is Jesus.

 

1 Corinthians 13

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

Love Is the Greatest

 

13 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;^[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

 

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

 

⁸ Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages^[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! ⁹ Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! ¹⁰ But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

 

¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ¹² Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.^[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 

¹³ Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

 

Footnotes: 

1. 13:3 Some manuscripts read sacrificed my body to be burned.
2. 13:8 Or in tongues.
3. 13:12 Greek see face to face.

BF2013: The Vacant Space...

The realisation of what God knew all along.

Vacant space within a pumping heart filled with His love.

A familiar voice whispering guidance to the willing ear.

 

The relief of what God felt all along.

Chambers beating faster with anticipation of release.

Words written and exuding the truth from a heavenly realm.

 

The response of what God heard all long.

The vacant space discovering the true and rightful occupant.

The blood spilled that in turn filled the pumping heart.

 

© Paula C. Whitehouse, 2013

BF2013: Mental Health Awareness - Part Two...

Yesterday I shared the Yerkes-Dodson Law that I learnt about at a Mental Health Awareness session at work. Today I share about various mental health strategies used by psychologists, counsellors, etc.

Please don’t be shy about learning about these strategies as they can be utilised without visiting a psychologist or counsellor, although it is advised that you see your doctor if you are suffering from anxiety and/or depression that you feel has reach critical level. Your doctor will be able to refer you onto the appropriate specialist for treatment.

The strategies the presenter discussed include:

Narrative Therapy –

 

Alice Morgan from the Dulwich Centre describes Narrative Therapy as seeking “to be a respectful, non-blaming approach to counselling and community work, which centres [on] people as the experts in their own lives. It views problems as separate from people and assumes people have many skills, competencies, beliefs, values, commitments and abilities that will assist them to reduce the influence of problems in their lives.”

Ms Morgan goes onto write that there “are various principles which inform narrative ways of working, but in my opinion, two are particularly significant: always maintaining a stance of curiosity, and always asking questions to which you genuinely do not know the answers.”

Peggy Gold, MS from Good Therapy.org writes that, “At the core of Narrative Therapy is the belief that the problem is separate and distinctly apart from the person. A problem does not define a person. A problem is something that a person has, not something that a person is.”

“An example of narrative therapy would be when a therapist allows a client to verbalize their problems and then re-phrases the narrative in a disconnected way. For instance, if a client believes suffers with depression and feels like a failure, a narrative therapist may offer the suggestion that rather than being a failure, the client had succeeded in living with depression.”

Awesome Therapy –

Melanie Rudd from Stanford University led a group of scientists to explore the Therapy of Awe, aka Awesome Therapy. The Australian newspaper published an article on the topic in 2012, which explains the therapy to readers.

“A jaw-dropping moment really can make time appear to stand still - or at least slow down, new research suggests. Regular ``awesome'' experiences may also improve our mental health and make us nicer people, claim psychologists. The findings raise the prospect of ``awe therapy'' to overcome the stressful effects of fast-paced modern life. Awe is the emotion felt when encountering something so vast and overwhelming i t alters one's mental perspective. Examples might include experiencing a breathtaking view of the Grand Canyon, taking in the ethereal beauty of the Northern Lights, or becoming lost in a dazzling display of stars on a clear, dark night.”

Positive Psychology –

Kendra Cherry from About.com writes how “Positive psychology is one of the newest branches of psychology to emerge. This particular area of psychology focuses on human prospering. While many other branches of psychology tend to focus on dysfunction and abnormal behavior, positive psychology is centered on helping people become happier.”

The Black Dog Institute describes how “Positive psychology is a relatively new branch of psychology that shifts the focus from what is clinically wrong, to the promotion of wellbeing and the creation of a satisfying life filled with meaning, pleasure, engagement, positive relationships and accomplishment. Gable and Haidt (2005) defined positive psychology as “the study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups, and institutions”.

Positive psychology is not about putting on a happy face all the time. Life can be hard and disappointments and challenges are inevitable. However, scientific research has shown that there are some strategies and skills that allow people to navigate the challenges of life more effectively and enjoy life despite the upsets.”

Emotional Intelligence –

Kendra Cherry at About.com writes that “Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic.”

It is defined as, "the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions" (1990).

Emotional Intelligence involves Perceiving Emotions, Reasoning with Emotions, Understanding Emotions and Managing Emotions. It basically is about not only being able to express and control our own emotions, but also to understand, interpret and respond to the emotions of others.

The best defense for mental health is knowledge. Arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can about YOU and your condition. And, as I mentioned above, it is advised that you see your doctor if you are suffering from anxiety and/or depression that you feel has reach critical level. Your doctor will be able to refer you onto the appropriate specialist for treatment.

Your life is precious. Love it, nurture it, and live it to the fullest.

BF2013: Mental Health Awareness - Part One...

Earlier in the week I attended a Mental Health Awareness session at work. The presenter started the session by explaining the Yerkes-Dodson Curve, also known as the Yerkes-Dodson Law.



The original Yerkes-Dodson Law

 “The Yerkes–Dodson law is an empirical relationship between arousal and performance, originally developed by psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson in 1908.^[1] The law dictates that performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point. When levels of arousal become too high, performance decreases.”

Basically, a strategy, such as drinking caffeine to get you going in the morning, will only work to a point but will not help you sustain the level of performance achieved. Stimulus, ie caffeine, will work in small doses, but going overboard will prove to be detrimental to performance.

The presenter went on to say that there is a zone on either side of the optimal performance peak (see image below), and that we need to keep in the zone for best, and most consistent, performance. The solution to staying in the zone is by staggering out stimuli so as to sustain the peak level.



The Hebbian version of the Yerkes-Dodson Law

I found this a very interesting topic to learn about as it gave me a valuable insight into why my performance diminishes at certain times during the day. I hope to pinpoint a stimulus that will assist me to maintain my performance much better than it has been of late.

Join me here tomorrow for Part Two where I will share some strategies that the trainer discussed.

BF2013: Isaiah on My Mind…

Yesterday Isaiah was on my mind. Words of hope, promise and love. Light bulb moments beaming with fresh realisations about God. Understanding Him more. Rationalising why the world is confused by Him.

God speaks with truth, consistency and love. He cherishes us. His purpose for us was made clear. He hasn’t digressed from that vision. That purpose, and His love, never changes (see Isaiah 44:8).

                HE WON’T CHANGE HIS MIND … EVER!

Relief floods my heart, and as I close my eyes I gain some steps forward in my journey with Jesus. Feeling His closeness and the peace that ensues is pure joy.

The world doesn’t understand God, and yesterday I realised that God’s proclamations of His power and greatness are misinterpreted.

He’s not saying those things because He’s bragging, or because He wants to intimidate us into following Him.

                HE IS SAYING THOSE THINGS BECAUSE HE LOVES US. TRULY.

He is declaring His love for us. Reassuring us that we can turn to Him and rely on Him without fail.

 

We need to be as bold as God. We need to proclaim that WE ARE SAVED. WE ARE LOVED. WE ARE VALUED. WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Not to brag, but to share in love with others the joy that comes from knowing Jesus.

He is our living water. The only means of complete and thorough refreshment (see Isaiah 44:3-4).

He chose to give us His Spirit and blessing.

We are meant to THRIVE, and not just be.

Be bold.

Be brave.
Be courage.

Exude intrepidity.

Share His love. Share His purpose. Share His living water. Splash it out over all you meet. And remember that YOU are loved, cherished and made for His purpose.

BF2013: Book Review - God Loves Broken People by Sheila Walsh...

God Loves Broken People (and Those Who Pretend They're Not) by Sheila Walsh is all about tackling personal brokenness and how it can allow for a greater intimacy with Jesus. Sheila explains that without brokenness a deeper level of intimacy with Jesus "might never open in any other way". The overall message of the book is that broken people can be made whole again through Jesus.

I found the book very helpful and practical in its approach to the topic. It has helped me to develop a closer relationships with Jesus, thus mending the broken pieces of my being. Reading this book was timely and necessary.

The best books are those where the author has lived through the message they're writing about. Sheila's book is one of the best I've read on desiring wholeness and how and with whom to achieve it. I found that by reading about Sheila's own experience, and those of others she writes about, I was able to relate to the cause of the brokenness the person was experiencing. And also relating to the solution - Jesus - and how to gain intimacy with Him. I particularly liked the Biblical truths that Sheila referenced throughout the book, and also in the studies included at the rear of the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been broken down by life, and who is looking for wholeness through Jesus Christ.

I reviewed this book through BookSneeze.

BF2013: The Well...

On Thursday night just gone, I attended The Well at the Hope Haven, which is a drop-in centre run by the Hope Foundation. I am a supporter of the Foundation, which operates as "a national charity, based in Brisbane, that comes alongside women wanting life change from addictions and/or the sex industry."  I have made many friends among the ladies involved with the Foundation, and am thankful for their friendship and example.

The Well is a once a month evening of worship and prayer, where I am able to relax, listen to worship songs (and sing if I feel like it), pray and soak in His presence. At Thursday night's Well I was able to do all these things (except sing thanks to the pain from the gaping big hole in my gum!). While soaking in the peace that comes from such an evening I wrote down some jottings, which were inspired by not only the songs but by the prayers that the Hope Foundation Founder and CEO, Bronwen Healy, prayed to our Lord.

His love never fades. Never fails. Never runs out.
          He will never leave me.

We exalt His holy name.
We glorify His name.
          "We glorify Your name in all the earth."
We giveHim the highest praise.
We worship no-one above Him.

He deserves ALL of us, not just when we can fit Him in.
Our schedule should be set around Him, not the other way around.

"Reveal who you are - through everything we say and do. Even eye contact with others matters." - Bronwen Healy

Rest for my soul is the presence of Jesus.
          Immerse yourself!
Rest in Him. Be willing to let yourself get lost in His presence.

He is our Living Hope.
Become more aware of His presence.
Let us experience the glory of His goodness.
          Need to allow Him to come into our presence.
Don't let our activities block Him out.
Quet time. Rest. Soak in His presence. Don't block Him out.

My reality. God can and will strengthen me to face mine.
Whatever our reality is, He can strengthen us to deal with it and live through it.
          He can do it.

What life has He choseen for me, and you, to live?
          Ask Him.

Song, thoughts, prayers, words from the Holy Spirit. Such a beautiful expression of His love for us. It's not us, it's Him. All Him. He provides for us at The Well.

Praise His glorious name.

 PS: If you would like to support the Hope Foundation, please go to the web-site and read about the amazing work that is being done to help women be free of drug addication and/or the sex industry.

BF2013: Intrepidity...

President Barack Obama presention Army Captain William Swenson
with the US Medal of Honour. Photo courtesy www.news.com.au.

Today I watched raw video of an American soldier saving the life of a comrade in Afghanistan. I then watched as he received his US Medal of Honour from President Barack Obama. You can see both videos here (they are worth watching, believe me!).

While the citation was read out prior to the soldier receiving his medal from the president, I kept hearing the word intrepidity being used.

I like interesting and new words, so I thought I would look it up. As you can already gather, it is from the word intrepid.

in·trep·id

/ɪnˈtrɛp ɪd / Show Spelled [in-trep-id] Show IPA
adjective
resolutely fearless; dauntless: an intrepid explorer.

---

Origin:
1690–1700; < Latin intrepidus, equivalent to in- in-³ + trepidus anxious; see trepidation

Related forms
in·tre·pid·i·ty, in·trep·id·ness, noun
in·trep·id·ly, adverb

Synonyms
brave, courageous, bold.

Antonyms
timid.

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

This soldier was intrepid. He was fearless and brave and courageous and bold. And he kept being intrepid. He did not fail at the task at hand.

I want to be like that. I want to display intrepidity. I want to be intrepid. I don’t want to be timid or insipid or frail.

I want to be remembered for living an intrepid life, but mostly, an intrepid life for Jesus.

I know many people who are intrepid; those who live a life where nothing seems to stand in the way. I know why they are intrepid too...why they live a “resolutely fearless” life. It’s because God is at the centre of it and they know it, feel it and live it.

“Resolutely fearless”. It sounds like the title to a movie. It sounds brave, courageous and bold. It IS fearless. It is being undaunted by the world. And therein lies the key - being undaunted by the world.

Christine Caine, founder of the A21 Campaign, writes about this in her book titled “Undaunted”. She “offers life-transforming insights about how not only to overcome the challenges, wrong turns, and often painful circumstances we all experience, but also to actually grow from those experiences and be equipped and empowered to help others.” Christine does live a “resolutely fearless” life, but she has overcome a lot of hurdles to do so. And all the while, Jesus was by her side. If you get a chance, please read her book. You will be blessed and changed by it.

Where does that leave me so that I can live an intrepid life? I believe intrepidity is in relying wholly and solely on God by making Him the centre of everything and allowing Him to be your strength. Prayer, meditation, soaking in His presence and studying His Word is a good start. But it doesn’t end there as there are life changes to be made. There is simplicity to be achieved, the lures of the world have to be blocked out, and new habits must be formed.

I think I’ve happened upon the inspiration to turn my life around.

Intrepidity. Being resolutely fearless.

Try it with me?

BF2013: Believe...

I believe in God: in His magnificance, omnipotence and omnipresence. In His genuine, unchanging and complete love for me.

I believe in Jesus as my Saviour: that He died for my sins and rose from the dead so that I can have eternal life.

I believe in the Holy Spirit: of the indwelling of the Spirit within me to guide me and keep my paths straight.

I believe in the Cross: that on the two slabs of wood on which my Saviour bled and died for me, my salvation was assured.

I believe in the Bible: the Living Word, the guide to steer me through life on this earth, the lessons learnt and the words of comfort received from within its pages.

"I believe there is more than believing. There is living what I believe." - Ann Voskamp

PS: Post inspired by receiving the "Believe" plaque in the photo above as a gift today, and by Ann Voskamp's "What I Believe" on her Holy Experience web-site.

BF2013: Hope for Restoration...

Isaiah 35 is all about God's promise of Hope for Restoration. I really needed to read this a couple of nights ago, and the promises in it. While life is generally going smoothly, my health, and that of my daughter's, is suffering. Life has become a tad hectic and we're not coping. I'd like to say that I have it all together but I don't. Work issues, health issues, dental issues (!!!), money issues, and so on. It all builds up after a while. I have almost reached my limit.

But...

But God has it covered. And I need to keep reminding myself of this. Hence why Isaiah 35 is necessary.

Isaiah 35

New Living Translation (NLT)

Hope for Restoration

35 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
² Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.There the Lord will display his glory,
the splendor of our God.
³ With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
⁴ Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”

⁵ And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
and unplug the ears of the deaf.
⁶ The lame will leap like a deer,
and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,
and streams will water the wasteland.
⁷ The parched ground will become a pool,
and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish
where desert jackals once lived.

⁸ And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
fools will never walk there.
⁹ Lions will not lurk along its course,
nor any other ferocious beasts.
There will be no other dangers.
Only the redeemed will walk on it.
¹⁰ Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.
They will enter Jerusalem^[a] singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

Footnotes:

1. 35:10 Hebrew Zion.

He will strengthen my tired hands, body, heart and mind.
He will encourage me through His Word, and through those He sends to me.
He will tell me to be strong. To not fear.
He will remind me that He is coming to destroy those who attack me.
He will save me.

I can't save myself from me; only God can.

He provides Hope for Restoration. He provides everything I need. He provide.

BF2013: Today Was All About...

Shopping
Hanging out with my bestie
Visiting with family
Welcoming my girl home
Lively and heart repairing discussions
God filling my heart with even more love and peace and clarity than I imagined

All in all, a day well spent

Paula xoxo

BF2013: Yesterday I Said Goodbye to...

...my tooth. One of my upper left molars. One that cracked over 10 years ago, has since undergone a root canal treatment and many repairs. Approximately four weeks ago I developed an abscess that caused pain worse than childbirth (I'm serious!). Yesterday I had that tooth removed due to it well and truly reaching its expiration date.

I didn't want to lose my tooth, or any tooth for that matter, as I liked having a full set of pearly whites. But, alas, I had to!

What helped me through losing my tooth was something I read a couple of nights ago in a Max Lucado book. He talked about a leper whose lips had fallen off, and so on. I decided then and there to search for photos of lepers. Seeing the faces and hands and bodies of these beautiful people so badly scarred and disfigured by leprosy made me realise that one tooth does not matter.

I had asked God to help me to let go I'd my tooth and accept that I may have to lose it. He answered by showing me people who have so much less.

I'm so thankful that I have a God who answers prayers to thoughtfully. And I'm also thankful that He is helping me cope with the pain I'm experiencing from the extraction (no, it wasn't a simple one, and I was awake for it).

God is very good.

Paula xo

BF2013: What God is Teaching Me...

I’ve always loved doing Bible studies. My first online Bible study was the book, “Behind Those Eyes” by Lisa Whittle. It was hosted by Lelia Chealey at her Write from the Heart blog page. Lelia is an amazing women and I love her to bits! Her testimony was integral in me walking closely with Jesus again after an 18 year side track! You can find Lelia here. She will bless you no end!
 

Since that study I have completed quite a few others. As a solo mother of a now nine year old daughter, I have found it difficult to secure a home/connect/life group through both the churches I have attended over the last eight years. Online Bible studies have filled that void, and I am ever so thankful for it. Who says that the internet isn’t good for something! Studies I’ve done include Beth Moore, Micca Campbell, Jennifer Rothschild, just to name a few.

 

At the moment I am studying “What Happens When Women Say Yes to God” by Lysa TerKeurst through Proverbs 31 Ministries, and also “Read the Bible for Life” by George H. Guthrie via the Women’s Bible Cafe. While the “Yes to God” study has officially finished online, I am still working through it alongside the “Read the Bible” study as the studies overlapped each other. “Yes to God” is a book/Bible study whereas “Read the Bible” is a more formalised study book. I am thoroughly enjoying doing both studies and find myself eager for my daughter to go to bed each evening so I can sit down at my dining table with a cup of tea and study.

 

What I’ve learnt so far is that God is enough. He will take care of me. And, most importantly, I’m learning that He will only provide what He knows that I need.

As I’ve blogged about many times here, I always thought that I would be complete when I found Mr Right, married, had children and lived happily ever after. Man oh man, was I wrong! I’ve since learnt that Mr Right is Jesus, that I married Mr Wrong and now choose to be single, and that I was pre-destined to be the solo parent to a beautiful daughter. The only part that has come true is that I will be living happily ever after…in eternity with Jesus.

 

It’s a comforting thought. While I once was scared to death at the thought of dying, I now am not. I know that my sins are forgiven and that I will spend eternity in Heaven. While my death may be painful, it may also be painless, and only God knows which. I am ready. And before anyone gets worried…No, I do not have an undisclosed illness (that I am aware of anyway). I’m merely stating that I am at peace with my life and my death. And that is all because of God and the work He has done in me over the last eight years.

 

What I’ve also learnt is that unless you really delve into God’s Word, you really are kidding yourself when it comes to living the life He has planned for you to its fullest!

 

There is SO MUCH to be learned by reading the Bible. And I mean by really reading and studying the Bible and learning the history behind the Jewish people and their customs. By learning about and understanding God through what is written in both testaments.

 

The Bible is an amazing book. It is cram packed with stories, insights and experiences. The sad fact is that many people today see them as just that - stories, not unlike fairy tales. But they are not. There are no fairy tales within the pages of God’s Word. It’s a glorious truth that can set you free. I have only just skimmed the surface of the Bible with my studying. There is so much more to learn.

 

The greatest lesson that God is teaching me through my Bible study is that He is the centre of it all - life, love, experiences, thoughts, actions…just everything really.

 

I still have a lot, and I mean A LOT, to learn from God. And I am so very thankful that I am on this journey and that, through these two latest Bible studies, I am finally aware of, and at peace with, the love that God has for me.