Tag Archives: Worry

Cast it Over – Charlotte Purvis
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Cast away

Cast away

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Challenges, delays, and red tape. That’s all I seemed to meet around some urgent matters. The stress of it all weighed heavy. I had flashbacks from other periods just like this. I began to anticipate the emotional drain that comes like a side dish with an entrée. These nine words sum up my reactions: Déjà vu all over again and blah, blah, blah.

I soon shifted my focus from the blah, blah, blah to the spiritual. 1 Peter reminded me of what I respectfully call, the “casting” scripture. The Lord invites us to cast all – yes, all – of our cares upon Him for He cares for us. My tendency is to deliberate over the invitation, accepting several weeks, months, or years later. I decided to submit my RSVP in a more timely manner. My blah, blah, blah turned into, “Let it go. Let it be. Let it go. Let it be.”

The day after I submitted my RSVP, I received an email from Cindy Sproles with the good news that Christian Devotions had accepted the very first devotion I submitted. God had opened a door for me to do what I’ve wanted to do for decades.

Stress and worry prevent us from doing what God calls us to do. Peter made it clear that in Christ there is no need for us to worry. Cast, throw out, toss over all our cares and anxiety because He cares. When I think about it, it’s really not an option. It’s a command.

You have been invited to cast your cares upon the Lord as well. Don’t deliberate over the invitation and then delay your response. Submit your RSVP in a timely manner. We’re not equipped to carry all those cares by ourselves. Flashback to the times when you’ve tried to do so. Now, think about the results. Let’s say it together: Blah, blah, blah.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and njaj.

Charlotte Purvis photoCharlotte Purvis is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the place where she was first introduced to the power of prayer and the importance of casting her cares upon God. Charlotte is a corporate consultant, communication coach, and highly rated professional speaker. She and her loving family live in North Carolina.

To contact Charlotte:
charlotte@purviscommunications.com
To arrange for Charlotte to speak at your event: http://www.greatblackspeakers.com/author/charlottepurvis/.

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Under the Circumstances – Laurinda Wallace
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Proceed with caution

Proceed with caution

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. Philippians 4:12

A sign at the edge of a trail-head parking lot caught my attention while hiking one weekend. It said, Unknown Conditions Ahead.That pretty much summed up my life. My circumstances had changed in a flash.

When life gets difficult, it’s easy to let those circumstances define my response. Thoughts run wild, worry increases stress levels, and I sometimes lash out at God or my family. Laments of, “I’m a victim of circumstances,” or “under the circumstances I can’t,” will start a pity party with no end in sight. I’ve been guilty of feeling sorry for myself or continuing to fight the situation instead of accepting it. Living under the circumstances is miserable.

Finances are my hot button and when part time work with the accompanying lower salary became a reality a little over a year ago, I became a victim over time. Our resources have been stretched because of unexpected medical bills. There were car repairs and other surprises that added to the financial crunch. Our savings account dwindled. Needless to say, it’s been scary.

Paul’s teaching in Philippians helped put perspective on this particular season in life. He knew what it was like to have plenty and practically nothing, yet he was content in either situation, always thankful, confident, and looking ahead. Paul lived above the circumstances, trusting God.

I need a full-time job, but waiting for that opportunity comes with more thankfulness and less anxiety because God has such an outstanding track record. Life is always changing, but aren’t you glad our Heavenly Father isn’t  He’s always faithful and always above the circumstances.

Under every circumstance, trust in Him.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and Michael Marcol.

A native of the snowbelt in Western New York, Laurinda Wallace is a graduate of Houghton College, NY and has been an administrator and legal assistant for most of her career. She now makes her home in Arizona with her husband, David.

Laurinda’s first novel, The Time Under Heaven has just been published by 3-Mice Productions and is available for Kindle or in paperback. She has been published in The Upper Room and Mature Living, and she contributes to several websites, including Christian Devotions and Hope Hints. She teaches in women’s ministry and Bible study. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her hiking in the mountains or digging in the dirt in her flower gardens. Visit Laurinda’s blog, SimplyLife at www.laurindaw.blogspot or her website at www.3-mice.com.

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He Owns It All – Cindy Sproles
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God owns it all and shares it too.

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10 KJV

“I’m getting laid off.” My husband’s face sank as he listened to our oldest son explain the plants’ closing.

“Try not to worry,” he said. “Something will come along.”

Two days later our youngest son called, “I’m getting laid off. There are just no jobs for us to do right now.”

Six months later, our third son called. “Mom, I just got laid off.”

Would it never end?

Three of our four sons were unemployed and our savings account wasn’t enough to help any of them. There’s little worse than feeling so helpless and for some reason, reminding the boys God would supply was just not cutting it.

It’s hard to offer words of encouragement to those who’ve lost their jobs. They’re overwhelmed with thoughts of paying their bills…buying groceries… losing their homes. It just doesn’t seem fair, but these are the times we live in. Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing is promised.

But then, nothing really belongs to us anyway, does it? We’re placed in this world and allowed to borrow, for a short time, that which God has so graciously provided. Funny how we’ve become so possessive of what isn’t ours.

Our God is Jehovah Jireh, God of provision. He shares with us all that is His and He does it freely. Our God, the same God, who knitted us together in our mother’s womb, knew well in advance every detail of our lives, every desire, every…need.

I went to bed a little worried about our boys. “God,” I prayed, “care for my boys.” As I pulled the covers around my neck, a song from childhood popped into my mind.

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills
The wealth in every mine,
He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills,
The sun and stars that shine,
Wonderful riches more than tongue can tell
He is my Father so they’re mine as well
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills
I know that He will care for me.

And He does.

Two of our sons found employment and the third is on the cusp of finding new work. Their needs have been met. They’ve lost nothing other than a little sleep over the worry. God shared.

It’s scary to lose your job…to not know what lies ahead, but God already knows. When you’re facing the trials of financial disaster, remember He owns it all and He’ll share what you need.

Cindy  is the founder of Mountain Breeze Ministries and cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. She has contributed  to Novel Journey and Novel Reviews, and Christian Devotions. She has written for PML Programs and contributes to the Times-News.net. Her devotions and articles are published weekly in several newspapers across the country. She cowrites the He Said, She Said devotions with Eddie Jones that publish in Common Ground Christian Newspaper. Cindy is the coauthor of He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion.

Cindy is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. She attended Johnson Bible College and graduated with a BA in Business from the University of Phoenix in 2008.  She is a speaker who teaches and speaks frequently for ladies’ conferences, special events and writers conferences across the country. She is a contributing writer to CBN.com .  Contact Cindy if you would like for her to speak to your church, club or group. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com

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There’s Always Something – She Said
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There's a hole, there's a hole. There's a hole in the middle of the floor!

Look at the birds of the air . . . consider the lilies of the field . . . Matthew 6:26, 28

We have a hole in our floor. For that matter, we have a hole in the side of our house…our house which we just re-sided a little over a year ago. Not to mention the floor we laid four years ago.

And this spring, I walked downstairs to find a puddle in the living room floor. I looked up. Plop. A drip right between the eyes. The roof had leaked.

My point? Life happens. It’s always something new on the horizon that breaks, falls, or leaks and we’re left to figure out how to fix it. Or in regular terms…we worry.

The insurance adjuster eyeballed our damage and I knew by his over expressive stories we’d be lucky if they offered us a dime. I zoned out for an instant… wondered how we’d fix this mess. i.e. – I worried.

Imagine Jesus walking along the side of the mountain, squatting to pick a flower, twirling it between His fingers and trying His best to explain that life happens yet God takes care of everything. Birds don’t fight over a freshly filled feeder…instead, they eat without a care. And despite the dry weather, our flowers bloom. Imagine that.

It’s amazing one God can be so omnipresent that He sees every need. How does He do it? Yet He does. Our world has seen numerous disasters but one thing is for sure…worry never solved the problem. God works through our “get in there and get’er fixed” attitude and good rises from the ashes. It’s hard to see any good in drought or massive fires burning millions of acres. Still, God sees the hope beneath the ravaged mess and a flower sprouts, a child finds a home, a spring of water erupts. Good comes from the ashes.

The next day, I called Ron, the contractor who rebuilt our stairs. He immediately came by with one of his construction guys and the two of them dug into the mess. They worked relentlessly to repair the mess. “If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, we can save you some money too.” And we did. Ron dropped what he was doing to come help us.

My worry changed nothing. God knew our need, knew our ability and means, and sent us the right person to meet the need.

He proves over and over, there is no need to worry.

It’s hard not to worry. The birds don’t. The flowers don’t. Why should we? God has our back. There’s not a reason in the world to worry…now is there?

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Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. Eddie and Cindy travel and speak at conferences across the country and they are available to speak at your church or conference. Contact them at cindy@christiandevotions.us.

 

 

 

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God? Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

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The Importance of Focus – Ellen Andersen
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Don't Let this Worry You

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. Philippians. 3:13-14 The Message

I opened a quarterly e-mail from my investment company. The first line really caught my attention, not because of its content, but rather its significance. Don’t let this 90-day report affect your long-term goals.

“The first thing you’ll look for when you open your quarterly statements is whether your investments are up or down. If you find a significant change in the value of your investments, it’s going to mess with your head.”

I stopped right there. Wow. What a thought. How many times did I do that with other things in my life? The long commute to work, frequent interruptions, laundry that still hasn’t been done. Any of these can get me worked up.

When I focus on those, they can mess with my head too. And inevitably I fail to notice the blessings God has given me — waking up in a comfortable home, having enough food to eat, and having family and friends who love me.

It’s not just the little things that can do that though. Occasionally life throws real curve balls. It’s only natural, normal, and legitimate to become upset or worried. Some might wonder whether we were in touch with reality if we didn’t. Serious health problems, threats of foreclosure, or never-ending family conflicts are all significant problems. Surely we aren’t supposed to just ignore all this. Of course not.

Paul lived through some horrendous experiences—shipwrecks, floggings, hunger and thirst for days on end. Yet, he persevered in his faith and service to God. His secret was his focus.

My guess is, it was that very same focus that despite his circumstances, kept his eye on what God had called him to. He remembered what God had done for him in the past.

It’s easy to forget all those things as we go about our days. Maybe we don’t actually forget. We just push them to the back of our minds as life happens. Perhaps that’s why it’s so important to keep going back to God throughout the day, so He can remind us of who He is, and that He’s faithful to care for us as His children.

Focus your eyes on Him and He will see you through.

Ellen Andersen is a member of the Upstate Fellowship of Christian Writers in Greenville, SC. She serves as a Stephen Minister at her church and is involved in a Women’s Bible Study. She is working on a memoir detailing how God used unforeseen circumstances in her life to change her focus and make her more dependent on Him.
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September 11, 2001 – He Said
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September 11, 2001 – He Said

September 11, 2001

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -  Matthew 6:34 NASV

Listen to September 11, 2001 – He Said

A little before 9 AM on September 11, 2001, I logged onto the server and began updating one of the IBM websites. For almost a year I had worked remotely from my home with just my dog as co-worker company. That morning, with my RealAudio program streaming live Calypso music, I marveled at the fact that I could listen to a radio station based out of the U.S. Virgin Islands while dressed in shorts and a surf shirt. I gave no thought for tomorrow. Why should I? Life was good.

But then some days, life is not so good.

God knows the weight of tomorrow and the worry it brings. Only His shoulders are broad enough to carry the load of sorry and the storehouse of blessings the day following this brings. Had I known that September 11, 2001 would usher in such a decade of fear, hatred, and bigotry, I might have met that Tuesday with the creased brow of a worried frown.

But I didn’t. I coded away, ignorant of the airplane descending toward the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Christ warns us to refrain from worry. Not that we shouldn’t plan for our future, prepare for success, and practice excellence in all we do. But to worry about the future is to place ourselves on God’s throne and falsely assume we have dominion over our lives. We do not. We are mortals; flawed and foolish in our understanding of His Truth. This is the message of the Gospel and the history of man. 

Shortly after 9 AM on September 11, 2001, Brownine Brown announced from St. Thomas that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. I continued coding. Minutes later my IBM Sametime chat box began to blink with co-workers asking if I’d heard the news. For a few minutes I watched the television alone in my living room, unsure if I should go back to my desk.

I returned to work. Nothing I could do from Raleigh, I reasoned, except pray for the people in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. Tomorrow would arrive and someone, somewhere would expect those web pages to be built. Disasters strike but deadlines scream for our attention. There is never enough time to meet the demands of tomorrow—only moments of reflection for those who have died, suffered loss, and survived the tragedies of yesterday.

On this day, let us take time to remember, forgive, and pray for our enemies. Tomorrow will care for itself. It always does.