Tag : anxiety
Tag : anxiety
He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7).
Our Mini Goldendoodle, Jewel, provides a lesson sometimes so I thought I’d share what she brought to mind this week.
Often, Jewel will lay down outside our bedroom door, sprawled across the entry. She doesn’t move a muscle when we try to get through the opening, so we are forced to take a very large stride over her. She seems at peace that we will not step on her when going from one room to the other. I’m amazed at her trust!
I thought, What if we would trust God like that? What if would relax so much that whatever we face, we‘d know He is in control? Do we believe He’s not up there waiting to step on us? He loves us and is a good God.
This week I learned that a co-worker and friend from my television days, Rosenda, was in Hospice, and subsequently passed away. I also worked with her husband at a San Antonio TV station, and our sons went to school together and played on the same football team, so our lives intersected in many ways. She was a strong businesswoman who balanced career and family well. There are many mourning her loss.
Then another news anchor, Bob Johnson, who I worked with in my first television job in Chattanooga, Tennessee, died after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. I found out about both Bob and Rosenda the same day, fueling one of those “blue” days. I wanted to be like Jewel, hanging limp in my heavenly Father’s arms, trusting that He had all this in His hands, but I did not do it. I was anxious and the workload facing me seemed more overwhelming than usual. I almost passed out the morning I learned about both of these past colleagues. Must Be Stress, I thought. I am a Christian leader. Shouldn’t I handle all this better?
That’s the problem. I had wrong thinking. We are not designed to “handle” it alone. We are supposed to load these burdens on our Savior who has the ability to carry them for us. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
And when we give our anxieties to God, He always answers with hope.
After Bob died, a mutual friend and former Sports Director at Chattanooga’s WTVC, Darrell Patterson, who was very close to Bob, posted a YouTube video of Bob singing His favorite Gospel songs. It was beautiful. We were all very young when we worked together, and I never knew where he stood faith-wise. Back then, I was only a believer, not a follower, so I really did not walk out my faith. But when I watched the video, it’s as if God was saying, “I’ve got this Lisa. He’s with me now.”
What about you? Does all this COVID stuff have you tied up in knots? Are you reeling because you feel out-of-control? Take a lesson from Jewel. Relax—and trust God.
And if you want to feel hope like I did, here’s the YouTube link to Bob Johnson’s medley of Gospel songs:
Categories: Blog
Laughter is the best medicine.
The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
A good hearty laugh will make us feel good for a long time. That’s why we tell jokes. You can ask any of my close friends and they will tell you I love to tell jokes. In fact all my family loves to laugh. I was told one time that I should be a comedian!
Laughter is the best medicine in your ordinary day too. With humor you may find a whole new way of looking at your life and discover solutions you might not have thought of before.
Sometimes we take life way too seriously. Recently I was craving yogurt from my favorite place. I was driving there and was so happy; you’d think it was Christmas. When I arrived at the yogurt shop I found out, because of COVID-19, they closed early. Was I disappointed? Yes!!! I almost cried, then I texted my girlfriend and told her of my disappointment. I said, “My friend, I was so disappointed I felt like doing something illegal.” “She said illegal? You mean my miscellaneous funds would become bail money?” I laughed so loud I forgot the disappointment.
We have been taught to run through our lives with such a speed we have no time to laugh. The word of God ask us to rest. One of my favorite Bible verses about rest says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). We are human beings, not human doers. We tend to be over-worked and under-rested. Proper rest, however, plays a significant role in living the abundant life.
When we are able to rest and laugh, we are in touch with life’s goodness. If you are down, laughing aloud may seem impossible. You may even look at laughing people and feel they are inconsiderate and loud. But if you are one of the laughing groups, you’d never think that. You enjoy laughing too much. I have always said that the saints of today, the ones who believe the verse, 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,” understand that God is in control of their lives. They can trust him, casting all cares and anxiety on Him, literally throwing all at His feet. They let Him take care of the circumstances, and they are the ones who make you laugh, mainly because they’re not worried. They give you the best gift—the gift of joy. They really demonstrate that laughter is the best medicine.
When I was in London recently, I was so happy to play with my great-grandson. I tickled him and heard him laugh. Child laughter comes straight from the heart. They have the best giggles.
And do you still remember those wonderful days with your best friend when you could start laughing for no reason and you laughed so long you could barely breathe? I still remember and it makes me smile. I wholeheartedly agree with the Word of God that says, “Laughter is the best medicine.”
So don’t forget to laugh. 🙂
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We’d love for you to join us on the next POP Chat, July 29th at 6:30 on Zoom. Dr. Lynnette Simm will be speaking about “How to Find Your Peace,” and Renee Rollins will be our worship leader. We will also have a time of conversation about peace. Only one hour! Hope you can join us. Here’s the link to sign up: https://share.hsforms.com/15bHBupdrTBugXxD9Y8Q_MQ3jo4z
Categories: Blog