What a lovely day this Monday is!! God has blessed Western NC with sunshine today. Lately we have had lots of cloud cover with sprinkling of rain--not enough to water my plants. Oh well. Being that I have water means that the lack of rain is not a current problem. I am grateful that we are not suffering drought conditions here and I am praying for our neighbors across the US who do have the problem.
Yesterday, Keevin and I held the first gathering here at the campground pavilion to worship our amazing God and fellowship. We hauled the coffee maker, creamer, sugar and snack cakes to the pavilion and used our broom to sweep off the benches so no one would get dirty. We had a good time with a couple by the name of Parker, which happens to be my maiden name. We also met a new friend, Teresa, and her grandson. Teresa and I will be starting a Bible study before long and I hope she brings some of her friends and co-workers. Keevin and I don't operate by traditonal standards as most churches do and yesterday was no exception. Being that it was chilly outside, we were all bundled up in our overcoats, jeans and brogans. Not the traditional Sunday-wear. But we like it different. God doesn't care as long as we lift up His name ad praise Him.
I find myself in a writing stupor this week and I want to share with you why that is. I believe you will be able to relate and use the info for future use. Week before last we past out flyers for our cleaning business with little response. Last week Keeven began a search for a job--because we do have to eat. He was starting to stress out and I started to stress out. And we found out that there are few jobs around here (which we had an idea before moving here of that possiblity). I tried to keep my faith in God as strong as possible but sometimes it wavers. Last Tuesday we drove over to Mountain City, TN (TN state line just 8 miles from campground) to look for truck-driving companies. Not many in that area either but on the way back home we spotted one of the MayMeade plants. They do asphalt, haul gravel, etc, with dump trucks. He stopped by and the guy told him where the main office is and to go there. They had just fired 3 guys (sorry guys!) and had possible job openings. So we backtracked to the main office. While traveling back I noticed a church sign that said "exercise faith muscle." I didn't place much importance on it and shoved it to the back of my mind. Not long after that my mentor, Ida, called to check on us and she shared a story about faith in God with me. Thanks Ida!! And as I sat in the truck while Keevin was filling out an application I saw a logo in the local newspaper. It said "focus on faith." Three times God was telling me to keep my faith in Him. Keevin came out of the office and left the application there as the boss was out of the office. We drove back home. Time went on and he continued his search for a job. I would also search for one but I have to wait and see how his situation turns out because we are a one-vehicle family. Hopefully I will be able to take him to work and then find empoyement within those hours of his. Friday came and we both had break downs. I was so depressed and worried. Reality sets in and a body can't help but feel desperate. Well, the depression messed with my mind. My mind felt paralyzed and couldn't think much about anything. Have you ever felt that before? And Friday's are my blog days, but I wasn't able to write at all. Saturday morning came and I took Rocky, our little dog, out for a walk in the campground. I told God, "I trust You even if You don't provide Keevin with a job. You will make things work out!" And friend, I didn't feel much better but I did mean what I told God. We are sure that He sent us here and will take care of us and give us means to start the church for Him. Keevin and I moped about in the camper eating lunch and he noticed that he had a voice mail. For some reason his phone doesn't receive good signal inside the camper. A glimer of hope shown on his face as he listened to it. The boss of the MayMeade company had called on Saturday morning about some positions. I shouted "hallelujah"!! Granted, he doesn't officially have a job yet but there was hope and on a Saturday which is not a work-week day. Do you think that the minute I told God I trust Him no matter what was the time that the MayMeade plant boss left the message? Could be.
Even though we had job hope, my mind was still frozen from the bad chemicals that my brain had fed it from the depression and worry. That bad chemical is called cortisol. It seems to take me a while to recover from crisis-mode. So today I am trying to move past a little lag and accomplish my task of working for God.
Questions for you: How many times have you been in a mind-paralyzing state and God spoke to you and you shoved it away never to go back and admit that God was speaking to you? Have you searched for a mind-healing method that allows God's thoughts to rewire your thinking so that when you are attacked you will be able to still hear God through the paralyzing times? Are you practicing "trusting" God? Have you memorized Psalm 37:3-4 (NIV): "Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart"? Friend, God is our ruler and authority. He knows all and rules all. His thoughts are higher than our sqrawny human ones and His ways are higher than ours. It is hard to remember this when we are under attack but if we preventatively prepare ourselves we will be shielded from the harmful effects that Satan has planned.
I want to explain to any newcomers what a 21 day journal note is. Our brains and minds are fed lots of incorrect information from childhood up and that mess is soaked into our subconscious minds. Our brain becomes so accustomed to the wrong information that it registers it as truth. That in turns causes us to think distortedly. Just reading God's good words doesn't change us because our brains reject is as our truth. It is a scientific fact that we can rewire our thinking by handwriting God's word and thoughts once a day x 21 days. It takes 21 days to change a habit and our thinking is no different. It amazingly works. Handwriting triggers the brain in a wonderful way. You will feel the effects by day 4 but continue on to the 21st day for complete healing. I have been sharing the 21 day journal notes that have helped me. A lot of them have healed relational pain and have set me free from the prison that they had me in. Please, please give it a try. If you are a person who learns from unorthodox methods-such as visual or oral -then try to find a way to incorporate these 21 day journal notes into those systems.
Now for the journal note:
21 day journal note # 10
How to overcome past relational pain:
Psalm 37 (NIV) 1. Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong. 7. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. 9. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
I am not fretting and worrying because of past relational pain. Instead, I am standing still before You, Lord, waiting patiently and calmly for You. I refuse to get stuck in an angry rut toward people who have hurt me. I choose to forgive them. Fretting and worrying produces only one thing and that is bad behavior. Bad behavior breaks up relationships. God is dealing with bad behavior whether it is mine or others. But since I hope in You, Lord, I will thrive!
end of journal note.
Did you notice that the scripture I used at the beginning of this blog (Psalm 37:3-4) is smack in the middle of today's journal note?
Well friend, I have a huge praise. Keevin just walked in the door and announced that he starts work in the morning at 6:30. Hallelujah!!!!!!! God is soooo Gooooodddd!!!
Please learn and employ the good things that God has so graciously showed me--and all of it is in His wonderful word.
Have a great day, Friend!!!
Sisterly love to all, Wynndy
