How are you? For those new to this inn, I ask if you could share at least three gratitudes for today.
The following are mine:
1. The fact that even though I may not control my circumstances, I can control how
I chose to respond to them.
"Peace comes not from the absence of conflict, but from our ability to cope with it."2. I spent tonight with my middle son.
I appreciate time with family. We went for a three mile walk, ate dinner together and spent three hours visiting. We finished the night with prayer. It's a special time when sons open up to their dad.
What Helps Us Face Fear
3. I'm grateful I face my fears. When I do, the thing that causes dread usually disappears. I like the following:
"In the face of seemingly impossible problems, it is easy to believe that our most negative thoughts reflect the truth. They plead the worst case scenario in a very convincing way, until it almost seems frivolous to consider a positive outcome. Yet the loudest voice is not necessarily the truest.
"No matter how insistent a feeling may be, it is just a feeling, not a prophecy. We don't get to know today what will happen tomorrow. Counting on any particular outcome can lead to disappointment, but sometimes it helps remembering that a positive outcome is just a likely as a negative one...."
"Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand, that you may believe, but believe, that you may understand."
Joy: Transcending Self-Imposed LimitationsAurelius Augustinius
I've found that many of our happiest moments occur when faith enables us to transcend self-imposed limitations. Often worry and fear hold us back. Faith is one antidote to overcoming emotional barriers to our success.
There is joy when we encounter unexpected positive results. This is true whether it be sports, success with a difficult project or an unfamiliar task. It helps trying our best, trusting God for the results."Courage [and faith] faces fear and thereby masters it."
Receiving Support
Lastly, something else assists us when pursuing goals: the support of a loving community.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12Gratitude Number Five: I appreciate the support and encouragement I receive from long-established, non-Facebook friends. My friendships are more than a contact. Those dear to me connect with me at least once a week, we are a part of fabric of one another's life. We share intimacies and trust each other. When I fall, they are there for me.
How About You?
1. What helps you overcome fear?
2. When was the last time you transcended your self-imposed limitations?
3. What do you look for in your community of friends?
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