I hope this newsletter finds you and your family doing well. I thought about all the topics I could cover to kick off 2010 and the one that kept rising up was the issue of worrying during tough times. I'm speaking particularly about what I would consider the # 1 struggle so many of us battle each day when it comes to our finances and how we approach God's Throne with our concerns regarding money.
In this issue I want to share some insight that my parents were instrumental imparting to me early in my life with the area of worrying and how important it is to discover what God really wants from us with this crazy "Money" thing in our lives. Thanks Mom and Dad for training me up in the way I should go.
No More Worries, PRAY before you Pay
Let's just face the facts in regard to worrying. Worrying doesn't change ANYTHING. I use to buy into the lie that some people are just born that way. The truth is that there's NO SUCH THING as a Born Worrier. Worry is a response that is learned. We learn from our parents, peers, or maybe from an experience (that's me). What's really GOOD NEWS about that statement is that you and I can "Unlearn" the response of Worrying. Jesus was very clear about worry. He said in Matthew 6:34, "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. (NLT)"
My parents use to tell me when I started to worry, "Use that energy of worrying for something better so you will feel better about yourself." They were right. What if we PRAYED about everything? How much different would your life be if you prayed about everything. If I prayed as much as I worried, I'd have a whole lot less to worry about. God is really interested in ALL the details of our lives. He even cares about things we may consider silly like our House payment. He wants to be involved in every aspect. I want you to see the BIG PICTURE: You and I can take ANY situation or concern we face to God 24 HOURS A DAY ! That's a BIG Deal !
So if I pray more than worry, how should my approach be toward God? Approach with Thanks. I need to Thank God in ALL Things. I was always told by my Granny, "When you pray to God, enter into His place with Thanksgiving." She's right. Rick Warren says, "The healthiest human emotion is not love--but Gratitude. It actually increases your immunities; it makes you more resistant to stress and less susceptible to illness." That sounds like a really good reason to be grateful. Ever noticed how grateful people are much more happy? Ungrateful people are miserable no matter what. It's just never good enough for them. Being grateful will reduce the Stress level. We could all use less stress.
The biggest area that I guarantee will reduce your stress level in addition to being grateful is: YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS. Just like the saying, "You are what you eat" states, this can also be said about our thoughts : "You are what you Think." I've heard it said this way, "You must change the way you think; the way you think determines how you feel. And the way you feel determines how you act." What does this mean? It means that if you want to change your life, you need to change what you are thinking about. You must be INTENTIONAL about what you think about. Focus on the positive and on God's Word. Change your thinking process and you will change your life.
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Who doesn't want "the peace of God? Someone who worries.
Take action TODAY to get on the path God intended for you in living a Debt Free Lifestyle. Change your behavior and you can change the world! Don't believe me? I dare you to try it!
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