On Our Lips And In Our Hearts

Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Depression, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Mental Health, Peace, Struggle, Worry, Worth

On Our Lips And In Our Hearts

Did you know that fewer than half of adults read scripture? According to the Pew Research Center 35% of adults read the Bible at least once a week. 10% read once or twice a month. 8% read several times a year, and 45% seldom or never read the Bible. There are 1-2% that do not know how often they read the Bible. These percentages show that there is a large majority of people who rarely read the Bible, and it is safe to say that we are living in a time where the majority of all adults do not read or study the Bible. 

In the book of Joshua, chapter 1, God told Joshua to be strong and very courageous; to carefully obey all the law He gave Moses; not to turn to the left or right; to keep the law on his lips; meditating on them day and night. God said that Joshua and the people will be prosperous and successful. When Joshua died and the Israelites entered the time of the Judges, they forgot God’s law. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes, and God’s favor and protection departed. There was no peace. Horrible things happened to the Israelites from both themselves and their enemies. Even though God raised up judges to save them from the hands of their enemies the people turned away from God. His words were not on their lips or in their hearts.

How many of us are walking through this life without the Word of God on our lips and in our hearts? We want to encourage you to make the scriptures a daily diet. Consume the Word of God, so that He can direct our lives, renew our minds, and give us peace. 

Setting The Trajectory

Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Hope, Mental Health, Peace, Struggle, Worry, Worth

Setting The Trajectory

Kevin Phillips

Have you ever asked yourself, “where am I going in life, what’s my purpose, what do I want to accomplish, what kind of person do I want to be or become?” Growing up I always marveled at people who somehow inherently knew what they wanted to do in life. My daughter for example has known since she was in elementary school that she wanted to be an elementary school teacher. In high school I could never relate to other students who knew what they wanted to do and what they wanted to study in college. I felt like I was on the outside looking in. I didn’t understand why I had no idea what to do in life. It was so frustrating and at times I kind of felt like a loser. I really didn’t know that my calling was to be a therapist/counselor until my late 30’s, wow talk about a late bloomer. But after I reflected on this meandering way of settling upon a profession, I realized that all my frustrations and confusion and life experiences gave me the ability to become a better, more effective, real therapist that could relate to people. Then I started to realize that as individuals we need to set a trajectory for ourselves. If not, where are we flying to, where are we going, what do we stand for, what’s the purpose?

Resting In Hope

Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Hope, Peace

Written by Bianca Gurciullo
Executive Assistant of Encouragement Now Ministries

“Rest time is not a waste of time. It is economy to gather fresh strength…In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”

~ Charles Spurgeon

 

Rest is the opposite of anxiety, and we can find hope in that rest. Hope can get us through the hard times, but without rest, hope is hard to find. The question is: what are we hoping for? Is it strong enough to lead us to rest? Also, what are we putting our hope in, and will it cause us additional frustration?

 

Psalm 16:9        
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.