Daily Manna

 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ACcKGxc8N/?mibextid=xfxF2i

Common Cold of the Soul

 I have this frequent nagging at my soul.  I have dealt with issues my whole life.  I have dug up and seen healed wounds.  Yet, there still seems to be this thing that rises up inside of me that just floors me at times.  Thoughts and feelings rise up in side of me that make me thing there is something really wrong with me.  My reaction is to go back to the drawing board and see if I can discover "the last" flaw that is left in my emotional make-up.  

Well after many years of this  kind of reaction... I am beginning to think that perhaps this "flaw" is not going to go away.  Perhaps it is part of the DNA of our humanness.  Just like the common cold.  That even though... like the common cold.. we might feel like we are going to die.. we all know.. we will survive... AND THRIVE again. 

So.. this common malady that hits me on a regular basis, I am going to start viewing it as I would the common cold.  A nuisance but not a death sentence.  An inconvenience but not a disability.  I am going to change my paradigm (ie renew my mind) to look at it as nothing more than a common cold.  To recognize it for what it's worth, treat it and let it "run its course."

Over the years I have discovered treatments for the common cold.. notice I say treatments... NOT CURE.  I have a list that I refer to a times when I can't seem to get with th program.  I use a sun lamp, caffeine, naps, hikes, drives, coffee time with friends, chess games, journaling, Bible reading, prayer, praise and worship music.. you get my drift.  

My new approach to the common flu of the soul is to: 

1. NOT FREAK OUT!

2. Realize that it is COMMON!

3. It will pass

4. Just treat the symptoms until it does pass. 

I think that sometimes our reaction makes a simple thing so much worse.  Let's call it what it is.. a simple cold... and not let it shake us (me)

2/24/24

Have you ever had a friend that suffered from the flu? You have their best interest at heart, so you suggest different ways that you know will help them diminish their suffering. Then... only to be somewhat frustrated when you find out or you can tell that they are not interested and any remedies that would help their condition. Or..... maybe they listened to your advice, but for whatever reason failed to use that advice.  That is so me with the above advice. I usually do take my own advice after suffering for hours sometimes days wondering why I waited so. 🤷

So my goal is start taking my own advice quickly alleviate or at least diminish the amount of suffering that I endure during these episodes of soul flu. 

Best way To apologize

 We've all messed up! 

We can't change that! 

Beating yourself up does not help or make it better. 

One of the best ways to learn from your mistakes is to just simply put it behind... then do it differently. 👊♥️

Fear

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02cSreTuXvN3yFvkrBaPqatH3rYzCwQSNfGSjzKGJcm3imxneQJrAZNSGvgJQJtBXil&id=1259222846&mibextid=2JQ9oc

Fear is the biggest enemy. 

It will weaken us even before we face the actually enemy! This is the pre-battle! Don't lose the pre-battle! Sit quietly and just observe that fear. Don't try to ignore it. Don't resist it! Don't reason with it! Just face it... sit with it. Watch it's power dissipate.

Chinks In Our Armor

 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/PuoNjqjgpb3U9U9r/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

If you were a knight and you were getting suited up for a battle... wouldn't you want to know of any chinks in your armor? 

A chink is an opening in your armor that could allow the enemy to quickly rend a deadly blow.  

Offense, anger, bitterness, jealousy, etc are chinks in our spiritual armor. 

 If there is something that is bothering you PLEASE!!! ....... take that as a warning from the Holy Spirit that there is an opening that the enemy can and WILL try to use to KILL, STEAL and DESTROY you!  

Don't ignore those areas. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the sources of those chinks.. and get them repaired!! 👊 

Be thankful for the offences, the slights, the disturbances to your peace. Again.. they are just revealing those openings that need repair!

Don't try to protect yourself by building a wall to hide behind. That will only isolate you. The enemy loves isolating a warrior. That makes his job of sure death even easier.                                           

No, the solution is to go to the Holy Spirit and have Him examine that chink (opening) in your armor and allow Him to do His repairs. ♥️👊

Are you able to identify those areas in your life?

Sometimes God will use others to reveal those areas to us if we are open. 

It takes humility to recognize those areas and confess, at least to God, that it is a weakness in our character (armor) and that we need repair (healed or strengthened).

After writing this.. I decided to make a list of KNOWN chinks in my armor... so that me and the Holy Spirit can purposely work on them. Wow! It can be discouraging at times. It seems that I have many! Some huge ones that the Spirit and I have been working on a long time. I sensed the Spirit say to me, "Son, just keep working with me. I have started the work enough in advance that when it comes to a particular battle... you will be ready."                

Do your work in me, Father. I trust that You know what You are doing.. and what it will take to get me where You want me. 

In the meantime... thank You for Your grace and mercy! ♥️

#Offence

#GlimpseOfSomething

#PonderThis 

Dark Night of the Soul #256

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0W7LKAWmus2DgJigwLX4pK4hGG229AEDzLdQq62wb2UgmdFkZvX7FzJ3C6k1azicfl&id=1259222846&mibextid=Nif5oz

Fb post:

Last night I had dinner with a buddy and these exact words came out of my mouth.. "There are so many times when I feel like my life is perfect."  

But here it is 3am in the morning.. and I feel like I am going through a "dark night of the soul" moment.  

This life is a mystery sometimes.  I am glad I know the One who knows all.... even if He won't answer ALL my questions.... He always sees me through and that will have to do.

Why do I post these thoughts? I don't know. Maybe a desire to be known and understood.... I've been through this enough to know that it will pass... even though it feels like it won't.  There's something so powerful about this pain.... that I can't help to think it will serve some purpose in my life. Ah..... yes..... brokenness..... there it is.... a common theme in my life.  That's what keeps me thankful.  This is what keeps my heart tender towards God.... and others.. the fog is clearing. Grateful. I feel for those who have it all together, honestly. God resists the proud.... but to me.... He gives grace. 🙏

#BeautyInBrokenness

EyeOfTheNeedle

 

Rough draft

The secret passage. To find the sweet spot in life. Hard. Humbling. Eye of the needle  grappling with hard questions  song peanut

#EyeOfTheNeedle

The Will

There is something deep down in us that resists yielding to another.  What is that? It is so ellusive.. yet we know it is there.   What is that minion that keeps us from yieldng to the most compelling force in the universe?   

It is our will. 

God has gifted us with the strongest tool in existence.  The human will.  It is what makes us all individuals.  Even the weakest will is able to resist the Almighty and choose its own course.  

The will is an amazing thing.  This entity that is almost undetectable at times, always lurks just under the surface waiting  to raise it's ugly head to come to our defence.  Anything that threatens our sovereign existence will be met with its swift and knee-jerk defiance.

This God given gift that determines our individuality when exercised properly is also the very thing that can cause our very ruin... unless we submit it to the One Who created it. 

When we begin to realize that He means us only good and not harm, can we then begin to submit our will to Him. In doing this, life starts  unfold  a design and purpose that can only be found in Him.  A path that starts maneuvering through life's obstacles.... when looking back...  appear to be the exact confines that we needed.

We begin to relax in this thing called life because we begin to see we can trust our loving Father. We allow ourselves to acknowledge (submit) to Him in all our ways and amazingly watch as He begins (He's been doing it all along) to direct our steps.

Family- We Keep Coming Back

 Christmas has begun! 🎄

There is no perfect family... our faults there are many. One thing we do? We show up... regardless. We also give space and grace when needed... but we just KEEP COMING BACK. ❤️

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02mDjP5t5DFVJePgcBrYKeXrDH7m2j4C6pziy9P2eSzQ3qc1qijFVXCSNgsc2h3rxpl&id=1259222846&mibextid=Nif5oz

#ShelfIt Shelf It

 Intentionally enjoy this day.  So many distractions will arise.  So many memories and emotions.   

#ShelfIt  If something comes up just write it down and agree to address it tomorrow or later this evening... and then forget it for now.   

Just enjoy THIS day!

Walls? They Prevent Healing

 Here is part of a conversation that I had with a friend the other day. 

Here is an alarm that has been going off on my phone the last month.. in order to help me heal.

Well yesterday.. this alarm popped up. and it hit me... this is not healing.. this is just another way to build a wall of protection so that those wounded areas are not triggered.  

Even though, that strategy did serve a purpose for a season, ie.. it allowed a scab to form so that I wasn't bleedin

g all over the place, still...  true healing wasn't happening because it was stil infected under the scab. 

So.. in light of our discussion yesterday... I am going to allow those pains, triggers, etc... to be the "check engine" light it was supposed to be.  Then, allow myself to apply the salve and bandages of the Holy Spirit to bring true healing to those areas. 

Bless you!

Kev

#OneStepWait ie How To Navigate The Relationships In Your Life

 11/12/23 9am

The short version:

#OneStepWait

This is a mantra that I have coined that has helped me deal with my neediness and angst when it comes to relationships. This is such a simple concept and I will keep it short for now for the sake of conveying this simple truth.

#OneStepWait is like playing a game or learning to dance. A simple principle when applied helps us navigate the workings of new and existing relationships.

1 If there is a person that you are possibly interested in pursuing a relationship with (either platonic or romantic)... take the first step. It can be a small step. Perhaps just click "like" on one of the Facebook posts. Wait a few days. You probably won't get any response from just a "like". But a few days later.. like another post. Next. perhaps comment one of their posts or better yet... ask them a question on one of their posts. Wait.. see if they like or comment on your question/comment. It they don't repspond to your post. Take that as first sign that perhaps you aren't meant to be connected to that person. Perhaps wait a few weeks and then try this again. If still no response... again consider that this might not be a connection for you. There are other ways that you can show them you are interested. But.. anything you do.... ALLOW THEM TIME TO RESPOND. Moving slowly like this will help you not invest too much time and energy into something that will come to nothing. Moving slowly will also build in an automatic mechanism that will keep your heart from getting too involved and prevent heartache down the road.

2 Even in existing relationships... this #OneStepWait is healthy. Let's say I want to draw closer to my wife.. so I might ask her, "Let's go for a walk." She doesn't want to walk. So, instead of suggesting other things to do.. I wait.. I see.. if she gets it that I want to draw close to her. I will see if she will take a step towards me. If she does not.. then.. I will probably go find something to do.. or find a friend to go hang out with. This is just a simple example. But we have to be sensitive and honor the ebb and flow of our relationships in order not to "crowd" others.. but also keep disappointment, hurt, anger from creeping into our own hearts.

***This is a really rough article.. but wanted to get something written down so I could get it out there.. *****

Broken... my permanent condition (and Iike it)

 I must say that I am more keenly aware of God's presence in and around me because of the constant brokeness that I have experienced in my life.  In fact.. I have come to accept that this constant brokenness has become a welcomed "friend"  It keeps me so aware of my dependence on the Spirit of God just to survive in this life.  #BrokenButOkay..

This condition might not win me friends in this life.. but oh.. the grace and mercy that it draws from the Father... priceless!

it is "funny" how clearly i see this at this moment. because I lose site of this so often.. but right know HS thank you for allowing me to see this so clearly. 

(this is just a rough draft.. but I am learning that I might not ever revise this.. so... I will go ahead and post so that perhaps.. someone might be able to decipher and glean from my experience) 

Painful Surgery

 

What seems to be a long arduous process is due to the fact the our hearts are the core of our being.... it takes a skilled Surgeon to meticulously remove, replace, create what we were always meant to be. 

This is a long process... I would say a lifelong process that can be painful at times... but as we get glimpses of what we are becoming..... wow.... so worth it. Selah

https://www.facebook.com/1259222846/posts/pfbid0QhRqJmDNtL7mE27e4MDHcRQPTnbT1xgW1h9nKeo4LTL5jML3Lq1PMEPLb3zzqeSSl/?mibextid=Nif5oz

The Beauty of Brokenness

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02LQbUir8ZztjgDRwYNAQLTdZamBDwZpd8qeFY8HvyFdoJu1wQvKRFbTgFomJ6BW9il&id=1259222846&mibextid=Nif5oz

(see video in this facebook post) 

The Beauty of Brokeness

(Okay, my wife informed me that the reason why the honeysuckle doesn't taste as sweet as it did when we were kids is because this is not a honeysuckle!! It's a Day Lily! SMH! 😂

Y'all know I'm broken, right?

Dog returns to his vomit... don't do it!

A message of encouragement to a friend... but.. it also serves as a good reminder to myself. 

Something that has cometo my mind several times since our last talk on Wed.  I just want to encourage you during this season.  I amnot sure if the enemy is whispering to you "why do you even serve God if this is how He's gonna treat you?"  But it is a ploy that the enemy will use.  He did with me to the point where for a season I did allow my faith to just "die".   that lasted for 10 years.  and man..the darkness and drought that plagued my soul.  I finally woke up like the prodigal and realized that my life was much better in the Father's house.  I turned and made my way back to home.. but it was a hard and long way back.  So, I just encourage you by saying,  there is nothing there to go back to.. Continue pouring  your heart out to the Father.  This season shall pass.

Resistance Training

 

Most of us know that in order to become strong and fit... we have to have good nutrition but also have resistance of some kind.... exercise, lifting, etc.   

Well as christians the same applies. We need nutrition... the Word of God. But we also need resistance. Those trials we face everyday.... let's embrace them, face them... withstand them.. as part of our training and strengthening for the better life that God desires for us. (P.S. those trials aren't going away any time soon!)

It seems like one of those forms of resistance training is in the form of wrestling.... I hate those little uniforms they wear..... they make me look fat! 🤣 

Yet.... Ephesians 6:12 says For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

So..... "LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

I'm Sealed

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02zyASsPE3YXPKHnJ7DgzDNVPVKqmQK3emaBoQBqRf6BQYAS2X8wv7TYQMasc4bqDvl&id=1259222846&mibextid=Nif5oz

Have I Offended You?

 I have worn myself out worrying and wondering if I've offended someone. It seems most of the time...  it is just my imagination.

So... in order for me to walk in peace... if I've offended you... please feel free to forgive me... I'll do the same for you.

If you can not resolve that issue in yourself. ... please feel free to talk to me. I know,  more than anyone else, that I'm imperfect and I make mistakes. 

So... if I don't hear from you... I will assume.... we're good! 

👍😁👊

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0vDtVnsYgJtDx4u9RFfGFvp8kXFbXP6PEPpV17eVFUHK6fkPYhiHMEQQdT6UFoZ6Ql&id=1259222846&mibextid=Nif5oz

Binding and Loosing Daily Warfare

 The prayer of binding and loosing.

  I bind you  spirit of  rejection   I bind you hand and foot and I gag your mouth so you can not even speak to my mind.  And in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I command you to get out of our lives.  And Father.. I loose your Spirit of acceptance and love. 

Years ago.. when I was single.. I was on a bus trip with a bunch of other christian singles.  I didn't know  most of these people.  I just couldn't seem to connect with this group...  Finally I was feeling dejected/rejected.  We had a break where we all went off and di some quiet time by ourselves.   I had thought on the subject of how the enemy can influence us in our daily lives.  Long story short... I realized that it could be the enemy trying to bring/keep a spirit of rejection in my life.  So I cam up with the above prayer.  I said that prayer during my quiet time.  We all came back to the bus... .and BAM!!!  it was like night and day.  I almost thought I was a celebrity!!!  LOL!

I started praying this prayer every day.  I since have included other areas that the enemy tries in my life like poverty, illness, and serveral others.   I have seen great breakthroughs because of the persistent daily warfare in my life. 

Some people can come against the enemy and he leaves in swoop.. It seems most of the time.. by the daily warfare.. that I just wear them out and they weaken their grip.