Finding "The Way of Escape" (WOE)

My most recent personal application of this has been years in the making.                     

I have had a problem getting started in the mornings. Even though I work night shifts... I am still a morning person. I just can't get out of bed. 

    I remember being 18 years old when I first saw this delimma inside myself. It is not that I can't wake up. I just don't want to get out of bed. I love to stay in bed. Ponder life. The quietness... etc. I even spend hours pondering how how two motivate myself to get out of bed.

So.. what does this have to do with the "way of escape"? Well... I have finally discovered that "Way of Escape". It is so simple and it has been right there the whole time.. But I just didn't realize it. A part of the way out is this.. I just have learned to set my alarm clock two hours before i have to get out of bed. That way I can lay there.. read... think.. etc.. (So for years this was A WAY of escape... not quite what I wanted.. but it worked)
 

So finally.. I found the "answer". It had been there for awhile.. but I just wouldn't take that path. Finally after "circling back 'round" 😂... i decided to take it.. 

I decided to still set my alarm for 2 hours before I had to get out of bed. But instead instead of laying in bed for 2 hours and pondering. that I would allow myself 15 minutes to lay there and ponder.. but then I would set up in bed and ponder. I didn't have to do anything else different. Instead of the horizonal ponder position... I would assume the vertical pondering position.

Well.. this is only day 2 of me taking this "way of escape" (WOE) but it is miraculous. I have found.. the start of my day is just enjoyable but it progresses quite a bit faster. Just as relaxed.. but I am able to get up and start my active day about an 60-90 minutes faster. This might not impress you.... but it blows my mind. That after looking for THE (WOE) for 42 years.. I finally found it. (realizing that honestly it probably was there 42 years ago... I probably even started that down that path a few times.. but would always get off that trail. The verdict is still out.. but I think that this is the one!

Looking back.. I think I have heard this echo back and forth in the hills a few times.. 

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. (Isaiah 30.21)

Selah... vertically! 

Taking Every Thought Captive

I was going through a dark time recently and found this concept and it brought me right out of it. Hope it helps you.

 Observation or sitting with the thought.  Also Taking Every Thought Captive

I want to make this entry short because this is one of the simplest practices you will ever do.  All you do is when you first notice an emotion or a thought rise up inside of you... just observe it.  Don't try to understand it.  Don't try to figure it out.  Don't try to get it to go away.  Don't freak out about it.    Just sit there and observe it.  Like you would tell a misbehaving child to sit in the corner and don't move and you just stare at the child   You

do the same with your emotions/thoughts.  You will find that if you don't try to process or argue with the thought... that it will dissipate rather quickly.   Like watching a cloud float over head.. it will just float on by.   Very effective for me.  As you continue this practice, you will find the woundedness bring healed over a period of time. (or even quickly). For me.... this has been a real game changer.   

This practice still might seem vague and hard to grasp.. but believe me.. it is worth staying with it when you start to see the results.

Your thoughts might wander to something else.  That is fine.  You can choose to go with that new thought or take your mind back to the thing that was giving you problems.  The only thing with "the problem thoughts" don't let them develop.  Don't try to figure out how, why, when, etc.  Don't let it go anywhere past the intial thought you had.  Hard to do at first... but it does get easier.

Here is the second part of this practice:    Taking every thought captive which is making it ibedience to Christ and the rules of His Kingdom

*******that after we take a thought captive.. that is after observing it.. it will calm down and even dissipate.. but when it calms down.. we can/should insert a truth that we have learned. For example. Trust in the Lorrd with all your heart. Or cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you. Or more specific for me... is the "I always have cake lesson" . Or Bless those who curse you. etc... (These are specific lessons for me that I have learned that have tremendously set me free) if you want, I can share those with you as well.

2 Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Update: I used to have to spend a lot of time dealing with unwanted thoughts, emotions, etc.  I have found that since I have started using this "observation"  practice... that 1. The thoughts and bad emotions don't stay around long  2. I use up hardly any time trying to figure things out  3. Those thoughts don't come around as often either. 

    I love this.. I am living more of my life now instead of hiding away dealing with "issues". 

God wanted a "you" in this world

 Amazing that God wanted a "you"  in this world that He put your mom and dad together for a short time... just to create you! What a gift you are to this world and those that know you.

My Past?

 God: If anyone asks you about your past.. just tell them to come to Me and I will tell them all they need to know! ♥️

Sharing Too Much

 Someone in a group asked a question about how to get people in your life to listen to you about you and your struggles.  Here was  my response. 

My first recommendation is to try not to share too much or rely too much on people close to you unless they have suffered themselves.  i have found that people who have not suffered from anxiety, depression, etc.. just do not get it and it is really hard for them to understand.  I have "wore out" so many people in my lifetime because of my struggles.  Thank God for the internet and groups like this.  My suggestion is to come in this group A LOT to share when you need to.  I recommend journaling to get things off your chest as well.  Save your "in person" communications for just normal every day life stuff for the most part.  I could go on about this concept.. but it would be pages.  If you want to discuss this more.. feel free to message me.  ♥️

Is change slow or overnight? Yes!

 A lot of caterpillars are waking up changed today!

Here is a note that I sent to a friend who is going through a tough time right now. 

Hello,

 I read your post about healing. You know how it appears at a butterfly just comes out of the cocoon and is a new creature. Some people might think that it happens all of a sudden. But while that caterpillar is in the cocoon it is changing all the time. I am not even sure if it is aware how much it's changing. And then it appears suddenly totally free!

More times than not, I think that is our healing as well. We go along with our lives and it might appear that not much is going on. Little do we know or others know that there's a lot of work going on down in our spirit and down in our soul. And then, boom, we appear. To others it might seem like an overnight miracle.  But there has been a lot of work that has taken place in the dark undercover in order for us to walk in this new freedom.

Be blessed my friend! 

Faucets and Valves

 3/21/22

I have reached a high level mark today and it was very revealing to me.  I was having a very good morning.  Clarity of mind.  Gratefulness.  It seemed like the valve between my spirit and soul was really open and I was experiencing the benefits of this.

  A random thought came to me.  "I want to get together with Ray (not their real name) for coffee.  I wanted to share my gratefulness with them.. and how well things are going in me. 

That astounded me.  Because usually when I think about together with Ray.. it is because I still have some unresolved anger issues with him. But this time... it was different. 

I thought, "wow.. that is a new high water mark on my gauge."   

Thinking of high water marks.. I started thinking about what made the water deeper in order for that new high-level mark to be acheieved.  It wasn't anything I had done on purpose.  The thought of Ray came out of nowhere. 

 The connection between our soul and spirit has been in my thoughts for quite a while now.  So.. I realized that the deeper waters had to come from the opening between my soul and spirit... ie the valve.  

There are many references in the Bible that talk of this connection between the soul and the spirit.  John 7:38 says, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

Wow!  That resonated so strongly with me.  That yes.. I had been carrying unforgivness towards Ray.. but... I have been disciplining myself to to apply grace and forgiveness towards Ray for awhile in order to change my heart/emotions towards him. (see my blog on forgiveness to take practicle steps to make your heart forgive)

I believe because of the constant steps I have been taking towards forgivness towards Ray.. that a chunk of the corrosion in my soul broke off.. and thus a random thoughts of Ray came which resulted in from the high water mark.  

There are other features of the water flow between our spirit and our soul.   Like how open is the valve.  One would think that God would just keep that valve wide open all the time.  But I am finding that God likes to adjust that valve.  Not as punishment.. but as an ebb and flow.  Sometimes it is gentle.. like a fresh Georgia rain.  Some times it is just a moderate flow to help us get through the mundane lives that we sometimes have to face.  Then it might be turned off... that develops a hunger and thirst in me for more!!!  Thirst and hunger is a good thing.  It drives us to greater things.  Then there are times where the valve seems to be wide open.. and it splashes over on to those around us and refreshes them.   

But...we must do our part.  We must make sure that we are dealing with the corrosion that will impede that flow.  

Selah!