overcoming

OVERCOMING EVEN WONDERFUL DISTRACTIONS

(December 19, 2024) Mama Lava shares another precious insight…

Have you noticed your attention span getting shorter?

Whether it’s the constant scrolling we do from one topic to another on social media, or the short-format videos and stories we’re bombarded with, general consensus suggests the human mind is losing its ability to focus on one thing for long. Is it becoming more difficult for you to overcome distractions?

Recently when taking a walk, I was chatting with the Lord as I went, and He gave me valuable Encouragement from the Tangled Mess of a web-encased fruit tree. But I would like to tell you about another tale, this one less victorious, which played out that same morning.

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DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL TOUGHNESS

(August 28, 2024) Richard Winter gently and cooly shares ‘food for serious thought’…

Who is this man to the right?

  • A tough guy.
  • Distinctive hair style.
  • Famous saying – ‘I pity the fool.’

Mr T, of course… from The A-Team TV series, known for his ‘toughness.’

Christians also have to be tough — spiritually tough — in this world because we are involved in a spiritual war! So I’m going to share about five T’s every Christians should be awake to and delevop, noting that we must —

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GIFT OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE!

(December 08, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari shares good points…

Ever since I was a child, Christmas has always held a special place in my heart. It brings indescribable joy. When I was young, we didn’t have enough money to buy new clothes or gifts, or to decorate the house with fancy colored paper or lights. We lived in a small one-bedroom house with limited food, but… my parents always found ways to make our childhood beautiful and meaningful.

My brother and I are forever grateful for their efforts. It was an amazing time! Visiting grandparents, meeting cousins, going to church early in the morning with sleepy eyes, eagerly waiting to eat a delicious lunch with the whole family gathered around, playing games, and even the occasional sibling squabble – all these things made those days truly beautiful.

Even now, every year, the scent of candles, aroma of cookies, twinkling decorative lights, and the chilly wind, along with heartwarming carols, bring back great memories.

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LEVELLING MOUNTAINS – NOT BY MIGHT, NOT BY POWER BUT BY MY SPIRIT! (Part 2)

(September 4, 2022) Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, concludes his timely challenge on overcoming ‘mountains’ of various kinds…

Last month I shared reflections on Zerubbabel, how God helped this faithful prophet fulfill the challenge He’d been given him. I had mentioned two aspects regarding our accepting of God’s challenges to us, in brief –

1. Inflexible commitment to God’s will… God requires followers like Zerubbabel who are truly committed to Him, Christians whose integrity and commitment will be unshakable, no matter what ‘mountains’ we might encounter!

2. Intimidating pressure of discouragement… God also requires such dedicatedfollowers to bravely face and overcome pressure that comes when we commit to accepting His assignments. Such as the mountains of discouragement that not only come from Satan and outside the church, but sadly from within!

I now reflect on two other aspects, highlighting thatour all-powerful God who has all things already planned goes before us (Isaiah 45:2)!

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YOU TOO CAN OVERCOME LIFE’S STORMS!

(August 10, 2021) Mama Lava shares good advice…

Have you ever flown above a storm?

I will never forget one time I did. It was sublime. I sat in the aeroplane, looking out the window at blue sky and sunshine.

Above the storm
But beneath me were dark grey clouds illumined with periodic flashes of lightening, the forks of which may have reached all the way to the ocean surface far below.

Several years later, I went out for a run. I was blowing off steam from a particularly stressful series of events. I was praying for a way to overcome the storm of life I was in and God reminded me of that aeroplane ride.

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MOVING ON FROM A BAD RELATIONSHIP

(July 28, 2021) Bonnie-Jane shares an encouraging word from her heart…

That 10 Year Challenge Photo/Image Meme phase was popular a while back, and had people reflecting on their past.

As I reminiscence myself, I feel to share some things from my heart and trust they will help someone else who has gone through similar hurtful and damaging experiences in the past as I did. So here goes…

Suffering from a broken heart
Just over some 10 years ago I met someone who at first seemed to be interested in me and a relationship began. But as the months went by he proved to be most insincere and the relationship became an abusive one.

It was a hard and grim time for me. Always considered a gentle-spirited person, easy-going, thoughtful and kind, able to deal with situations, my heart was being broken and even my very personality was changing.

I praise God for his strength to make a most important decision… with his help I decided that enough was enough and broke that relationship!

From depression to renewed confidence
That decision was so important… but now I was feeling that I would never find anyone who genuinely cared and whom I could trust.

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TIME TO TAKE POSSESSION!

(July 21, 2017) Missionary statesman George Forbes challenges the church:

‘If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us’ (Num.14:8).

These words of Caleb and Joshua, spoken on their return from spying out the Promised Land, are powerful and true. When ten of the twelve men chosen to investigate Canaan returned with a negative report, Caleb and Joshua demonstrated a different heart and mind.

Well able!
They did not allow the difficulties in the land to cause them to despair, as the ten other spies did.

Another of Caleb’s God honouring statements was ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it‘ (Numbers 13:30). (more…)

FLIPPING THE SWITCH

Dr-Robert-&-Maureen-McQuillan_Photo

Robert and Maureen McQuillan write:

‘Flipping the switch’ – like a lot of other phrases – can either be rightly understood or, sadly, wrongly construed sexually.

Then there’s the link with longboarding – courageously using wider and longer skateboards. Check James Kelly’s escapade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bC2DnG4yqA

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