".. 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain." ..
"27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."-John 14:27
"13I can do everything through him who gives me strength."-Philippians 4:13
"9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me"-2 Corinthians 12:9
"
1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble."[a]
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Above is the verse given to me for the Sunday School ("Super Church") lesson ("We Can Come to Jesus with Our Biggest Problem")
this morning (Sunday, January 23rd 2011) I'm preparing along with the story below..
"
40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[c] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."
47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”
50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."
51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened."
Can't Sleep
"1 Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[b]?[c]
3 Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the LORD hears when I call to him.
4 Tremble and[d] do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the LORD.
6 Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
. "-Psalm 4
"..How to sleep better tip 1: Keep a regular sleep schedule..
Spending long days in an office away from natural light, for example, can impact your daytime wakefulness and make your brain sleepy. Then bright lights at night—especially from hours spent in front of the TV or computer screen—can suppress your body’s production of melatonin and make it harder to sleep. However, there are ways for you to naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle, boost your body’s production of melatonin, and keep your brain on a healthy schedule....
How to sleep better tip 4: Eat right and get regular exercise
Your daytime eating and exercise habits play a role in how well you sleep. It’s particularly important to watch what you put in your body in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
Stay away from big meals at night. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. ...
How to sleep better tip 5: Get anxiety and stress in check ...
If you can’t stop yourself from worrying, especially about things outside your control, you need to learn how to manage your thoughts. For example, you can learn to evaluate your worries to see if they’re truly realistic and learn to replace irrational fears with more productive thoughts. Even counting sheep is more productive than worrying at bedtime.
.
If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake, you need help with stress management. By learning how to manage your time effectively, handle stress in a productive way, and maintain a calm, positive outlook, you’ll be able to sleep better at night. ...
How to sleep better tip 6: Ways to get back to sleep... Tips for Better Sleep , surfinthespirit.com "...
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the four to six hours before bedtime..."
How to fall asleep fast - 10 easy tips
"MayoClinic.com recommends the following tips to prevent holiday stress and depression.
1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
3. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes.
4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression too.
5. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
7. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
8. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity.
9. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
Written for the web by Brian Collins.
bcollins@ksax.com"
"lesson with reveal the secrets hidden in God’s Word that you can use to stomp out stress for good.
Yes, this world is a stressful place. But, even though you live in this world, you are not of it (John 17:16).
And God does not want you to experience the same pressures and worries that everyone else does.
So don't worry about these things, saying,
'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'
These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers,
but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
- Matthew 6:31-32 (NLT)
Instead of being consumed by the pressures of this world, God has another plan for you.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously,
and He will give you everything you need. - Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)
Sounds like a great promise. You might be wondering why it is not yet manifesting in your own life.
But, do you spend the majority of your energy seeking God’s kingdom, or the things of this present life.
One will lead you to peace, but the other will always lead to stress.
God in our Stress: The Christian's Guide to Stress Management
"nformation about God in our Stress: The Christian's Guide to Stress Management. You can get an electronic copy of this book online, or have a paperback shipped directly to you. The powerful principles of God in our Stress have helped many people to overcome stress in their lives and live with the joy and fulfillment that God promises His children."
"
First, let's define what we mean by stress. Stress is an arousal of your sympathetic nervous system. Chronic stress means your sympathetic nervous system is aroused for extended periods...hours, days, or even weeks on end.
College life stressors may include...
* Roommates and their varying personalities
* Pop quizzes or final exams
* Financial issues
* Peer pressures
* Sleep deprivation ...
Common causes of stress and what to do about it
Time crunches -- self discipline is one of your most effective means of fighting stress. Use a weekly planner. Determine what your weekly and daily priorities are and write them in your planner. Get into the habit of making your to do lists before you turn out the lights at night. Take 10 minutes in the morning before you rush off to class to review your planner. Think about what else needs to get done that day. Write it in your planner. Look at your planner through out the day to remind yourself of your goals and tasks.
Inability to say "No" -- once you start using a weekly planner it will be easier for you to say no....
"..Sleep Problems
Another major problem we see is difficulty falling and staying asleep; 38% of the population has difficulties falling asleep, and 51% has insomnia several nights a week.
Some practical things you can do if you have sleep problems include:
• Going to bed and getting up at the same time
• Not consuming caffeine after noon
• Not exercising within 4 hours of going to bed
In addition, there are natural ingredients that can promote restful sleep. These include:
• Theanine (an amino acid derived from green tea leaves)
• Valerian (an herb)
• Chamomile (flower extract)
• Melatonin (natural hormone)
..
"Before you ever learned about keeping your bedroom dark, cool, quiet and gadget-free, chances are someone (Hi, Mom!) told you some of their own theories about how to get the best sleep.
While we know that things like staying away from caffeine and exercise close to bedtime really do promote better zzz's, there's --unsurprisingly! -- not much scientific evidence surrounding folk methods like drinking warm milk or counting sheep. Just because these home-grown sleep remedies continue to be passed down over the years doesn't mean they work!
So does Mom really know best when it comes to falling asleep fast? We asked Michael Decker, Ph.D., an associate professor at Georgia State University and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, to explain if your go-to method really works.
Lullabies Soothing music before bedtime can really do the trick. A 2005 study found that older people who listened to 45 minutes of soft tunes before hitting the hay reported a 35 percent improvement in their sleep problems.
But it doesn't have to be Brahms, if that's not your style. As long as the music was soft and slow -- around 60 to 80 beats per minute -- it can spur physical changes known to promote sleep, like a slower heart rate and breathing, the BBC
Warm MilkIt was once thought that a glass of warm milk at bedtime would help send you off to dreamland because of the tryptophan, The New York Times reported, but milk and other protein-rich foods actually block tryptophan's sleepiness-inducing effects. However, there might still be a psychological benefit to that warm milk, the Times concluded, calling it "as soothing as a favorite old blanket."
"1. Secrets to Sleeping Soundly
There are many reasons why people have a difficult time staying asleep. The good news is that common problems with sleep are often easily addressed without the use of medication - there are no guaranteed natural cures for insomnia, but there are effective steps you can take. Ask yourself these questions (and try the simple sleep aid recommendations) if you find yourself waking frequently in the night:..
"#
Pray
#
Go to bed on time.
#
Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
#
Say "No," to projects/activities that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
#
Delegate tasks to capable others.
...
"I have often felt weary and as if I was carrying a heavy burden. I have many times had to balance working enough hours to help to pay the bills, meet deadlines at work, keep up with chores at home, and make my husband, children, other relatives and friends feel loved and cared for. Add in anything extra, like an illness or car break down or any of the many other things that can go wrong in a day, and the feeling gets to be unbearable.
A yoke was a double harness in which two animals pulled together. Often, one harness was larger and meant for the stronger animal, while the smaller was used for the smaller or inexperienced animal being trained.
The larger side of the harness is for Jesus for He is stronger and He knows the way, the smaller side for us.
This is God’s stress relief program and is available to anyone who believes what Jesus said and chooses to take His yoke. He offers to give us rest and to walk with us and to help to carry the load, to teach us and give us rest for our souls.
"...6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ..."-Philippians 4
Bible
5 Minutes Bible Study - When Life Goes Bad
"Our Daily Bread
David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. —1 Samuel 30:6
Everything looked bleak to David and his men when they arrived at Ziklag (1 Sam. 30:1-6). The Amalekites had attacked the city and taken their wives and children captive. The men were so discouraged that they wept until they had no more energy. And David, their leader, was "greatly distressed" because the people were contemplating stoning him (v.6).
In the end, David's army rescued their families and defeated the Amalekites. But the story takes a great turn even before that when "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (v.6). Other translations use the words encouraged or refreshed.
The text doesn't say exactly how David did this. But it makes me wonder, In what ways can we strengthen, encourage, or refresh ourselves in the Lord when we're feeling discouraged?
First, we can remember what God has done. We can list the ways He has cared for us in the past, and how He has provided for us or answered a prayer request.
Second, we can remember what God has promised. "Be strong and of good courage; . . . for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Josh. 1:9).
Like David, let's learn to strengthen ourselves in the Lord, and then let's leave the rest with Him. — Anne Cetas
"I will strengthen," so take courage,
Child of God, so weak and frail.
God has said so, and it must be,
For His promise cannot fail! —Anon.
Our greatest strength is often shown in our ability to stand still and trust God."
"..Finally, it is imperative to recognize that the ultimate problems which need to be dealt with are spiritual in nature. They are not just mental and emotional issues. They are not just the result of chemical imbalances in the brain , although these sometimes need to be addressed by qualified health professionals as well. (Note: These are issues I have had to personally deal with as well as a number of Christians and Christian leaders who I have been involved with over the years.) The deeper issues I am addressing are heart and soul issues rooted beneath many of the outward effects of PTSD. In my experience, PTSD can not be fully dealt with unless we deal with some of the deeper issues of the inner man. These are seldom adequately dealt with by both secular and Christian counselors. Though the practical advice given below is birthed out of years of personal experience, secular efforts to deal with PTSD alone, often fail to deal with the underlying condition in a complete and comprehensive way.
It is my hope and prayer that these tapes will help those on the pathway to healing by addressing some of these deeper heart and soul issues...
" 28
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Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."-Matthew 11
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