Cathy T Burns

Counselor, Teacher, Writer, Spiritual Director

Counselor, Teacher, Writer, Spiritual Director

Focused on Faith and Healing of Heart, Soul, Mind, and Body

My passion is helping people seeking emotional, physical and spiritual wellness.

My counseling specialties include chronic illness, individual counseling, grief counseling, mood regulation, couples counseling, marital intensives, trauma and EMDR.

My practice and workshops utilize a combination of brain physiology, psychology, and spiritual formation through the application of restoration therapy.

Joy in Suffering

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“I am overwhelmed with joy despite all our troubles.”

2 Corinthians 7:4 MSG

The unprecedented, unpredictable, and unrelenting global invasion of COVID 19 results in layers of suffering. The constant pronouncement of lives lost, business closures, schools going virtual, and family separations caused by this virus produce tangible, profound grief and Loss. Loss begins to define and shape our reality.

Suffering of Loss

Experiencing the suffering of Loss can leave us feeling depressed, anxious, impatient, and overreactive. As it seeps into our hearts and minds, we can cope by becoming self-focused, unkind, or numbed out. Is it possible to live in this Covid world and not let the Losses define you?

Since July 1 the Bennetts, as reported on NBC news, suffered the loss of having a newborn in the PICU during the restrictions of Covid. They have been an example of resilience and joy in suffering. By refusing to not be stuck in discouragement, bitterness, and isolation they made another choice. They looked beyond themselves and orchestrated an event of giving which became a joyous outpouring of donations giving other PICU families support. The Bennets demonstrated both gratitude, generosity, and joy in reaching out.

How can we foster a positive mindset in a time of suffering? How can we make that joy adjustment?

Joy is a Choice

Our brains will naturally focus on the negative. A negative bias is the default setting of our brains. A bias is an unfair, distorted one-sided view of reality. In contrast, an open mind accepts both the reality of losses and appreciates the possibility of a positive reality. The question then is how does one choose to be aware of both realities at the same time?

First, it is important to NOTICE, to be aware, acknowledge the losses, and process how they impact our lives. Affirm the natural feelings of frustration, despair, hopelessness, and despair. Do not waste energy stuffing and numbing. To write our feelings down helps our brain to download and process, normalizing our grief. We need to give ourselves permission to grieve! It is natural to have a feeling of grief when losses occur, and noticing your feelings without judgment is essential to opening ourselves up to gratitude.

Second, we must be intentional about slowing down, to be present in the moment. This decision allows us to have more clarity regarding the goodness that is present in our world. Notice the beauty of creation and the kind actions of friends. Appreciate the helpfulness of strangers- such as health care workers and other essential people- and acknowledge our own strengths.

Third, THANK outside the box. Write down what we are thankful for will improve our focus on the positive aspects of our life. Shifting our focus to acknowledge the positive moments can turn suffering into renewal and growth. For example, while the pandemic has brought the worse, highlighting uncertainty, it also reveals our inner strength and God’s provision. The world may be out of control, but we can control our responses. Studies have shown that trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness because we choose not to take things for granted. Things like our shelter, health, love of family, and friends. Gratitude leads us to more joy. The more grateful we become, the more joy is connected to our reality.

Fourth, celebrate the beauty of life. Celebrate by honoring traditions as well as creating new traditions. There are 4 times as many outside lights on my neighbor’s homes this Christmas than last year! My neighbors are celebrating our neighborhood and the season in the midst of this dark winter. There are more zoom reunions, cards, texts, and phone calls. Suffering can remind us of what is life-giving. What can we still do, even in a pandemic! Celebrate those little things we enjoy like a shared meal, building gingerbread houses, lighting candles, playing games, walking out of doors, Christmas music, and lights. Celebrate the light of life!

Joy of God’s Love

It is a staggering wonder how the creator of the universe lavishes us, mere humans, the created, with love. He pursues, protects, and provides. He is a forgiving Father. God gives His grace to strengthen, renew, and restore us into His presence for eternity. Faith in this love produces a joy that touches every part of our life and the world around us. Here are 6 scriptures that point to the wondrous joy that flows from a life lived with God.

  • “Blessed are you when people hate you…Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” Luke 6:22-23
  • “The fruit of the Spirit is ….joy” Galatians 5:22
  • “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” Romans 14:17
  • “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13
  • “Rejoice in the Lord always…” Philippians 4:4
  • “We rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character hope.” Romans 5:3-4

God’s love is stronger than the dark chaos of pain.

His love is unconditional, unending, and unfailing.

God’s love is the unshakable source of our joy.

Our darkness in the suffering can be ignited with the light of joy from His unmistakable love. Our grateful eyes will see His light.

We need to remind each other that the cup of sorrow is also the cup of joy, that precisely what causes us sadness can become the fertile ground for gladness. Indeed, we need to be angels for each other, to give each other strength and consolation. Because only when we fully realize that the cup of life is not only a cup of sorrow but also a cup of joy will we be able to drink it.

quote from You are the Beloved by Henri Nouwen

The pain will not define us
Joy will reignite us…

Celebrate the Joy!

Rooted for Adversity

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Did you fail in a day of adversity,

    did your strength fall short?

Proverbs 24:10 NABRE

Living in a high desert plain of the Texas Panhandle, I became accustomed to a dry and barren landscape. A view dotted with gnarled mesquite trees with dwarfed leaves and rolling tumbleweeds. The plants languished in the hot sun and dry winds, sometimes withering from no water.

However, in spite of the desert, there was an oasis of green that clung to the rivers, springs, creeks, and water tanks. Rooted in a soil of life giving water, there were tall, flourishing upright trees with large green leaves defing the adversity of the environment.

Are these desert times?

Just like the tumbleweeds, we can feel like we are living in an emotional desert. Our desert of adversity is the unpredictable pandemic with school closings, sport bubbles, lost businesses, lost jobs, lost lives, raging wildfires, multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, record heat, racial injustice, riots, all the chaos of a presidential election…(There are many more!)

How can we flourish under such difficult circumstances? No one has ever lived through such a time as this. How are can we defy this adversity?

In Proverbs 24:10, “Did you fail in the day of adversity…”, the Hebrew word for fail can also mean to wither. As I reflect on the recent months I ask myself; Am I withering or defying the adversity through a flourishing life?

These circumstances were not anyone’s choice. We can not control the virus or the weather, but we can control our response! Will we choose to trust our human strength, or trust the divine provision of our Father in heaven?

Who are you trusting?

Jeremiah 17, points to the vitality of rooting ourselves in God’s faithfulness, highlights the importance of choosing who we should trust.

5 This is what the Lord says:

“A curse is placed on those who trust other people,
    who depend on humans for strength,
    who have stopped trusting the Lord.
6 They are like a bush in a desert
    that grows in a land where no one lives,
    a hot and dry land with bad soil.
They don’t know about the good things God can give.

7 “But the person who trusts in the Lord will be blessed.
    The Lord will show him that he can be trusted.
8 He will be strong, like a tree planted near water that sends its roots by a stream.
It is not afraid when the days are hot;
    its leaves are always green.
It does not worry in a year when no rain comes;
    it always produces fruit.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NCV

Rooted in a Trustworthy God

How can we be like the long-living tree that grows tall, flourishing, and never fearing the circumstances of life? We need to be rooted in the reality of God, His truths, promises, presences, and grace-filled salvation.

So when we choose to seek the life-giving water of God’s love, we begin to know who God is and who we are in light of what He has done for us.

Know Who God is and who we are in light of what He has done.

This profound understanding will lead to a faithful life of courage, compassion, service, and peace. Bible study is not just a box to check off your list. It is a nutrient for a life of hope!

God’s grace and the Holy Spirit, will guide us in understanding the power in His words. As we trust God’s power, we will live in confidence that our present circumstances are not an uncertainty for God.

As we flourish, defying adversity, shining bright in the dark chaos around us we will influence our circumstances. Knowing the truth of God changes everything.

Timely Words of Hope

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Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

The morning was chilly for April. Weary of multiple spring storms, I spent the night listening to winds pound my house. But as a new day dawned, I focused on performing my daily ritual of preparing breakfast while watching the morning news bracing myself to weather the storm “Pandemic 2020”.

The steady rain of grim statistics of infection rate and rising death toll suddenly ceased. I stopped my work and was surprised by a story of comfort. From the kitchen, I heart the sounds of the gifted Andrea Bocelli presenting the world with a free Easter performance on the steps of Milan’s Duomo cathedral.

Hope in the Comfort of God’s Love

I watched the stoic anchors begin to soften, smiling as they paused to listen. They were listening to the familiar words of an old hymn proclaiming the love and grace of God. The verses were known, but its message brought renewal. Miraculously, the whole world seems to refuge in the hope that was discovered as an artist sang in front of a seven hundred-year-old cathedral-hope in the God Almighty! Tears of joy began to flow as I sat down to take in the transformative experience.

The media reported: “Italian global music icon Andrea Bocelli gave a solo performance representing a message of love, healing and hope to Italy and the world.” I was encouraged to see that a hurting world welcomed the message of “love, healing, and hope” that pointed to the love of God. An 18th-century song was now inspiring us during a 2020 pandemic.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Amazing Grace by John Newton

The security of God’s love gives hope in a time of uncertainty.

“Pandemic 2020” is like a raging storm in nature, instilling doubt, fear, and confusion about the present and future. In a hurricane or tornado, we become disoriented with losses and the unfamiliar struggle. In the process of recovery, we will discover the strength and provision that was gifted by God. Despite the storms, we can have peace and joy when the source of our hope is in the Amazing Grace of God.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 NLT

Rediscover to Resurrect Life

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Dogwood blooms in April 
So, what does all this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? 32 For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all,[a] he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give. Romans 8:31-32 TPT

The darkness of the pandemic has consumed our thoughts and actions in these last few weeks. Losses have filled our days. Losses of:

  • Gathering in schools, churches, weddings, funerals, family reunions, visitation of loved ones in nursing homes, playgrounds, sporting events, eating out, the list is endless.
  • Earning a wage and having the security of dependable revenue sources.
  • Loved ones to death by an invisible virus. A devastating loss beyond words. The deaths are random striking old, young, poor, or privilege without predictability.
  • Planned dreams with careers, educational endeavors, self-owned businesses, home selling, home buying, retreats for renewal, or that dream vacation.
  • Capabilities of purchasing necessities such as paying rent for shelter, acquiring food, getting hair cuts, buying clothes, or gifts for loved ones.

Consequently, these losses have deepened the darkness. They are fueling fear, anxiety, despair, anger, confusion, or doubt. They consuming thoughts, and build stress.

Rediscovering in the Darkness

Jesus experienced darkness as he hung on the cross during what we call Good Friday. Feeling forsaken is entirely understood by our Saviour. The crucifixion of the Son of God was a shock, an unexpected reality for the disciples. What does all this mean? Saturday came after Friday before Jesus arose on Sunday. Saturday was a dark day of fear, anxiety, anger, and confusion filled with an unthinkable loss…The Son of God is dead.

Like the disciples, we are stuck between a significant loss and the risen light of renewed life. Are we waiting on God to bring us out of the darkness as He did His son? What have we rediscovered in this time of darkness that will resurrect the light in our lives?

Physical distancing may be necessary and leaves us starved for connection. The rediscovery of intentional contact has become a light of renewal. In the darkness of this pandemic, many points of light are being rediscovered as we live through our Saturday:

  • Rediscovered the importance of connection as we choose to have appointed times to Zoom with family and friends. Make actual voice calls to neglected people. Plan zoom meetings with church members to encourage and study God’s word together. Watch live sermons or podcasts that inspire and inform.
  • Rediscovered that the “Church” is not a building; it is the family of believers who long to connect.
  • Rediscovered gratitude for our family, others that serve our towns and communities, our health, love of friends…
  • Rediscovered our strengths, gifts, quiet moments in nature, the wonder of spring with the comfort of the consistency of the seasons.

The realization of these rediscoveries can be life-giving!

Resurrecting Life

Our lives may never be like they were before the pandemic. One thing is for certain, love wins. It is never canceled. Perhaps we have learned to love more. Love is the light of Easter, our Sunday is coming.

The picture at top of the post of the dogwood blossoms are in full bloom this week. They are a symbol of rebirth and resurrection. The legend of the Dogwood tree is described in the following poem:

Legend of the Dogwood Tree ~ unknown

In Jesus time, the dogwood grew to a stately size and a lovely hue. “Twas strong & firm it’s branches interwoven for the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen. Seeing the distress at this use of their wood Christ made a promise which still holds good: “Never again shall the dogwood grow large enough to be used so slender & twisted it shall with blossoms like the cross for all to see. As blood stains, the petals marked in brown the blossom’s center wears a thorny crown. All who see it will remember me crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree. Cherished and protected this tree shall be a reminder of all my agony.

Romans 8:31-32 tells of God’s devoted love for us through Christ. The following quote from Eugene Peterson’s devotional Bible (pg 749) highlights this love as a source of life:

Christ’s love brings a springtime of resurrection to our passions. Wintry doubts are dispelled. The passion of prayer is given new life, new growth. And love blossoms in the most fragrant of ways.

May the reality of Easter settle into your soul as you rest in the certainty of God’s love for you. God be praised, Hallelujah! Listen to this song and be blessed as we celebrate God’s love for us!

3 Positive Truths in an Out of Control World

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KATV Jonesboro AR tornado March 28, 2020

TORNADO WATCH flashed across my phone. A common seasonal occurrence often regarded as a mundane “here we go again” sort of nuisance. However, today was different. I found a current weather report with a real-time video.

The birth of an actual tornado snaking its funnel out of the clouds onto the city was unfolding before my eyes. This realization triggered a barrage of fears expressed in feelings of OUT OF CONTROL, POWERLESSNESS, AND ALONE.

Ultimately the whole family ended up safe in the basement as choices were made to seek shelter. As the storm past, there was a surge of text messages from friends and family checking on the status of our safety.

3 Positive Truths

First, we never have control over our physical world, God does. We must remember; GOD IS IN CONTROL. We are NOT COMPLETELY POWERLESS. the truth is:

1. We can MAKE CHOICES. (we chose protective shelter)

Second, social distancing is the rule of the day, but the truth is:

2. WE ARE NEVER ALONE. (the surge of text from friends)

Finally, even when circumstances are hard, the truth is:

3. GOODNESS PERSONAL GROWTH HAPPENS IN HARD TIMES.

The next day we learned there were no deaths and minor injuries as the F3 tornado past through Jonesboro. There were much relief and thankfulness. People began to come together and help those in need to restore the security of their lives. Surviving and serving in this experience built a sense of connection, personal confidence, and hopefulness.

source: [1] Hargrave, T. D., & Pfitzer, F. (2011). Restoration therapy: understanding and guiding healing in marriage and family therapy. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge

Restoration therapy is the source regarding the regulation of the fear of being unsafe.

The truth is:

Fear can be washed away with a surge of true faith.

Uncertainties of this world can be overcome by faith in the truths that: God is in control (Romans 11:36), we are empowered to make choices through His Spirit (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and trials of any sort can grow our character deepening our hope in God’s eternal love. (James 1:2-5) (Romans 5:3-5).

4 Lord, even when your path takes me through
the valley of deepest darkness,
fear will never conquer me, for you already have!
You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and my peace.[a]
The comfort of your love takes away my fear.
I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.

Psalm 23:4 The Passion Translation

We do not have to be confused in the chaos. God’s faithfulness remains true in the plague of Corna or the scourge of a tornado. He is a God of the promised land and the God of the unknown wilderness. Listen to words of Jeremy Camp’s song Wilderness and let their truth rest your heart.

How to Find PEACE in a PANDEMIC

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The TV blares from its perch above the fireplace. It begins to capture my attention with all the stats and reality of a PANDEMIC. Plastered across the screen, the word PANDEMIC immerses me in words and pictures of fear and the onset of global panic.

The fearful pictures of physical reality do not have to dictate my spiritual reality- the truest part of myself directing my thoughts and actions.

To promote better health in the community social distancing has been prescribed. However, spiritual distancing from God will only promote harmful perceptions leading to unhealthy fear.

Fact about Faith

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NET

Hope is the anchor of faith. We hope for the full restoration of our relationship with God for eternity. This hope is a confident expectation, not a wishful desire.

Faith reliance in God through hope is courageously defiant of fear.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!   Psalm 31:24 AMPC

Heart, a noun in this verse, means the totality of one’s mind, will, soul and understanding. The Hebrew words of action for this heart is to be strong, take courage, wait and hope. I.E. the totality of our being does not passively wait on God but actively lives in the reality of God’s presence.

How can I shelter in place and be strong and take courage?

“Remember what you (God) said to me, your servant— I hang on to these words for dear life! These words hold me up in bad times; yes, your promises rejuvenate me. “Light, space, zest— that’s GOD! So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing.”   Psalm 119:49 Psalm 27:1 MSG

Shelter in place anchored in the hope of God who keeps his word by:

  1. Actively engage in recalling God’s promises. Suggestions: use the YOU VERSION APP, Goggle “God’s Promises”, find online Bible studies
  2. Reach out to trusted friends and family for encouragement via text, FaceTime, Skype or voice calls.
  3. Pray regularly alone or with a family member or friend using social media or voice calls. Be intimate with God, He promises not to forsake us:

“[God] has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5–6)

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

4. Be aware of your thoughts and emotions. Direct your thoughts toward gratefulness (Philippians 4:8). Keep a daily gratitude journal, share it with the family. Gratefulness is wonderful for brain health!

What if I am fearful, anxious, angry and sad?

Those are normal emotions in a time of extreme uncertainty. Emotions are not fact, they are feelings. However, they do have a function. Emotions can protect, inform, adjust and sustain us through life. Be aware of your emotions, be patient with your struggles of wavering faith. That is a normal reaction in the face of such uncertainty.

We can control our emotions by controlling our thinking. Some fear-based thoughts are not based on truth. It is important to self-regulate our thoughts to comply with our faith-based realities or our eternal hope in God.

We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:5. MSG

“Being strong and letting your heart take courage” has a ripple effect!…Having a CONFIDENT HOPE, trusting that God will keep his word, strengthens FAITH.

Hope is defiant reliance on God keeping His Word.

Ann VosKamp

The light of a strong FAITH ignites a heart-felt JOY of eternally belonging to God. This JOY, based on the truth of God’s love, infuses the soul with a PEACE that endures regardless of the circumstances

FAITH>HOPE>JOY>PEACE

Even in these times of a PANDEMIC, we can have PEACE!

God is Fighting for You, let this music encourage you and give your peace…

Morning Reflections

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Lord, you are so good to me, so kind in every way[a]
and ready to forgive,
for your grace-fountain keeps overflowing,
drenching all your lovers who pray to you.

…your nurturing love is tender and gentle.
You are slow to get angry yet so swift to show your faithful love.
You are full of abounding grace and truth.[a Psalm 86:5,15 TPT

God is…forgiving, overflowing, drenching, nurturing, tender, gentle, faithful, loving, abounding in grace and truth.

Today take pause to open your heart to the reality of God’s love around you. Consider the words of the psalm above and the song below that celebrates the consuming grace of God that gives a love that “found my soul worth dying for”.

Does God Hide?

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My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19 MSG

Alone

The house, devoid of the 42 years of accumulated possessions, relinquished it’s treasures to a vast truck that was pulling away. Alone, inside the house, I was stuffing heavy emotions as I watched my possessions depart.

Dropping my gaze I focused on an isolated sheet of paper in the middle of the study floor. Stooping to throw it away I had a strong urge to examine the paper.

Opening the page I discovered lyrics that proclaimed hope and trust that God was near. The words stirred my sense of lostness mingled with a desire to have hope.

Clinging to these words I knew that they needed to be highlighted in my life at the moment. I stuffed the paper in my back-pack and shifted into auto mode as I locked up the house. I was good at not self-reflecting when stressed, I doggedly focused on the next task.

The next morning, with boxes and my precious dogs, I headed east on I40. Just as I took the fork in the road, marking the point of no return, I heard a surprising yet familiar lyrics from the radio (I rarely listen to the radio vs my own playlist!). It was the same song recovered from the study floor! “You (God) are with me and You won’t let go…” by Tenth Ave North.

Perfect in the timing, perfect in touching my heart as only God could. Unbelievable! With tears flowing, my heart was captivated by His love. I felt strengthened to be fearless and free as I started my new journey.

I had been packing the house, closing a counseling practice, saying goodbye to friends and preparing for the move to another state. All without the presence of my husband, who was already working his new job, highlighted the reality of my aloneness, binding my heart and soul, blinding me to my God who stayed. The burden of handling loose ends alone created a negatively biased anxious heart reacting with an unrelenting push of independence.

Awakening

The song awoke my awareness giving me a corrected vision of His presence throughout my ordeal. I had never been alone, God was not hiding, perhaps I had not been fully looking.

I was not fully looking because the love of our Divine Creator is so hard to believe! A love that is with us always in spite of our betrayals of puny faith. As C. S. Lewis beautifully articulates in his book The Problem with Pain:

“…it passes reason to explain why any creatures, not to say creatures such as we, should have a value so prodigious in their Creator’s eyes.”

Birth to the grave, humans need connection. We are hardwired to flourish emotionally and physically through healthy relationships. Creating us for relationships, our Creator will never hide from our essential sustenance for true life. Relationship with our God, the essence of unbelievable unconditional love, is always available.

“The love of God– the love of Christ — for you is so spectacular that you cannot grasp it.” source John Piper from Consider Your Calling

Hiding in Fear

Grasping the vastness of God’s loyal love is plagued with obstacles. The strongest obstacles are our own choices. The habitual coping reactions of shame, anxiety, pride, resentment, and anger, can be chosen providing short term protection for our hearts. Long term, these reactions will only protract the pain in our hearts. A pain that feeds our fears that God has left us helpless, worthless and unlovable. These are lies blinding us of the reality of the lifeline of holy connection to our Father who created us.

Seeking in Faith

The truth is, God has done all the work giving us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him. Through His love, we have access to His presence through the sacrifice of His son crucified. We can choose to be His, to be loved, made worthy and empowered by His Spirit. We must believe it.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32

Why would God do this for us? We were born as we were created by love to be loved, we are made worthy through His love. Worthy to become the containers of God’s light and power (2 Corinthians 4:7). We can remain hidden or choose to open our hearts to be filled with the power of God’s love.

Believing Truth

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 MSG

As scripture proclaims, our human brains struggle to conceive the extravagant dimensions of this divine love. Letting that truth penetrate, will open our eyes to His continuous presence in our lives, no matter what.

Henri Nouwen wrote in his book You Are the Beloved: I am beginning to now see how radically the character of my spiritual journey will change when I no longer think of God as hiding out and making it as difficult as possible for me to find him, but, instead, as the One who is looking for me while I am doing the hiding.

Knowing the assurance that we have a God who stays, and the awareness of our fears that may be causing us to hide will heighten our spiritual journey with God giving us the clarity that will put us on a path to inner peace and profound joy.

Listen to Matthew West’s song The God Who Stays and be confident we have God’s love always.

Gratitude Redeems Life’s Struggles

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1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.

22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and announce his works with shouts of joy.

43 Let whoever is wise pay attention to these things
and consider the Lord’s acts of faithful love.   Psalm 107: 1,22,43 CSV

23 The sacrifice that honors me
    is a thankful heart.
Obey me,
    and I, your God,
    will show my power to save.  Psalms 50:23 CEV

 

I often hear about and experience struggle all around me.

A young wife and mother with a husband battling leukemia.

A mother to be. experiencing a stillbirth of her loved child.

The only adult child, losing both aging parents within weeks of each other.

A floundering marriage of two wounded hearts battling to be loved.

A young adult beginning her life haunted by memories of abuse.

These are just some of the struggles I came in contact with yesterday.

With Thanksgiving is next week, how can these experiences co/exist with gratitude?

What is Gratitude?

Research would reveal many definitions from a scientific point of view and a spiritual reality.

Gratitude has a twofold emphasis, an appreciation for the goodness of life and the connection with something larger than themselves. I.E. to thankfully receive kindness from other people in the community as well as a connection (for believers in Christ) to the divine creator of the universe, Jehovah God.

Is Gratitude Possible through the Struggles of Life?

When a life has been steeped in suffering, disappointments, losses, illness or injustice, how can or why should we choose to live with the mindset of gratitude?

Gratitude is not only possible during a life struggle but it is highly probable. Gratitude is often strongest during or after a crisis.

The first Thanksgiving was initiated by the pilgrims as a redemptive response to the tremendous number of deaths after the first year of landing in a foreign world. It became a national holiday in the middle of the civil war and was officially designated to the last Thursday in November following the Great Depression.

In good times we become complacent and are less likely to treasure the gifts of comfort and security to which we have become accustomed.

In a crisis, we become acutely aware of our vulnerabilities, searching for strength and security through actions and connections of others. We also have a greater sensitivity and clarity regarding the goodness that is present in our world. This goodness is a light to a heart that is floundering in the darkness of a chaotic world.

The recent victims of the hurricane in Houston demonstrated profound gratitude for their rescuers and the security of the lives of family members. The gratitude was a grounding force that helped the victims press forward into recovery efforts restoring their homes.

 

How is Gratitude a Gift?

The benefits of gratitude have been affirmed in books of psychology and proclaimed in spiritual writings including the Bible.

Physically, the practice of gratitude can relieve stress, improve sleep, and decrease pain, improving the immune system and even rewiring the brain. Gratitude changes the perspective of any bad situation heightening the focus on the goodness that gives security and connection.

The biggest hindrance to having gratitude is an attitude of entitlement and self-absorption. This perspective is blind to the graciousness of others. In contrast, humility heightens the awareness the redemptive presences of blessings bring in the turmoil of life.

In Psalm 107 David writes about many experiences of crisis punctuated with the reality of God’s covering in that moment. The first verse, the middle verse and the last verse are some of the verses in that chapter proclaiming gratitude for the secure goodness of God’s love. These verses indicate the benefit of joy and wisdom in the practice of gratitude.

The sacrifice of a thankful heart in Psalms 50 is a soft heart, humbly honoring God, open to His leading. I get a mental picture of a childlike person captivated by the love of His Father, resting in His presences, confident in His power to save.

3 Spiritual Benefits of Gratitude

These passages outline the spiritual benefits of gratitude for the love of our Father. The gratitude of a humble heart:

  1. Instills Power – confidently receiving His power, creating resilience
  2. Inspires Purpose – lives life joyously and wisely, realizing redemption
  3. Initiates Peace – knows the presence of God is real, releasing anxiety

Gratitude Gives Clarity to the Reality of God’s Presence

The grateful heart is hope(full) hearted, leaning on the power, purpose, and peace of God in every situation of life. The promises of God never waver, His presence proclaims His promises. The practice of gratitude conditions our hearts to seek and sense, with clarity, the presence of God.

The lyrics of this song, The Presence of God, is an offer of thanksgiving for God’s persistent loving presence giving us hope, healing, restoration, and power, guiding to the end.

Father, release the hopelessness from my heart, filling me with your Spirit. I humbly submit to Your guidance and request that you open the eyes of my heart to receive the freedom of gratitude to perceive the reality your presence. Thank you for your everlasting loving kindness that is my anchor in this chaotic world and my light to a path of peace; THROUGH JESUS CHRIST MY LORD.  AMEN

 

To Taste God’s Goodness We Must First Have a Taste for God Part 3

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Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 AMPC

Driving alone with my two canine companions for eleven hours, could not have been better. The dogs were chilled, taking an amazing nap in the back of the car. I stayed alert and the car did not falter.

As a side note, the week I arrived, all four of my brakes had to be replaced. They suddenly began to make an alarming grinding noise. I knew the timing was God’s protection! After two months of intensely trusting Him as a companion in this moving process, my awareness of His protection and provision was highlighting God’s goodness

The awareness of His goodness freed my fears and fed my faith.

The Heart, Mind, and Soul Work Together to Taste the Goodness of God

Taste and see that the Lord is good!
How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him! Psalms 34:8 NET

Written together, the words “taste” and “see”, in the original Hebrew language mean; to perceive, experience, behold, see intellectually, live to see, to be fully aware.

As we trust we must also be intentional about developing our soul awareness of God’s goodness. We must be devoted to staying engaged in the process of softening our wounded hearts and opening our minds.

The 3 Actions that Lead to the Tasting of God’s Goodness

SEEK– To make a delicious dish, research is done first, seeking more information about the combination of spices and cooking temperatures. To seek, to “see intellectually”, to know what is the goodness of God and to understand what His promises are, is the first step toward developing the taste for God’s goodness.

Praying for wisdom and discernment, followed by the study of scripture, will reveal God truths that will heighten trust leaving us with a desire for more divine connection.

ENGAGE– To be intentionally aware of the presence of God. To be mindful of people, protection, and provision that God is placing in your life. To be still, to open your awareness to the presence of God in your mind and heart.

A simple prayer from the psalms or a breathe prayer can slow down the chaos of thoughts and allow you to be more spiritually connected with your Father.

ENJOY – The moment your taste is stimulated, relish in the savory taste of His love. Take note, take a picture, pause, imbibe in the moment. There is no joy like the realization that God cares, He is there, He sees, He loves unconditionally…We are free from the confines of our fears.

Live Hope(full) Hearted

Tasting God’s goodness grows a life that is hope(full).

We become hope(full) hearted living as someone that can say “I have this hope In the depth of my soul”. Your heart is the essence of who you are, your identity, it determines your perspective of life.

A heart full of hope, a confident trust, in God’s goodness will have an awareness of His presence. An awareness that will change your perspective allowing you to see yourself and others with eyes love and compassion.

I am going forward in this new place, two states away, hope(full) hearted. God has become my place of peace and source of joy. Prayers have been answered guiding our church planting team in God’s direction. Some days I do focus on the hurt(full) moments of loss and lose my footing a bit. My good God is patient and forgiving as I take one day at a time.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Please listen to the song I Have this Hope and live in the joy of His goodness.