Faith Over Fear

The back to school season is so exciting and stressful all at the same time. There are many new adventures ahead, but these can also create anxiety on what the future looks like. We are not here to solve everyone’s problems around us, but rather, we should be asking God to take on this role and trusting that His plan is the best one. Some of us feel like we should be the fixer of all things but if we do that, we are not teaching others how to take control of their own situations and be responsible for their own lives. Today, we’ll talk through how to control what we can and how to not spend as much time in our lives worrying over the uncontrollable or trying to solve everyone else’s problems.

The summer months are a perfect time to enjoy vacations and some downtime before the year gets too hectic in the fall/winter months. We’ll talk through how God wants us to use Him when we begin to worry about different things, and how we can trust that what we are going through (or will go through) will make us stronger on the other side. We’ll also talk through a GLAD method of how we can practice gratitude every day to help us recognize our blessings and lean on God to guide us through situations as life happens.

May is Mental Health Awareness month, so it’s a perfect time to prioritize our mental health which helps us also have strong physical & emotional health. This will look different for everyone, and today we will talk through tips & tricks on how to work through challenges that you may be facing. Remember that it’s OK to not be OK and the more you talk about what’s impacting you, the more you are able to positively impact your total well-being. With 1 in 5 adults facing mental health challenges, it’s so important to understand what resources are available.

Everyone is carrying a burden of some kind, although they may not show it on the outside. In order to Be A Light in the world, let’s choose kindness with our words and actions towards others. One small gesture - a smile or saying a simple hello - can help someone in their moment of need, even if it’s a silent need. The story of the funeral we will read today resonated with me on how people can be impacted for the rest of their lives based on what type of interactions they have with us. It’s a great reminder of how kindness can positively impact those around us.

The days can be long and the nights can be tough. Everyone is carrying a burden of some kind, and we don’t always know what someone else is going through. In order to be a light in the world, we need to show up for ourselves and for others by offering grace, hope, and optimism. God is so eager to hear our worries and help us with our problems - we need to put our faith and hope into Him…and we must learn how to be patient and not rush His answer for He will answer in His timing which doesn’t always line up with our own timelines. Have Faith Over Fear and be a light to push through whatever comes this year!

In a world that can be full of chaos and negativity, being a light means you are bringing hope, kindness, and goodness into the darkness. Help yourself and help others see a different path for fighting battles and coming out stronger on the other side. Today, we’ll talk through 10 selfless ways that you can be a light so you can put these into practice over the next 30 days and see what changes around you. The blog, ‘basicsbybecca’, published this article in 2020, but all 10 ways are still very relevant today. So, trust in God, have Faith Over Fear, be a light, and have a truly Happy & Good New Year!

It’s hard to believe we are already at the end of our year, but time is not slowing down. This is the perfect time to pause and reflect in order to better understand what we liked about the year and what we didn’t like so much. It’s also a great time to see how our own choices and actions either propelled happiness or deterred it. The holiday season can be stressful and lonely, but we are all blessed with being alive and having another day (aka chance) to make ourselves happy. Let’s take time to reflect on this past year and think about what we want to achieve in the year ahead. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

To truly forgive someone (or ourselves), we must be able to forgive the physical act against us but also erase all negative feelings & emotions associated with the person. We can best do this by embracing God’s peace and reflecting on the blessings in our lives…which also helps us to remember our purpose & “why” for tackling each day. Be in the moment - let yesterday stay in the past and don’t let tomorrow’s worries creep into today. God is bigger than your worries - use Him to move onward & upward, regardless of what you’re moving away from. And, remember to be kind, show respect, and offer grace & patience as we enter the busy fall & holiday seasons.

Last month we talked about being a piglet and loving our “neighbors”. This month, let’s focus on rising above what others may have done to us and learn how to practice forgiveness so that we may face our toughest challenges and be resilient to overcome them. Truly forgiving someone means erasing our negative emotions towards them and choosing to treat them with respect and dignity as Jesus guides us to do. We’ll also talk through the “7 Rules of Life” as best practices for how to choose forgiveness and happiness each day. Let’s be kind, show respect, and offer grace & patience as we enter the busy fall & holiday seasons.

Last month we talked about being in a slump and tips & tricks for overcoming these. Taking the challenge of enjoying “me” time feeds into this month’s discussion around using a support network to help you through tough times which allows you to welcome help but also allows you to offer your help to others. We often get too busy with our lives and fail to recognize when we are running short on emotions which sometimes can have negative effects on others. If we stop and recognize when we feel this way, we can pause and understand what God means when He instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Let’s be kind, show respect, and offer grace & patience as we enter the busy fall & holiday seasons.