"For decades, God has been renewing His people's understanding of how important it is to confess His Word out loud. By this point, mature Believers should be well-versed in the power of speaking God's Word. In 5778, it is time to move from simple understanding to very purposeful action in this area." - Jamie Rohrbaugh
These words from the prophetic word on The Elijah List this morning resonated strongly within me. Here is the link to the entire word: http://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=18829.
Enjoy!
9.22.2017
9.20.2017
Blessed 5778!
Rosh Hashanah begins this evening. There are two very imperfect loaves of challah bread cooling in the kitchen, and a brisket is sending out wafts of deliciousness as it cooks as well. A chai honey cake is sitting all pretty as it waits for dessert time. There was another honey cake, but it didn't come out of the pan well last night. Since it fell to pieces, it couldn't be served to company. Therefore, it became dessert for us last night after supper. It was delicious.
While Rosh Hashanah is about more than food, something about the preparation has captured my attention. For the first time since beginning our family's observance of God's Seasons aka feasts, I did not stress even a little about everything being just so. I have thoroughly enjoyed preparing the cakes and bread for our feast even though neither turned out exactly perfect.
The challah loaves are beautiful, but I am fairly certain they are not technically supposed to be beautiful in such a "rustic" way. At least none of the pictures online have such a decidedly rustic beauty about them.
Not only are the bread loaves imperfect, but they were made with a method that uses a ziplock bag! Not one bowl was used in the making of those loaves. Not one. Guess what! The sky is still above us, and the ground is still firm beneath our feet. Not one thing or person was negatively affected because I tried something that seemed a little "iffy" to me, and I don't feel like a failure because I took a shortcut and my bread looks less than perfect. That in and of itself is amazing.
For those wondering, the plastic bag method was convenient, but I have another recipe tucked away to try next time. The new recipe uses a bowl. Besides desiring a well-oiled bowl for my dough to raise in, I also want to try several different ways of braiding the loaves. Not only that, but I want to try braiding the regular bread dough recipe we usually use for homemade bread too. I think I sense a bread braiding phase beginning. Do you? Can't you envision a Thanksgiving table with loaves of braided bread spreading their glossy beauty about? How charming would a basket of tiny loaves of braided bread be alongside a tureen of soup? Of course I want the bread to be delicious, but if it looks pretty too, so much the better.
Anyway...today is new, a new year, a new season, new. We are beginning this new tonight with a simple meal shared with family and friends celebrating God's goodness to His children. Some say gathering around the table is a sacred act. That when we gather together in the name of Jesus, something amazing takes place. I am not an expert, but I do know that most of my fondest memories involve the gathering of family and friends, and that when we were gathered, we shared a meal. I have also been learning about Sabbath rest for several months. Sometimes an actual stopping of work is unable to take place, but we can make an intentional stop in our hearts to make Christ the totality of our focus. This brings a Sabbath rest to my inner being.
Somehow, I sense that tonight as we gather around our table and place our focus completely on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we will experience more of God's new along with a Sabbath rest. That something amazing will take place as we give thanks and break bread together. Something about what I am sensing imparts an inner peace that allows my shoulders to relax and my thoughts to be calm. It also prompts me to stand behind each chair at my table and with my hands resting on the back of each chair lovingly lavish each one with prayer for whoever will sit there this evening. These prayers may be the most important part of the evening's preparations. For what good will delicious bread and brisket be to my family without a loving peaceful place to sit and find rest?
The influence of a woman is immense. May the influence I have be always and ever to the glory of God. May my home literally be infused with His love, peace, and grace. May all who enter and all who depart experience the love of God made real. Some may doubt whether ordinary bread and meat can speak of the love of God. As for me, I have no doubt concerning the loving song ordinary things sing when touched by God. May the words from the book of Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" be lived out fully in our home tonight and every night.
Happy Rosh Hashanah 5778!
Abundantly Blessed
While Rosh Hashanah is about more than food, something about the preparation has captured my attention. For the first time since beginning our family's observance of God's Seasons aka feasts, I did not stress even a little about everything being just so. I have thoroughly enjoyed preparing the cakes and bread for our feast even though neither turned out exactly perfect.
The challah loaves are beautiful, but I am fairly certain they are not technically supposed to be beautiful in such a "rustic" way. At least none of the pictures online have such a decidedly rustic beauty about them.
Not only are the bread loaves imperfect, but they were made with a method that uses a ziplock bag! Not one bowl was used in the making of those loaves. Not one. Guess what! The sky is still above us, and the ground is still firm beneath our feet. Not one thing or person was negatively affected because I tried something that seemed a little "iffy" to me, and I don't feel like a failure because I took a shortcut and my bread looks less than perfect. That in and of itself is amazing.
For those wondering, the plastic bag method was convenient, but I have another recipe tucked away to try next time. The new recipe uses a bowl. Besides desiring a well-oiled bowl for my dough to raise in, I also want to try several different ways of braiding the loaves. Not only that, but I want to try braiding the regular bread dough recipe we usually use for homemade bread too. I think I sense a bread braiding phase beginning. Do you? Can't you envision a Thanksgiving table with loaves of braided bread spreading their glossy beauty about? How charming would a basket of tiny loaves of braided bread be alongside a tureen of soup? Of course I want the bread to be delicious, but if it looks pretty too, so much the better.
Anyway...today is new, a new year, a new season, new. We are beginning this new tonight with a simple meal shared with family and friends celebrating God's goodness to His children. Some say gathering around the table is a sacred act. That when we gather together in the name of Jesus, something amazing takes place. I am not an expert, but I do know that most of my fondest memories involve the gathering of family and friends, and that when we were gathered, we shared a meal. I have also been learning about Sabbath rest for several months. Sometimes an actual stopping of work is unable to take place, but we can make an intentional stop in our hearts to make Christ the totality of our focus. This brings a Sabbath rest to my inner being.
Somehow, I sense that tonight as we gather around our table and place our focus completely on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we will experience more of God's new along with a Sabbath rest. That something amazing will take place as we give thanks and break bread together. Something about what I am sensing imparts an inner peace that allows my shoulders to relax and my thoughts to be calm. It also prompts me to stand behind each chair at my table and with my hands resting on the back of each chair lovingly lavish each one with prayer for whoever will sit there this evening. These prayers may be the most important part of the evening's preparations. For what good will delicious bread and brisket be to my family without a loving peaceful place to sit and find rest?
The influence of a woman is immense. May the influence I have be always and ever to the glory of God. May my home literally be infused with His love, peace, and grace. May all who enter and all who depart experience the love of God made real. Some may doubt whether ordinary bread and meat can speak of the love of God. As for me, I have no doubt concerning the loving song ordinary things sing when touched by God. May the words from the book of Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" be lived out fully in our home tonight and every night.
Happy Rosh Hashanah 5778!
Abundantly Blessed
9.18.2017
A Conversation Worth Sharing
Some conversations are worth sharing. The conversations on Sally Clarkson's blog and website are just such treasure. This post right here is filled with so much more than a loving reminder from a friend of the importance of the family table and feasting, though that is worth the visit there in and of itself. This visit from Sally Clarkson contains a podcast and the opportunity to win some lovely tea towels. You don't want to miss this opportunity! Truly, you don't.
Love and hugs,
Abundantly Blessed
Love and hugs,
Abundantly Blessed
9.17.2017
Don't Forget Rosh Hashanah!
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins later this week! It is also known as the Feast of Trumpets. It is one of God's feasts listed in the Bible. It begins 10 days of Awe that lead up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These high holy days are an excellent opportunity to take the time to examine our hearts. How thankful we are to Yeshua, Jesus, for making atonement once and for all for our sins!
Getting ready to blow our shofar, trumpet!
Abundantly Blessed
9.14.2017
I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will
Isn't it interesting how the various areas of our lives intersect each other? Recently in school we have been learning a phrase from a former educator named Charlotte Mason. Miss Mason was, and still is, renown for her methods and techniques used in children's education. The saying we have been learning is "I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will." Each line in this phrase is intended to be seen as a step on a ladder that leads to development of the will and maturity. It was shared on a website as the following:
- I am a child of God. I'm very valuable because God made me.
- I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. God has made me able to do everything that I have to do.
- I ought to do my job so that I will be obeying God, my parents, and everyone in authority over me.
- I will resolve to keep watch over my thoughts and tongue, and choose what's right even if it's not what I want.
Obviously this is a tool to be used when instructing a child how to develop their will. Yet I quickly realized I need to learn the use of these steps as much or more than my children. One area I need to apply these steps is in the area of physical fitness.
I can't be a mother who is always ready for adventure and whatever fun her children and family come up with while sitting at my computer in a body stagnating from lack of use. It isn't the excess fat on my body that is keeping me from actively living life. It is my decision to engage in passive activities rather than physically active ones that allows excess fat to gather on my body. Age and hormones may make it easier for me to get fatter and more out-of-shape, but it is my willingness to remain fat and out-of-shape that keeps me this way. It is my refusal to make different choices for my physical well-being that determine my present state of body.
I am able to move. I am able to choose activities that require more motion. I am able to make choices in diet and exercise that balance hormones. I can make decisions to do so. I can live full and healthy. I can be active. I can make hard stops during the day for exercise and prayer. I can choose healthy. I ought to provide an example of a restfully active life for my children and others around me. I ought to show my gratitude for the abundant life God has blessed me with by choosing to live abundantly in every area of life.
What will I do? What will I choose to think? These are the questions being answered today. If you are considering walking more fully in total abundance, a journal or notebook might be useful for jotting down thoughts, prayers, and answers to questions asked along the journey. There will be questions and suggested journaling activities included at the bottom of each post for anyone who might want to dig a little deeper or go a bit further. Thank you to everyone who is walking along beside me in this. It is our first day in! Here we go!
Extra thoughts, questions, and journaling:
- What area(s) of my life do I need to be honest with myself about?
- In the above area(s), use the I am, I can, I ought, I will statements to document your honesty. Feel free to take another look at the paragraph in the post where the statements are used in regards to my physical fitness as an example.
- Remaining in a brutally honest mode, prayerfully answer the questions of What will I do? and What will I choose to think? in regards to the chosen areas from number 1.
- God is our truth authority. Go to the Bible and find scripture verses that correlate to the I am, I can, I ought, and I will statements shared in the post. For example, Psalm 139 could be used for I am a child of God....
- Remember that this is a journey. Learning what complete abundance in Christ is will be a process. We will be learning new ways of seeing, hearing, and thinking about ourselves and others. Let us follow the example of our Lord Jesus and show ourselves mercy and grace as we learn to be more like Him.
- In a journal, list five things that cause gratitude to rise up within.
- Tell, write, sing, draw, or express in another personal way that gratitude to God.
Living one step closer to God's Abundance,
Abundantly Blessed
9.13.2017
The Door is Open!
"The Doorway Stands Open Before You"
by Daneen Bottler, Portland, OR
Recently, the Holy Spirit brought me into a vision of an open, grassy field with lots of wild flowers growing in it. Right in the middle of this grassy field stood this wooden doorway. It was made of a simple wood-frame and had a wooden threshold without a door attached to it. You could see from one side to the other, as well as all the way around it. There was nothing ornate or special about this doorway. It was very simple without any extra decorative features. I then heard the Lord say, "The doorway stands open before you. The threshold is waiting to be crossed."
A Vision of the Door on the Doorway
The vision shifted and I saw a crowd of thousands of people. All of the people stood together in this field and simply stared at the doorway; it was as if they were paralyzed in fear. Then after a couple of minutes, a some took a couple steps toward the doorway, but were hesitant to go any farther. A couple brave ones then managed to get up close to the threshold of the doorway, yet couldn't bring themselves to cross it and retreated back to their place in the crowd.
Many started to discuss the doorway. Some thought this to be a strange place for a doorway to be, so they didn't think it was a good idea to cross it. Some thought that its design was too simple to be of any significance, so they didn't want to bother with it. Others were scared of it and they thought to themselves, "I think this is a trick. The land seems to appear the same on the other side." Some decided that this doorway was too good to be true; they questioned, "How did it get here? What is its purpose? Who made this doorway?"
As these conversations and different kinds of thinking were working their way through the crowd, I watched as they created a big door that attached itself to the open doorway and then closed. The enemy had used their fears of the future, with unbelief and critical thoughts against them, by tricking them into creating a door to attach to and close the doorway, so that the threshold could not be crossed. The door on the doorway was of the crowds own making, and they were deceived into thinking that the doorway was now closed.
The Lord again drew my attention to the simplicity of the doorway. As I looked at it closer, I realized that this doorway was made of the material from the Cross, His Cross. As this realization hit me, I knew what this doorway was; it was the doorway of simple, yet powerful, mountain-moving childlike faith. It was rugged not smooth, simple not ornate, hidden yet revealed; yet once the threshold of this doorway was crossed, everything changed.
Childlike faith not only believes that the impossible is possible, but it trusts the Father without explanation and obeys the Father's voice with love as its motivation, not fear. It is not ruled by finite thinking or past experiences, it is not weighed down by the values or problems of the world, but it operates out of the realm of love and eternal perspective, while completely tied to a deep trust in God, a loving Father, who delights to give good things to His children.
The Doorway is Open!
I heard the voice of the Lord again, "The doorway is before you and it stands open. No man can close what I have opened. The threshold is waiting to be crossed. Cross the threshold."
This new move of God, this glory fire awakening that God is doing in the earth, is something we have never known before. The Lord is bringing us into new understanding and encounters with His nature. Our minds and mindsets need to be renewed by the Spirit. The culture of the day has begun to influence the way many see, think and feel, and the Lord is recalibrating us to see, think and feel as He does, and to bring us back to our first love. He wants to remind us of who we are, who He is, and the mission of seeing the earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord and being completely reconciled to His heart.
Be strong and courageous, beloved! Renounce any agreement with fear, unbelief or a critical spirit. It's time to step out of the crowd and cross the threshold into this new place with the Father. The land on the other side of the threshold is rich and bountiful, and it is yours to live in. You are invited to live in the realm of, "With God ALL THINGS are possible," and you are invited to walk in complete surrender to the Father just as Jesus did.
As you cross the threshold into childlike faith, you will begin to become the history makers – the ones who move mountains, raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out demons, discover new inventions and Kingdom solutions, and even change the course of nations. You are about to step beyond your limitations into His fullness.
Receive what the Lord is saying to you, "The doorway is before you and it stands open. No man can close what I have opened. The threshold is waiting to be crossed. Cross the threshold." (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Daneen Bottler
Ty and Daneen Bottler Ministries
Email: info@tyanddaneenbottler.com
Website: www.tyanddaneenbottler.com
Ty and Daneen Bottler Ministries
Email: info@tyanddaneenbottler.com
Website: www.tyanddaneenbottler.com
Daneen Bottler is a recognized prophetic voice for this generation. She and her husband, Ty, serve as the Senior Associate Leaders at Father's House, in Portland, Oregon, where she also oversees the prophetic and prayer ministries. Her passion is to see the glory of God displayed through His sons and daughters walking in their God given power and authority, seeing transformation happen everywhere they go. She and her husband recently released the worship album, Revealed, which is a prophetic call for the Church to rise and shine with the glory of God. Daneen has had the privilege of speaking and ministering at various churches and conferences throughout the Northwest, lending her prophetic voice to bringing unity within the Body of Christ, and seeing His Kingdom come.
******************************
******************************
To receive daily, encouraging prophetic emails from The Elijah List to your in box CLICK HERE or go to: http://elijahlist.com/
Visit our webstore and check out Alveda King's brand new book by Elijah List Publications: America Return to God: www.americareturntogod.com
Also check out Steve Shultz's Revised and 2nd Edition book Can't You Talk Louder, God?:http://www.elijahshopper.com/
Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep Elijah List website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.
Elijah List Publications
528 Ellsworth St. SW
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250
528 Ellsworth St. SW
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250
9.12.2017
As I Think, So Am I
People age. We grow older. It is part of becoming more mature. How we mature and age, however, is completely up to each one of us individually. Every one ages; not every one gets old. Some people, no matter what their date of birth, are full of youthful vigor and vitality. Why is it that some in their 100s laugh with abandon and delight in performing daily tasks while other 50 somethings moan and groan barely able to drag their aching bodies through basic living? What makes the difference? Diet? Exercise? Vitamins? Maybe. All choices of life certainly play a part in a person's wholeness, but is it all physical, or do the spirit and soul also have something to do with this? There is a scripture verse that seems to give insight into the question of why some people seem to fall apart when not really that old and other individuals remain youthful clear into their advanced years of living.
Proverbs 23:7 is a portion of scripture talking about manipulative people who tell you to eat and drink but in their heart they are secretly counting how much the meal they are serving you is costing them. However, there is a line in this verse that I feel provides insight into other situations as well. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." How do I think of myself? When I exert myself more physically than normal and feel the effects for a couple of days do I view the pain and discomfort of muscles unaccustomed to use as proof that I am "not as young as I once was" or simply what happens when I do something new? Do such aches motivate me to increase my strength by increasing my level of activity or do they prove I am "getting old" and consequently need to slow down a bit? How do I view myself when my body responds and reacts differently than it did when I was younger? Does this cause me to see myself as old or do I recognize I am in a different season and need to adapt and/or learn new ways of maintaining health?
How do I see myself, and more importantly, what do I think of myself? "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." are the words that came to me when I was pondering why some people remain youthful until the moment they move from this world into the next and why others seem to become an old person with the first ache their aging bodies experience. The longer I considered the possible connection between how a person thinks of him/her self and how he/she ages, the more convinced I became such a connection is real. Not only do I believe there is a valid connection, but I also believe how a man or woman sees him or her self determines how old they behave and feel every bit as much, if not more, than their physical condition does. "Mind over matter" seems to be quite valid in the matter of aging.
Before it is thought I am saying that one's physical condition has no effect at all on the aging process, let us pause a moment for me to clearly state a person's physical condition definitely has a bearing in the aging process. I am merely considering whether or not how a person thinks has anything to do with why some people seem to be so much younger than other people who are the same age or younger. How a person thinks about them self and life in general seems to be a major difference between youthful vitality and creaking age. Perhaps I should provide a couple examples.
Our family has a neighbor who is 70 something. Our neighbor has been actively ranching all of her life. She loves being outdoors and until earlier this summer worked out with the cattle every day. After several weeks of having to remain indoors, our neighbor was able to return to work out of doors. She was overjoyed and felt like she had been freed from a prison! Weeks of "taking it easy" had left their mark and our neighbor reported that her muscles weren't used to being outside working. She sure hoped it didn't take them long to get used to it though. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." Our neighbor didn't for a moment consider her aching muscles to be an indicator she was getting old or that she might not be able to continue working as normal. She merely hoped it didn't take her body long to get used to working again.
Another family friend in her 60s regularly walks or runs several miles daily. She is very active and never considers not participating in any physical activity with her children and grandchildren. That she is the grandmother of the group has no bearing whatsoever on what she does or does not do. If it looks fun, and she wants to try something, she does. On a recent trip, she went parasailing. Not once did it cross her mind that not every 60 something-year-old woman would do such an adventurous thing. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." Fully adventurous and ready to live her own life to the full, this same friend can snuggle in with a small child and a storybook to create a lovely sight to behold. She can fly into "mama bear mode" with the best mother or grandmother. She delights in living. "As a man thinks in his heart so is."
There is one other commonality between our neighbor and friend. Both our neighbor and our friend have experienced seasons when they were limited in their physical mobility. Our neighbor has had difficulty with her knees and had one replaced and the other is not behaving very well either. Her desire to live her life outside working with her cattle as she desires is so great she does everything she can to continue doing so. Our friend was in an accident several years ago that left her with the possibility of never walking again. That experience put a resolve inside of her to fiercely protect and guard her physical ability to take care of herself and move independently. Life is a priceless gift, a treasure not to be taken for granted. Our neighbor and our friend view their physical mobility and ability to "get around" independently a great gift that neither lady wishes to be without, ever. Being able to live the life they desire fully, for themselves, is worth working for.
Rising in the early morning hours to walk and/or run several miles is a small price to pay if it contributes to her overall health says our friend. She well remembers the days spent in a wheelchair having her most basic needs taken care of by others. Being able to care for herself is something she never again wants to be without. Not being able to be out and about in her cattle is not a fond memory for our neighbor. She feels as if she has been set free from prison to no longer be housebound. I could study the lives of these dear women and come to the conclusion that the amount of physical activity is what keeps these ladies youthful, and I do think that plays a part, but I truly feel their level of physical activity is more determined by the way they think than the other way around. I think the way they view themselves and life is what motivates them to be physically active. Maybe I am wrong, but maybe "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." is about more than a stingy manipulative person. Maybe it is quite literally true in every area of our lives.
As I wonder about these things, I can't help but think about what type of person I want to be. What sort of life do I want to live? How do I want to live? Do I want to live at all? These are the questions I think each of us get to ask ourselves at some point. The sooner the better I'm a thinkin'. After answering these questions, perhaps each of us can prayerfully consider what we need to do to live that life and be that person. Once we determine what needs to be done, then we can face one of the most telling questions of all, am I willing to do what needs doing to live the life I desire and be the person I long to be? Is the life I want and the person I want to be, the life and person God desires for me? What does God desire for me?
Whether a friend, a neighbor, or someone I haven't yet met, if you would like to join me in pursuing a life fully lived, please do. You are welcome to look yourself in the face and heart and ask yourself hard questions while I face myself. Feel free to come alongside me as I get honest with myself about myself. I can't promise the journey will be easy, but I have a tingling in my knower that makes me think it will be decidedly worth it. No matter what happens, I don't want it to be possible for anyone to say I didn't try to live and live well. I will fall, but may I always get back up. I will make mistakes, but may I always keep trying. I will say things I oughtn't to have said, but may I always speak up for truth.
This blog is named Abundance House, yet rarely do I make choices of abundance for all areas of my life. I focus on the spirit a lot here because I am a spirit, but the spirit is not all there is. I also have a soul containing my mind, will, and emotions, and I live in a body. My spirit, soul, and body interact and work together as one just as the Father, Spirit, Son are three yet one. I am created in their image. If one part of me is functioning from a place of lack and/or poverty, the other two areas are affected. My spirit may be willing to live fully but if my soul and body are not strong, I can't live fully whole.
Because I can no longer in good conscience continue to blog from a place of partial abundance when the blog is titled Abundance House, I have invited any who wish to travel with me on a journey. I desire the true abundance of God which is a complete, whole fullness in every area spirit, soul, and body. If I am going to write for a blog named Abundance House then I need to be seeking complete abundance at my house. So, that is what I am going to do.
This is where the hard questions and answers will come in to play. In order to live fully abundantly, I will have to make honest assessments regarding the various areas of living. I have an opportunity to be completely honest with myself and then choose what to do with the discoveries God leads me to find. Yes, this journey will be made in Him. He is the way, the truth, the life. I can only discover truth if I am travelling with Him.
Prayers for those who choose to join me in the adventure towards complete abundance, and prayerful blessings for those who will make this decision further down the road. From my Abundance House to yours. May we learn to think in our hearts what God thinks of us.
Abundantly Blessed
Proverbs 23:7 is a portion of scripture talking about manipulative people who tell you to eat and drink but in their heart they are secretly counting how much the meal they are serving you is costing them. However, there is a line in this verse that I feel provides insight into other situations as well. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." How do I think of myself? When I exert myself more physically than normal and feel the effects for a couple of days do I view the pain and discomfort of muscles unaccustomed to use as proof that I am "not as young as I once was" or simply what happens when I do something new? Do such aches motivate me to increase my strength by increasing my level of activity or do they prove I am "getting old" and consequently need to slow down a bit? How do I view myself when my body responds and reacts differently than it did when I was younger? Does this cause me to see myself as old or do I recognize I am in a different season and need to adapt and/or learn new ways of maintaining health?
How do I see myself, and more importantly, what do I think of myself? "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." are the words that came to me when I was pondering why some people remain youthful until the moment they move from this world into the next and why others seem to become an old person with the first ache their aging bodies experience. The longer I considered the possible connection between how a person thinks of him/her self and how he/she ages, the more convinced I became such a connection is real. Not only do I believe there is a valid connection, but I also believe how a man or woman sees him or her self determines how old they behave and feel every bit as much, if not more, than their physical condition does. "Mind over matter" seems to be quite valid in the matter of aging.
Before it is thought I am saying that one's physical condition has no effect at all on the aging process, let us pause a moment for me to clearly state a person's physical condition definitely has a bearing in the aging process. I am merely considering whether or not how a person thinks has anything to do with why some people seem to be so much younger than other people who are the same age or younger. How a person thinks about them self and life in general seems to be a major difference between youthful vitality and creaking age. Perhaps I should provide a couple examples.
Our family has a neighbor who is 70 something. Our neighbor has been actively ranching all of her life. She loves being outdoors and until earlier this summer worked out with the cattle every day. After several weeks of having to remain indoors, our neighbor was able to return to work out of doors. She was overjoyed and felt like she had been freed from a prison! Weeks of "taking it easy" had left their mark and our neighbor reported that her muscles weren't used to being outside working. She sure hoped it didn't take them long to get used to it though. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." Our neighbor didn't for a moment consider her aching muscles to be an indicator she was getting old or that she might not be able to continue working as normal. She merely hoped it didn't take her body long to get used to working again.
Another family friend in her 60s regularly walks or runs several miles daily. She is very active and never considers not participating in any physical activity with her children and grandchildren. That she is the grandmother of the group has no bearing whatsoever on what she does or does not do. If it looks fun, and she wants to try something, she does. On a recent trip, she went parasailing. Not once did it cross her mind that not every 60 something-year-old woman would do such an adventurous thing. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." Fully adventurous and ready to live her own life to the full, this same friend can snuggle in with a small child and a storybook to create a lovely sight to behold. She can fly into "mama bear mode" with the best mother or grandmother. She delights in living. "As a man thinks in his heart so is."
There is one other commonality between our neighbor and friend. Both our neighbor and our friend have experienced seasons when they were limited in their physical mobility. Our neighbor has had difficulty with her knees and had one replaced and the other is not behaving very well either. Her desire to live her life outside working with her cattle as she desires is so great she does everything she can to continue doing so. Our friend was in an accident several years ago that left her with the possibility of never walking again. That experience put a resolve inside of her to fiercely protect and guard her physical ability to take care of herself and move independently. Life is a priceless gift, a treasure not to be taken for granted. Our neighbor and our friend view their physical mobility and ability to "get around" independently a great gift that neither lady wishes to be without, ever. Being able to live the life they desire fully, for themselves, is worth working for.
Rising in the early morning hours to walk and/or run several miles is a small price to pay if it contributes to her overall health says our friend. She well remembers the days spent in a wheelchair having her most basic needs taken care of by others. Being able to care for herself is something she never again wants to be without. Not being able to be out and about in her cattle is not a fond memory for our neighbor. She feels as if she has been set free from prison to no longer be housebound. I could study the lives of these dear women and come to the conclusion that the amount of physical activity is what keeps these ladies youthful, and I do think that plays a part, but I truly feel their level of physical activity is more determined by the way they think than the other way around. I think the way they view themselves and life is what motivates them to be physically active. Maybe I am wrong, but maybe "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." is about more than a stingy manipulative person. Maybe it is quite literally true in every area of our lives.
As I wonder about these things, I can't help but think about what type of person I want to be. What sort of life do I want to live? How do I want to live? Do I want to live at all? These are the questions I think each of us get to ask ourselves at some point. The sooner the better I'm a thinkin'. After answering these questions, perhaps each of us can prayerfully consider what we need to do to live that life and be that person. Once we determine what needs to be done, then we can face one of the most telling questions of all, am I willing to do what needs doing to live the life I desire and be the person I long to be? Is the life I want and the person I want to be, the life and person God desires for me? What does God desire for me?
Whether a friend, a neighbor, or someone I haven't yet met, if you would like to join me in pursuing a life fully lived, please do. You are welcome to look yourself in the face and heart and ask yourself hard questions while I face myself. Feel free to come alongside me as I get honest with myself about myself. I can't promise the journey will be easy, but I have a tingling in my knower that makes me think it will be decidedly worth it. No matter what happens, I don't want it to be possible for anyone to say I didn't try to live and live well. I will fall, but may I always get back up. I will make mistakes, but may I always keep trying. I will say things I oughtn't to have said, but may I always speak up for truth.
This blog is named Abundance House, yet rarely do I make choices of abundance for all areas of my life. I focus on the spirit a lot here because I am a spirit, but the spirit is not all there is. I also have a soul containing my mind, will, and emotions, and I live in a body. My spirit, soul, and body interact and work together as one just as the Father, Spirit, Son are three yet one. I am created in their image. If one part of me is functioning from a place of lack and/or poverty, the other two areas are affected. My spirit may be willing to live fully but if my soul and body are not strong, I can't live fully whole.
Because I can no longer in good conscience continue to blog from a place of partial abundance when the blog is titled Abundance House, I have invited any who wish to travel with me on a journey. I desire the true abundance of God which is a complete, whole fullness in every area spirit, soul, and body. If I am going to write for a blog named Abundance House then I need to be seeking complete abundance at my house. So, that is what I am going to do.
This is where the hard questions and answers will come in to play. In order to live fully abundantly, I will have to make honest assessments regarding the various areas of living. I have an opportunity to be completely honest with myself and then choose what to do with the discoveries God leads me to find. Yes, this journey will be made in Him. He is the way, the truth, the life. I can only discover truth if I am travelling with Him.
Prayers for those who choose to join me in the adventure towards complete abundance, and prayerful blessings for those who will make this decision further down the road. From my Abundance House to yours. May we learn to think in our hearts what God thinks of us.
Abundantly Blessed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)