Chapter 10 Press On: March On O My Soul

The title of this chapter is something I have been saying every day for quite awhile now.

Sadly there are many days that I just don't want to get out of bed.  In the section of this chapter titled Turn your feelings into Action Jennifer writes " Steady, small actions will slowly reduce the big feeling that is paralyzing you. All feelings are real, but they aren't all based on reality, and they certainly aren't all productive!" She encourages us to do something, even if it seems small, inconsequential. It may seem silly but it works!

Get up, get dressed, make the bed. Tasks that used to be effortless can become monumental. If you just take it one step at a time pretty soon you will be moving through your day rather than sitting motionless paralyzed by emotion in the bed or on the couch.

I so loved what Jennifer said about affirming your true identity Don't let feelings define you; let who you are define your feelings. Powerful words for an emotional gal like me! I have always had a flair for the dramatic. "Oh Tina don't be so dramatic" My mothers words in purple here!

I cry easily, always have. I cry when I am happy, I cry when I am angry, I cry when I am sad. I think in many ways that quality has served me well. I am usually an even keeled person. 

Emotions do not have time to sit around in my mind and heart, they come and they are processed and laughed, fumed, or often times cried out. This is fine for your every day normal highs and lows. 

Unfortunately my days are far from normal. I am finding it somewhat difficult to manage the emotions that have come with my new kind of normal. So many unknowns, so many what ifs.

 I must remember that I am who I am in Jesus Christ and I am not defined by the many feelings I am assailed with. Those feelings, those emotions are not stable, not reliable. 

He is the same yesterday today and tomorrow and He has promised to never leave me. Now that is something I can hold on to.

So for me I will try my best to Speak Truth to My Soul. 

I loved the quote by Walter Elliott 

"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races, one after another."

 This is  good because the thought of a long race is daunting but a short race, I can do that.

Today was a bad day for me, not much singing going on here. Tomorrow is a new day and I will get up, I will get out of bed, and I will press on. Maybe I will even try to sing a bit.

Chill Out: Be at Rest, O my Soul

this is really late, better late than never I always say (spoken by a true procrastinator) 

In chapter nine of Self Talk Soul Talk the author Jennifer Rothschild talks about the importance of rest for ourselves, physically and spiritually.

What wonderful confirmation this chapter has been for me! 

Her words are in red. She writes "when we are physically and emotionally spent and worn, we become susceptible to the enemy's attack. We become easy targets, sitting ducks. Our enemy attacks us with despair, depression, illness, impatience and myriad other maladies. all results of a fatigued soul and body. Speaking rest to our souls is critical."

Boy don't I know it!! For the past seven weeks I have been in the midst of a storm the likes of which I have never seen and honestly hope to never see again. 

I loved the teaching in Genesis that "Each of the six days of creation clearly had a beginning and  an end; evening and morning. But the seventh day, the day God rested, was different. The Bible records no beginning and no end of that day" (Genesis 2:2-3)

In other words, God did not begin to rest, nor did He cease to rest. Ancient rabbinic scholars believed this was because the nature of God is eternal rest.

You see, rest isn't just what God did. Rest is who God is."

WOW! Yes! 

Many people I have spoken to in recent days have made comments to me like "I don't know how you are doing this" or "you are so strong". The truth is I am not doing this, and I am not strong at all (actually if truth be told I am rather wimpy). God is my strength and my rest. 

Several months ago my husband and I applied for a home equity loan hoping to do some home improvement projects. We were denied, our home assessed too low due to the failing real estate market. We were disappointed. At the time I was working part time. Since then several life changing events have taken place that have shook the foundations of our family to the core. I made the decision to not return to work so I could spend more time here with the boys and before God in prayer. We were able to refinance our home mortgage and the money saved through that combined with a timely raise in my husbands salary has equalled the amount my part time job brought in. 

Coincidence? I don't think so. 

God in his sovereignty has made it possible for me to rest, plain and simple. 

He is good!