As we head out of 2019 and into a new year and a new decade, we wanted to talk about something that is so vital, yet so often missed in our walk with God. If you missed Part 1, go back and watch. We are going into Part 2 of Divine Connections and while we have talked before of Covenant Friendship and spiritual connections, something we sometimes miss is the fact that divine connections usually come when we least expect them. In fact, divine connections are usually unexpected and serve as a bit of an interruption in our daily lives or routine and normalcy. That’s what happened with my sister and I and on the last show, we talked about a few people in the Bible who changed history because of their obedience to allow God to interrupt their lives.

My sister and I went through a season of complete intimacy with God. Now, granted that should be every season of our lives, but we had both been in that time where God was just speaking to us and we were just happy where we were with Him. Literally in what seemed like a flash, God brought the two of us together. We were living our own lives and we were interrupted. It seems odd to call a new friendship an “interruption,” but both my sister and I knew from the start that what we had was not a normal friendship. It was definitely a God ordained divine connection from the very beginning.

We tell our complete story on our blog under Covenant and we also talk about it in our first few shows archived on hsbn.tv, so we won’t go completely into that, but what we did want to talk about is what it cost us, the risks it takes to follow something so out of the ordinary and the blessings it brings, as well.

Because we had never seen anything like this, we fasted and prayed, watched sermons, read blogs, everything we could get our hands on about covenenant friendship. We literally took everything to God and it didn’t take long for us to realize the magnitude of what we had AND the risks it would take to live this. It was never a question for us. We both immediately said yes.

Saying yes to the call of God on your life and the interruption of what you know to be “normal” can literally be scary. We lost friends, family members didn’t understand us. Honestly, we didn’t fully understand us either. BUT we knew God was in this and we wanted to walk this out. It took the risk of losing friends, ridicule from those around us, the looks, the talks. But when Mary was called out, she was ridiculed. She was a teenager; pregnant with a baby that was not her fiancée’s. Noah looked ridiculous to his people, building an ark that had never been done before AND when there was no sign of rain. We understood that this would not look normal. We understood that God’s purpose in interruptions were His greatest invitations to embark on the most beautiful journeys ever!

No victory ever came from playing it safe. It takes risk to follow God and do something you have never seen be done. God literally took my sister and I out of our comfort zones and placed us on a path together we had no idea where we were going, but we trusted Him and we knew we had God and each other and it has been the most beautiful journey ever.

In Luke 1:5-25, Elizabeth was a respectable woman married to Zechariah, a member of the Jerusalem priesthood. She was past menopause, her husband was elderly, and she had given up hoping for a child. But her life took an unexpected turn. She became pregnant, to the amazement of all.

While she was pregnant with the future John the Baptist, she gave shelter to her young cousin, Mary. Mary, pregnant with Jesus and unmarried, may have been fleeing from the anger of her family. When the women met, each knew that they and their children would be an extraordinary part of God’s plan. 

Mary’s life was interrupted as a teenager to carry of the Son of God!! Elizabeth’s life was interrupted by becoming pregnant with John the Baptist AND while pregnant, now also caring for her pregnant cousin Mary. God divinely connected these two women when all they could do was hold onto God’s promises and each other. They both understood what no one else could, that they had a divine invitation together and they shared something so special.

Like all of us, my sister and I have fears, insecurities, things that are hard to shed. BUT, after divinely connecting us, we suddenly had more power, authority and anointing together, and have been able to overcome things we never could apart from each other. Our maturity in our walks with God came because of each other and that opened doors for us in Ministry, which we had never saw ourselves doing! Who we were before each other, carried burdens and brokenness we struggled to heal from alone. We couldn’t be good in the Kingdom carrying weights we weren’t meant to carry. Together and literally fighting in the trenches for each other through hell, we have been able to overcome and heal! Through that, we have been used in ways we couldn’t imagine. Covenant and divine connections bring healing to others. My sister and I now write our own blog, host this show and are able to pray for others and see God’s restoration in those around us like never before. WE have changed and we changed each other.

An article by Frederick Drummond stresses that “no one can make it on their own – to be otherwise is dysfunctional.”

“If you are planning on going any further than being a face in the crowd or perhaps a loner that never gets anywhere, you are going to have to acknowledge the importance of divine connections, go after them, and secure them at any price. Everyone needs to learn how to trust in God for their divine connections,”

Frederick Drummond

1. Divine connections are controversial

Consider the old prophet Paul, whom God connected to young Timothy. Their faithfulness to one another helped make Paul the great man he became. Timothy gave up all to stick with him through thick and thin, even to the execution block, because he knew his destiny was connected to that man Paul.

My sister and I knew right away our relationship was controversial. We knew people were talking. People had never seen a bond like this before and people thought we were way too close, odd, weird. The things my sister and I do for each other, people had never seen.

We had a moment when we even questioned ourselves, but just like a loving Father, God immediately showed us the bond between David and Jonathan. Talk about controversial. They were called gay and probably a lot of other things, but without that covenant friendship, that divine connection, David would not have been the King he was! And they remained committed and loyal despite the controversy and haters.

“Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul…. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt” (1 Samuel 18:1,3,4). Theirs was not a perverted relationship at all; it was a divine connection, holy and of God.

2. Divine Connections are committed

“Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me” (Ruth 1:16,17).

These powerful words of commitment have been used down through the centuries by Christians as wedding vows, and yet originally they were spoken between two women, reflecting their commitment to a divine connection.

My sister and I immediately had this “hell or high water, life or death” loyalty to each other. We knew it literally came from God and honestly, you have to have that to be able to weather the hell that might come against you, your relationship, your purpose. Acquaintances, friends, most people will only stick around for so long or go through so many battles with you, but that ONE God-ordained friendship will lay their life down for you, take a bullet for you!

3. Divine Connections are pre-ordained for our lives

Best selling author Shae Bynes says God is a relationship strategist and that these divine connections are pre-ordained for our lives; completely tied to our very own destinies and God given assignments. God honors covenant and as we have discussed previously, there are consequences for breaking covenants. Covenant relationships are protected by Gods power, presence and love. He knew before He created us what we would need and what He had in mind for us to live to the fullest we can, and with that, WHO we would need.

Remember, God is a God of relationship. He created Adam for Himself and realized Adam needed someone like him, therefore created Eve. Relationship was always God’s design and it is also the very thing that can hurt and damage us the most, so it has to be prayed for, prayed about…Talk to God about your divine connections and the purposes He has for you through them. Remember, they might not always look obvious to you at the beginning, but God will guide you. Be open to receive and ready to be that to someone else, as well.

Heading out of 2019 and into a new year, we wanted to kind of circle back to the premise of not just our show or Ministry, but our lives together. We have done shows on Covenant Friendship and spiritual connections, but today we wanted to just talk about sometimes how these connections happen.

Have you ever been in the middle of an important or deep conversation and been interrupted? What about a day planned out – of all the things you need to get done and all of a sudden something happens to where you aren’t able to get it all done like you wanted? There is nothing more frustrating than to be interrupted in life; when something gets in the way of our plan. But there is one interruption that can be the best life changing interruption and that is when God interrupts our lives.

Other words for interruption are interfere, intrusion, a stoppage, and hindrance. None of these words are pleasing to hear. They are not the words that bring a joy or happiness. However, God at many times will interrupt our lives and those are the interruptions we need to be willing to allow.

A divine interruption can be the greatest blessing, the greatest opportunity and invitation from God.

If we hold on too tight to our agendas and our plans, we could miss out on an opportunity and invitation from God. We must be willing and open for God to interrupt our lives!

There are many stories in the Bible of divine interruptions; many who were faced with what seemed like the greatest interruption when it was really an invitation from God. Let’s take a look and learn from them…

Proverbs 19:21– ”You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”

Jonah(Chapters 1-4)

“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: Get up and goto the great city of Nineveh…But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction. We are all familiar with the story. We see that God told him “get up and go.” Jonah was comfortable where he was. He didn’t want to go to a city filled with sin, to a people that (in his eyes) didn’t deserve Gods grace ad mercy, but God tells him to get up and go. For one, we know that Jonah didn’t immediately obey and there were consequences for his disobedience. God interrupted Jonah’s life with an opportunity to lead a people to repentance, which we know that he later obeyed. Jonah was told to go. God told him where and what to do. Sometimes, God just says go and there isn’t direction, but God leads as you go.

Then there is Mary, who is a great example as we just celebrated Christmas.

Mary

Luke 1:26-31

“During the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God’s presence to an unmarried girl named Mary, living in Nazareth, a village in Galilee. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, a true descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Grace to you, young woman, for the Lord is with you and so you are anointed with great favor.”

Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her. But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus.”

Talk about an interruption! I mean, we have a hard enough time when we have an unexpected/unplanned pregnancy. Mary not only was going to be pregnant unplanned but it wasn’t even by her fiancé Joseph. Everything about this is such an example of a divine interruption! The risk it took, the courage it took, and the trust it took for both Mary and Joseph. You know people would talk- family, friends… Joseph himself would come close to leaving her. Talk about the ridicule, the mockery, and the gossip. Her life was interrupted and would be forever changed!

Noah(Genesis Chapters 6-9)

The story of Noah is one we all know very well. Noah was favored with God. The Bible says Noah was a righteous man who was blameless among the people of his time and most of all, he walked faithfully with God. The world at that time was corrupt with sin and violence and God decided to destroy the earth and all it’s inhabitants and start over. Because Noah was favored by God, he and his family would be spared. God interrupted his life and asked him to do something that would look completely and utterly ridiculous! He asked Noah to build an ark. Nothing like this had ever been built and there was no rain in sight! BUT Noah, obeyed and God gave him specific instructions every step of the way. Because Noah allowed God to interrupt his life and even what seemed “normal” to him, Noah and his family were saved.

We have to understand that when God interrupts our lives, it is always for a purpose to further His Kingdom AND often times, it will look completely ridiculous and absurd. We will have people looking at us like we have lost our mind. We will look weird, odd, unusual, BUT the Bible says God is doing a new thing. It won’t look like we think it should or even adhere to societal norms or standards, but it will be what God needs us to do and if we allow Him to interrupt us and use us, there are great things ahead!

When God interrupts, it’s not for us, but always about others, and in our obedience, we are blessed. Often, if not always, God brings what seems like interruptions as invitations for His miracles and purposes to take place.

• We have to be willing to relinquish control of our plans, our agendas and allow room for God to interrupt our lives.
• We have to be willing to take risks, tune out the noise and banter of others
• We must be willing to adjust and allow change

 

While working on our Show about Divine Connections, we came across this article by Frederick Drummond that beautiful illustrates the value of Covenant and Divine Connections that we had to share…

The Scriptures say, “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate,” or as the old King James puts it, “put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). The phrase “joined together” in your English Bible comes from one Greek word, which literally means “to be yoked, or coupled with.” It is formed by two words speaking of “association, companionship, completeness, as a yoke, a couple, a pair, a team.”

While in this context it refers to marriage, in its broader application it speaks of anything or anyone that God has joined together and made one to further His plans and purposes. Don’t forget, these are the words of Jesus. He believed in divine connections, and He warned the Pharisees and the intellectuals of His day to beware not to break them. Some things in life are too holy to be touched.

Nowadays, divine connections aren’t in vogue. They definitely are not fashionable. And even though we may dream about them and want them, they don’t suit our freethinking society. Some even frown on them and consider them to be strange and unhealthy.

Nevertheless, the Holy Bible is full of examples of God joining people together in marriage, in partnership to accomplish His purposes, and as teams to do great things for Him. Though man may have shrouded divine connections with mystery and even intrigue, God considers them vital to our destiny.

In fact, I want to go one step further and say, no one can make it on their own. We need one another—we are social creatures and can’t make it alone—we were all born to be team players.

To be otherwise is to be dysfunctional. If you are planning on going any further than being a face in the crowd or perhaps a loner that never gets anywhere, you are going to have to acknowledge the importance of divine connections, go after them, and secure them at any price. Everyone needs to learn how to trust in God for their divine connections.

Allow me to share some potentially controversial examples of divine connections that God used mightily to accomplish His purposes. Consider the old prophet Paul, whom God connected to young Timothy. Their faithfulness to one another helped make Paul the great man he became. Timothy gave up all to stick with him through thick and thin, even to the execution block, because he knew his destiny was connected to that man Paul.

Allow me to go deeper. There is the old woman Naomi, a bitter person who had lost more than most, including her husband and two sons, and was reduced to poverty. Her one daughter-in-law, Ruth, recognized a divine connection there, and when her mother-in-law was going to go her way, used these incredible words to describe her connection with the old woman: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me” (Ruth 1:16,17).

These powerful words of commitment have been used down through the centuries by Christians as wedding vows, and yet originally they were spoken between two women, reflecting their commitment to a divine connection.

Let us go even deeper. There is David and Jonathan, whom God joined together to suit His purposes. Hear how committed Jonathan was to David. The Scriptures tell us, “Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul…. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt” (1 Samuel 18:1,3,4). Theirs was not a perverted relationship at all; it was a divine connection, holy and of God.

The greatest mistake Jonathan ever made was choosing to go with Saul against that divine connection, and it cost him his life.

There is more. There was the older prophet Elijah and his young assistant Elisha, who had a divine connection that was so powerful that the young man turned his back on his family and career and devoted himself to serving the old man as a servant to the end.

The list of divine connections is long. I could speak of the old prophet Eli and Samuel the boy, or of the prostitute in Jericho and the spies sent by Joshua, and then there was Jesus and His beloved John, of whom the Scriptures say, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). And again, referring to their special connection, “Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” (John 21:20). There was also the ex-harlot, Mary Magdalene, who poured  expensive oil on Jesus’ feet and washed them with her hair and caused an uproar among religious folks. The list goes on, and it includes wonderful people whom God joined together in special ways to glorify Himself.

I would like to refer to one last divine connection that is found in the New Testament Scriptures—it is between church members and their churches. Hear the words of Paul in this regard: “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). The phrase here, “perfectly joined together,” is used again to speak of the importance of divine connections. They are irrevocably linked to your destiny.

To get the most out of them, you need to recognize that they are:

• God-given opportunities—holy
• Open doors to growth—full of purpose
• A key to your destiny—prophetic
• Heaven-blessed and attended to by angels—purposeful
• Always under attack—a threat
• Very necessary to your spiritual life—strengthening
• They call for sacrifice—giving to receive
• Teach us loyalty—price tag

I believe in divine connections, because they are of God and vital to your destiny and mine. This is why God hates those who create division, sow discord, speak evil of one another, or are too proud to be a part of a team and pay the price to support it.

This is also another reason why the New Testament Scriptures unanimously teach us to walk in love towards one another—you never know how important that person you are sitting next to may be in helping you fulfill your destiny. It is also why I believe in adding value to one another in our relationships, and building on them. I am always on the lookout for my divine connections. These connections deserve preferential treatment.

http://frederickdrummond.com/Article_Drummond_Divine_Connections_071907.html

We just celebrated Thanksgiving and are heading into the Christmas season. We celebrate the holidays as the most wonderful time of the year! We hear the Christmas music on the radio stations as early as the first of November and while it does put most of us in the Christmas spirit; it isn’t always the happiest time of year for everybody.

We have done shows on Anxiety and Depression and as the statistics unfortunately rise, the Holiday Season is always the hardest for those who do struggle with any type of mental illness, usually more than any other time of the year. Often times, it doesn’t have to be from something that recently happened, but can also be just a variety of things.

We love the holidays and even though I struggle with anxiety, we wanted to share some things we do that help us enjoy them as one who struggles with anxiety and one who is a sister. It can be challenging on both ends and we have always wanted to recognize that not only does the person struggling have a hard time, but the “caretaker” also feels the distress, as well.

I think it’s important first that we recognize our struggle instead of trying to hide it. Hiding it brings on a whole new level of anxiety that will pop up in when you least expect it. When I feel those moments coming on, I try to pray right away and also talk to my sister about it. I know that if I don’t talk, it’ll show in my actions and words and it makes things worse, so I would say to make sure you have that safe place, that person who knows you and you can trust.

Some of the things that bring on that anxiety through the holidays are:

1. Social Isolation– You may be dealing with anxiety already and sometimes being in large groups makes you feel even more awkward and anxious. This was always huge for me. Although I thought I was a social person, in bigger groups, I tend to shut down.

2. Grief– Grief isn’t always death, but also divorce, broken relationships. Grief is one of the biggest issues people struggle with over the holidays. For me, it’s always a painful reminder of losing my grandmother and aunts around the holiday season. Although God has abundantly blessed me with my sister and family, there’s always that part of me that misses my family I lost. Sometimes if we dwell on that, though, we stop ourselves from fully enjoying all we do have!

There are several reasons we didn’t talk about that cause people to struggle and feel loneliness over the holidays. These are just a couple that we have dealt with.

Everyone is different and there are several ways to cope and even learn to enjoy the holidays, BUT it does take work. We are use to allowing our feelings and emotions to control our joy and peace, but when we fully learn to be wholly dependent on God and His provision first, He will lead us through the next steps.

Psalm 119:50– “In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises,
for they have kept me alive!”

1 Peter 5:7– “Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you.”

Psalm 68:5-6– “To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend. To the lonely he makes them part of a family…”

Psalm 147:3– “He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.”

Here are a few ways we can learn to enjoy the holidays! Of course, we can’t do any of it without prayer and truly allowing God to come into our hearts and work through the process of healing with us. This can be grief, loss, abandonment, neglect, fear – whatever the root cause of your anxiety or loneliness is – it has to be dealt with first with God.

1. Cling to the Promises of God

We don’t always feel like it. I know for myself, there are times when loneliness, anxiety and despair seem too great to even think about praying. God knows this and He doesn’t hold that against us. When you push through that flesh and just say the name of Jesus, He will lead the path to continue! He will give you the strength you need to forge through any pain or discomfort.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10– “My grace is always more than enough for you and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.” So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. So I’m not defeated by my weakness, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure mistreatment—when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face persecution because of my love for Christ—I am made yet stronger. For my weakness becomes a portal to God’s power.”

John 14:18– “I promise that I will never leave you helpless or abandon you as orphans—I will come back to you!”

Phil. 4:6-7– “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

2. Confide in Someone

I thank God for my sister and what we have! It’s because of her we have been able to take a different stance when it comes to mental illness and realizing that there is another heart involved that is just as important and that is of the “caretaker.” Now, my sister isn’t necessarily my “caretaker,” but that simply refers to those that are close to someone who struggles with mental illness.

Especially during the holidays, my sister can tell when things start to get a little hard for me and it is so much easier that she is loyal and knows my heart and has learned how to deal with it and we have kind of learned together what works for us and how to get through those moments. If you have someone who you trust and know is out for your best interest and praying for you, then please reach out!! We cannot go through this alone and I know at times, it feels burdensome to tell someone, but when it’s that one God gives you – He will make it work. It can be a spouse, sibling, friend, or even therapist. But I do believe we need someone to talk to. God didn’t call us to go through life alone or the struggles.

1 Thess. 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

1 Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs 13:20– “The friends we choose can change our lives forever. If we choose the wrong type of friend, their influence can corrupt us and cause irreparable damage.”

Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 18:24 – “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Ecc. 4:9-12– “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

John 15:13– “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

3. Self-Care

A lot of mental illness, depression, anxiety is heightened with bad eating and sleeping habits. Eating a healthy diet as much as possible and getting the right amount of sleep, drinking water – all things that can help aid in a healthier mood. God tells us many times throughout scripture that taking care of our bodies are important to Him because we house His spirit!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20– “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

Romans 12:1– “Therefore I urge you brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.’

1 Corinthans 9:27– “But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].”

4. Start New Traditions and Volunteer

I think a lot of people who struggle with anxiety are not good with change. When we get use to something being a certain way, it is very difficult for us to let go and believe that the new will be as good or better than the old. Starting new traditions that trade our past can be a huge deal most don’t understand. The new may be great, better than before and we may even see that!! But, it still is difficult to embrace letting go of what was comfortable and “normal” to us.

One way to help overcome this is to start new traditions. This doesn’t mean completely having to let go of the old, but even meshing some old traditions with new ones and embracing something you started! You may have lost loved ones, but there are plenty of people in your circle, in your Church or around your city that could also use some love over the holidays, who also may be hurting.

Bake cookies for the neighbors, leave thankful notes on their doors, walk their dogs or offer to pick up groceries for them. Have holiday dinners with friends or extended family or invite others over and host them! There are plenty of ways to give and when we take the focus off of us, soon you will realize God has been healing your heart!

Matthew 25:35– “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me [with help and ministering care]; I was in prison, and you came to Me [ignoring personal danger].’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’”

1 John 3:17– “But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him? Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words].

5. Align your expectations with Reality

We talked last show about how change is something that can be quite difficult for people struggling with anxiety. We understand routine and become accustomed to that, to trust it, so when something changes – it begins a whole new area of unknown that is scary. Recognizing that fear is the root of that and meditating on scriptures that denounce fear will help!

2 Timothy 1:7– “ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Recognize that your feelings, fear and emotions are not reality and meditate on scriptures that transform your mind.

Romans 12:2– And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Understand that the reality of what you had before may not be your reality now. People may have come and gone, lifestyles may have changed! BUT God is still in control and He desires a prosperous life for you! Change is good! Trust me, I DO NOT embrace change like I should myself and I am preaching to the choir here.

Get yourself use to the new way, the new traditions, the new people. Once you let go and allow the newness to kick in, it can be better than before! Don’t put unrealistic expectations on yourself. Don’t try to do everything or see everyone. Be real and honest about your boundaries, limits and how much you can handle at a time. It will take time to adjust, but with allowing God to hold your hand and taking it one step at a time, soon you will see your healing at hand.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new,” Socrates

The holidays are a beautiful time and should be shared with ones we love. Dealing with anxiety can be very real and we are not trying to diminish that. What we are saying is that all hope is in Him and if you can divert your whole attention and submit your heart to Him, He will meet all of your needs and you can enjoy this season more than ever!

“You cannot change what’s going on around you until you change what’s going on within you,” Anonymous