challenges

Insoles For The Soul

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foot-1Yesterday I saw the aging process in the life of a small child and his grandfather—both were trying to walk.  The toddler was doing what toddlers do; he was learning to walk.  He would take a couple of stumbling steps, fall down, and get up and go again.

The obstacle that challenged both young and old was balance.  The toddler was trying to learn it, and his grandfather was trying to regain it.

Due to the aging process, disease, strokes, and diabetes, some people begin to notice an increasing problem with maintaining their balance.  According to Harvard’s Wyss Institute, the neurons in the feet are part of the problem.

The neural ion channels are part of the nerve system in our feet and they help to control our balance; but, they are “often desensitized in seniors.” The result of this desensitization is a person is more apt to fall.

The Wyss Institute learned that random vibrations could reopen the neural ion channels, so their researchers began to develop an insole that would create those type of vibrations.   Testing of the technologically advanced insole has shown an increase in both motor control and balance.

In 2013, Discover Magazine reported that seniors standing on the vibrating insoles in the lab demonstrated the same balance as people in their 20s.

Whether it’s physical, mental, or spiritual, balance is an essential to every aspect of a healthy life.  This was at the heart of Jesus’ encounter with Mary and Martha. Like these two sisters,  we can struggle to find the balance between work and worship.

What are some of the characteristics of a balanced life? The balanced person will:

  • Realize that he is a new creation in Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:17
  • Understand he is both an offender and the offended, so he will offer and ask for forgiveness: Ephesians 4:32
  • Learn to abide in the abundant life of Christ: John 10:10; 15:11
  • Pursue loving relationships: John 13:34, 35; Romans 12:16

To live a balanced life, do your best to maintain the spiritual channels that keep you in step with Christ.  You can do this by living for Jesus and not just yourself, and by continuing to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).”

 

 

A Shelter For A Helter Skelter World

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birdTo say the world can be a mess is not an understatement.  Life is lived at such a fast pace, you may have gone to bed last night feeling overwhelmed and got up this morning still in a daze.

When you’re seeking a refuge of safety and rest, Psalm 91 is a wonderful passage of Scripture:

He who takes refuge in the shelter of the Most High
    will be safe in the shadow of the Almighty.
 He will say to the Eternal, “My shelter, my mighty fortress,
    my God, I place all my trust in You.”
Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers,   He will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you.

You only have to look at the pages of Scripture to find examples of God intervening in the lives of His children.  Joseph, as an example,  lived through a series of hardships and trials.  At the end of his life he said people had planned things for evil, but God had planned them for good.

Like Joseph, you need to take an eternal perspective on life.  The weight of the present heartache or trial can skew your perspective on the future; however, when you look from the present back through history, you can often see how your life has been more than just the victim of circumstances.

Benefit from the opportunity that you have.  Don’t refuse the refuge–find comfort in the shelter of God.

God-Colors

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plan-your-visitDid you accept the challenge I proposed yesterday?  If you read this blog on Thursday, you know that I encouraged you to be the peace in your piece of the world.

If you embraced my challenge, you were living the words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:16:  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The Message elaborates on this command of Jesus:

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).”

If you made my goal your goal, and you did your best to be the peace in your piece of the world, you were cherishing a basic principle of Jesus.  You were, “bringing out the God-colors” in your piece of the world, and people had the chance to see your light shining. They could see your “good works” in:

  • Your warm smile they enjoyed awhile because it reflected the love of God.
  • Your courteous disposition that was void of suspicion and full of sincerity.
  • Your word that cheered them while others jeered them. You were the “you-can-do-it” voice they needed to hear.
  • Your hand that helped them stand: You reached down, to help them stand up.

If you missed my challenge on Thursday, you can accept it today.  Be a “light-bearer” for Jesus, so you can share the dazzling light of God-colors.

I would like to hear your comments:  What do you think of when you think of “God-colors?”