It's a Rental

I don't have to find my life here. I don't have to find the perfect man to marry. I don't have to find the perfect job. I don't have to make my mark. I don't have to be successful. I'm not investing in this life. I'm investing in the life to come. IN the One who created Love. I am getting a new body. I long for this. I long to be clothed in immortality and strength. I'm just passing through. 

My HOME is where I belong. With Jesus. Forever. I belong in that world. I belong with Him!

I'm free to hold things with open hands when I don't have to grasp them for my security. Life is able to move with open hands! It's not squeezed out. I am free! My security is not found in a man, a job or family. My security is found in the blood bought reality that Jesus owns my soul. Eternity.  

RENTAL. 

Feeling like a refugee
Like you don't belong to me
The colors flash across the sky

This air feels strange to me
Feeling like a tragedy
I take a deep breath and close my eyes
One last time
One last time

Storms on the wasteland
Dark clouds on the plains again
We were born into the fight

But I'm not sentimental
This skin and bones is a rental
And no one makes it out alive

Until I die I'll sing these songs
On the shores of Babylon
Still looking for a home
In a world where I belong

Where the weak are finally strong
Where the righteous right the wrongs
Still looking for a home
In a world where I belong

Feels like we're just waiting, waiting
While are hearts are just breaking, breaking
Feels like we've been fighting against the tide

I wanna see the earth start shaking
I wanna see a generation
Finally waking up inside

Until I die I'll sing these songs
On the shores of Babylon
Still looking for a home
In a world where I belong

Where the weak are finally strong
Where the righteous right the wrongs
Still looking for a home
In a world where I belong
A world where I belong

This body's not my home
This world is not my own
But I still can hear the sound
Of my heart beating out
So let's go boys, play it loud

And on that final day I die
I want to hold my head up high
I want to tell you that I tried
To live it like a song

And when I reach the other side
I want to look you in the eye
And know that I've arrived
In a world where I belong
In a world where I belong
In a world where I belong
Where I belong
Where I belong
Where I belong

Where I belong

I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
Forever now
Forever
I still believe in us together
You and I we're here together now
Together now
Forever now
Forever now
Forever now
Forever
Forever

Resilient

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”

–Carl Jung

If you grew up in an abusive environment the challenges will be greater and professional help may be needed. The American Psychological Association states:

Many studies show that the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family. Relationships that create love and trust, provide role models and offer encouragement and reassurance help bolster a person’s resilience.

We have a lifetime of habitual behavioral patterns that we’re really good at. However old you are, that’s how much practice you have with your current mode of living. That’s the bad news. The good news is look how good you are at it! You can be just as good at resilient thinking with the same amount of practice. It’s a lifetime goal and, believe me, I’m on the path with you.

____________________________________________

The 8 Behaviors of Resilient People

If you lost your job and had a family to support you would probably start looking for a new job. Even if you didn’t land the job of your dreams you would take something in the interest of bringing money in ASAP.
That is an extreme example where most people would exercise resilience because it’s do or die.
In the smaller day-to-day life moments, resilience doesn’t always kick in as a reflex. If we don’t get the job we want, or our relationship ends, or a stranger treats us rudely it can ruin our day.
The good news is resilience is not a gene. It’s not an “either you have it or you don’t” scenario. One person may have a natural proclivity toward resilience but it ultimately comes down to choice, and choices are voluntary, though they may not always feel like it in the heat of the moment.
So what do we do?

1. Stop cognitive distortions in their tracks.

These are beliefs we convince ourselves are true that reinforce negative thinking. Challenge the distortion to reframe your thinking into a resilient mode.
Let’s take a flight delay as an exercise in challenging one type of cognitive distortion (overgeneralizing):
What is my problematic belief? Bad stuff always happens to me.
What evidence supports my belief? The flight delay is an inconvenience.
What is a better explanation for what happened? It’s not just happening to me, it’s happening to everyone.
What are the consequences of this belief? Anger and stress have sent me into a tailspin.
What would happen if I changed my belief right now? I could enjoy a nice dinner and catch up on work and calls at the airport.
What are my new core beliefs? S — t happens! I can manage inconvenience better.

2. Reframe setbacks as opportunities for growth.

Non-resilient: I didn’t get the job. I’ll never amount to anything.
Resilient: I didn’t get the job. Maybe it’s not the right place for me. Let me pull my resources together and see what other opportunities are out there for me.
Resilient people recognize the futility — consciously or unconsciously — of fretting over something that can’t be changed. They also look for lessons that might be learned from the setback. Did it happen because of something I did? If so, what might I do differently next time? Did the setback force me to change course? If so, is there a benefit to the new course?

3. View setbacks as impermanent.

Non-resilient: We lost a valuable employee, so the company is going to hell.
Resilient: We lost a valuable employee, but we can find someone just as valuable who may offer a new set of skills that we didn’t even realize we needed.
Once you realize that setbacks are temporary there’s no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. If you lose one beloved employee or customer, it’s sad and it’s a setback (I’ve experienced it myself!) but it’s not the end of your success; conversely, nor is it the last time it will ever happen to you. Acknowledge the setback and move on. Stay flexible; change is a part of life.

4. Manage your strong feelings and impulses.

Non-resilient: I am going to take my anger out on someone.
Resilient: I am angry but I need to move on and stay focused.
Resilient people experience anger; it just doesn’t consume them. We all have this ability, if we so choose. You have to want to move on though. It can feel good to nurture the self-pity, the anger, and the blame. You can go down that road but that road never ends. Acknowledge the feelings and try to move on. In fact, it turns out when you acknowledge feelings it lessens their intensity.
Dr. Matthew D. Lieberman, a research psychologist at UCLA, found that naming an emotion helps to reduce its impact. His lab calls it Affect Labeling. When we name an emotion, activity in the part of the brain that is responsible for vigilance and discrimination (right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex) increases while activity in the part of the brain that processes emotion (amygdala) decreases. Essentially, naming the emotion gives you power over the emotion while indulging the emotion gives it power over you.

5. Focus on events you can control.

Non-resilient: This traffic is ruining my life.
Resilient: Since I’m stuck in traffic I will sketch out ideas for my next project.
Some aspects of life are out of your control. Accepting this doesn’t make you weak; it makes you smart. You can control what you focus on and how long you allow yourself to suffer. When you focus on the external world — particularly when blame enters the picture — you run into trouble. Start with yourself. Focus on your own reactions and your own ability to influence events.

6. Don’t see yourself as a victim.

Non-resilient: Bad stuff always happens to me.
Resilient: It’s not just happening to me, it’s happening to everyone.
“Why me?” is another way of saying “This should have happened to you.” Being human means positive and negative things will happen to you. If you experience a series of consecutive setbacks, the resilient thing to do would be to look at your own actions and behaviors. Might there be something you’re doing that is bringing on the misfortune? Even if not, know it’s temporary and stay on course to the best of your ability. This is most difficult in times of loss, so I don’t say it lightly but you don’t have to be miserable forever.

7. Commit to all aspects of your life.

Non-resilient: Once I have the job I want I will focus on my family and friends.
Resilient: The success of one area of my life depends on the success on all areas of my life.
The success of each part of our lives depends on the success of all the other parts. If our family life is in turmoil it will affect our work life and vice versa. If we do not exercise it will affect our stamina — as well as our mindset. We can set smart, achievable goals for all aspects of our lives so that all parts are working with — and for — each other.
For instance, we can make a commitment to exercise throughout the week; we can ensure that we make time for our family and friends; we can make a little progress each day toward one of our goals. If you experience a setback toward your goals, set a new path toward that goal; the most important part is the commitment.

8. Have a positive outlook of the future.

Non-resilient: If our marketing budget declines second quarter, we’ll go out of business.
Resilient: What can I do to make sure our marketing budget doesn’t decline second quarter and if it does what can I do to ensure we don’t go out of business?
Cultivate a growth mindset, which ultimately involves the desire to be open to learning and change. Things will start to feel like they’re going your way when you believe that you can effect change for yourself. Remember: you want to be happy, so cultivate a perspective that supports your desire.

Rebel Heart

From: Kristina Gehring <kristina.gehring@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 3, 2019 at 5:59 AM
Subject: Jesus
To: Krissy Gehring <kristina.gehring@gmail.com>

"Kristina, do you want to follow me?"

Yes Lord I am sorry for resisting you and rebeling against you. 

My way will mean sorrow and death to your self. It is not an easy path. My followers will suffer.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And on earth there is none besides you. Where else would I go?

You could choose to please yourself instead of me.

Lord I repent of choosing to live to please myself instead of you

My way is a lonely long path but Kristina it leads to LIFE. Few find it. I want you with me. Don't turn back to yourself. You know where that leads. Giving yourself away in love is never wasted. See your gifts as gifts to me. Not to people. Honoring my household is honoring me. I will help you.

https://youtu.be/sufQX7NSX2k

Lord I offer up this rebel heart So stubborn and so restless from the start I don't wanna fight You anymore So take this rebel heart and make it Yours Father I no longer wanna run You've broken my resistance with Your love And drowned it underneath the crimson spill So bend this rebel heart into Your will I give it over to You I give it over to You Your love is like an arrow, straight and true And now this rebel heart belongs to You Help me lay the renegade to rest Turn the stone inside me back to flesh And hold me till my best defenses fall And watch this rebel heart surrender all I give it over to You I give it over to You Your love is like an arrow, straight and true And now this rebel heart belongs to You Oh take my life and let it be Yours Oh take my life and let it be Yours Oh take my life and let it be Yours Oh take my life and let it be Yours I give it over to You I give it over to You Your love is like an arrow, straight and true And now this rebel heart belongs to You And now this rebel heart belongs to You And now this rebel heart belongs to You

Processing the Logos

Holly Dear

Kristene DiMarco

Dear little dreamer
You have not lost at all
Cause what slipped through your fingers
Has little to do with life at all

Holly dear, the dreams you dream
Cannot be found by the wayside
You should know
In letting go

You'll come to find what you hope for
(You'll come to find what you long for)

Dear little dreamer
I'll tell you this much is true
If the whole world forsakes you
My heart is wide open for you

For every dream that goes to waste
Will find new life before His face
For all you could ever desire
Is what He gives

It will inspire
A love that lasts
A life lived well
And further than you can tell
There are better things

Forgiveness : START OVER - loving the person over being right

Once I decided to forgive rather than go into detail in my mind about how she hurt me, He gave me grace to overcome the hurt and see how much bondage she is in. It’s really sad. I know He has so much more for her.

Lord thank you for forgiving me for my anger, offense and judgment. You alone are judge. please humble her gently and help her to accept your loving truth. Heal her mind in Jesus name. 

Lord help

I just had an interesting interaction... My mom called and accused me and Dad of taking her stuff. Not sure what she is talking about.I need the your help to continue to have compassion and forgive.

Also to not be offended that she didn’t call about my bday or coming back from Israel..but about stealing her stuff. I feel entitled to be hurt/offended, but I have done way worse to you and you have forgiven me. Please pray that He gives me your heart for her and not to give in to my emotions which aren’t aligning with truth right now. Thank you.  Also please heal my mom, and give her peace about her stuff...and that she would have your grace to realize her sin and repent. I am having dinner with my family for my bday at Benihana tomorrow and I leave for Texas Saturday through Tuesday. I need your help. 

Changing from one who avoided suffering to one who values it.

The Benefit of Suffering

1 Peter 4:1-2 - “Since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.”

Sometimes, growth means that we have to take some hard, painful steps. For example, the apostle Peter changed from a man who avoided suffering to one who valued it. In the beginning he did not value the idea of suffering. When Jesus told his disciples that he was going to suffer and die, Peter rebuked Jesus and said there was no need for that (see Matthew 16:21–23). Jesus promptly replied, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Jesus taught a profound lesson on the value of suffering: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (see Matthew 16:24–25). Jesus calls his followers to embrace suffering.

And Peter learned this lesson. The same Peter who thought suffering and death should not be included in the plan later said, “Since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.”

Peter came to see suffering as armor! He came to see suffering as protection against sin. He came to see that if we go through the suffering we need to go through, then we are “done with sin” (or at least the sin that had to do with that particular growth step).

The process of growth means taking some painful steps. But, in sub¬mitting to that kind of suffering, we reap the benefit in the end. Working out a difficult relationship, for example, is not easy. We might have to suffer the hard steps of opening up, facing conflict, etc. Overcoming an addiction usually requires facing the pain that is driving the behavior. But if we face these kinds of suffering, we move past the issues and are on to a better life. We can get done with whatever is holding us back. Just as an athlete embraces “no pain, no gain,” those who want to grow personally have to sometimes go through some hard steps to get there. But it is worth it.