Spiritual
And If
Imagine the reaction of your family if one day you wake up and inform them there will be no meals because you were deeply wondering that if you go to the kitchen to cook a meal, you may burn the food, or you may burn the pot, or you may burn yourself!
How about if you cook and your family does not like the meal prepared, and if your family would prefer a snack?
Only by writing or reading it, it seems so silly, isn’t it? But you know what, this is exactly how we rationalise in other aspects of our lives.
When there is a problem, and honestly, we do have problems nearly every day, we start dwelling on the “if’s” of that problem. We become very worried, but not actually with the problem in front of us but with the suggestions our mind brings up in relation to that problem:
“What if I lose my job? And if my husband is having an affair? And if my son is involved with bad friends? And if, and if, and if…
By experience, when you look back at the problems you faced recently, you will have to be honest and count how many if’s you have uttered and suffered anguish over something that never happened. But there you were, consumed with worry about things that did not happen at all. The problem is over now and as a bonus you got some wrinkles on your face, some pain in your body because of tension, a few grey hairs, missed some hours of sleep and then life went on.
“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matt 6:27)
What to do then? Look at the problem with sober perspective; deal with what you actually have in your hands and with the means you have to solve that problem. Do not allow “if this and that” to rule your life.
Get to the point as it is in the present and not as it might be in the future. Your boss is not satisfied with the quality of your work. Deal with that without worrying with what will happen IF you loose your job because, right now, the problem is in the quality of your work. Concentrating on that you requires your attention and not if you will lose your job…
Your marriage is going through troubled waters. Do not worry what is going to happen if your husband has an affair, if he is going to leave you. Deal directly and clearly with the causes of your incompatibility.
Your health is not doing well. Do not consider thoughts, such as “what if I have an incurable disease or and if I am going to die?” Follow the doctor’s prescription and advice. If needed, change your lifestyle to improve your health.
Above all, exchange your worries with the assurance of faith. God is certain to put this assurance in your heart if you have the right perspective and approach towards your problems.
“For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) and have you noticed there is no “if” in this statement?
Marcia Pires
Who is Tamar?
WHO IS TAMAR?
Dear readers, you may be wondering since our last edition on Who is Tamar and why do we need to save her!
I am very pleased to introduce to you our new WiA campaign that will be launched in a Special Meeting in Soweto, on the 9th of August, 2010.
We will be taking our stand against abuse to Women and Children in our Society and we will be looking into the matter not in a feminist but feminine perspective, within the context of the Holy Bible and within the purpose God has created as for.
Tamar, as the Bible records in 2 Samuel 13:1-21, was one of David’s daughter who was abused by her own brother, Amnon.
There are many Tamars’ all around us being physically, sexually and emotionally abused. Families being devastated as a result of it, lives being shattered on account of abuse and dreams being consumed by regret and pain.
We will celebrate Women’s Day uplifting the banner of peace. We will bring up awareness and comfort to those who have been victims of this experience and we count on you to march this campaign on our side.
This is our Tamar, the symbol of our manifest. . Watch this space to learn more about it. From now on, make your decision and help us to Save a Tamar.
Ten Signs of a Big Worrier
For now, please, take a look in this list and do your own check-up. Watch this space for more info about worries and what does it have to do with this great Day of Decision ahead of us!
Ten signs
1. You find you spend much more time in useless, non-constructive worry than other people you know.
2. People around you comment on how much of a worrier you are.
3. You feel that it is bad luck or tempting fate not to worry.
Worry interferes with your work – you miss opportunities, fail to make decisions, perform at lower than optimal level.
5. Worry interferes with your close relationships – your spouse and/or friends sometimes complain that your worrying is a drain on their energy and patience.
6. You know that many of your worries are unrealistic or exaggerated, yet you cannot seem to control them.
7. Sometimes you feel overwhelmed by worry and even experience physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness or trembling.
8. You feel a chronic need for reassurance even when everything is fine
9. You feel an exaggerated fear of certain situations that other people seem to handle with little difficulty.
10. Your parents or grandparents were known as great worriers, or they suffered from an anxiety disorder.
Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting
(Psalm 139: 23-24)
Source: Dr Hallowell
.Donated Blood
The UCKG RSA has engaged into a very blessed campaign in response to a call from the SA Blood Donation due to the constant shortage of blood in our hospitals. Therefore, the Church has invited all those who wanted to participate of this campaign that has started Saturday, 25th of July and will last for one week. I have been to the Auckland Park unit to make my contribution and photos will follow but now I want to invite you who never did it and you are fit, health wise for this task. You can help saving 3 people with your donation. The stations were full, throughout the country, so much so they had to call nurses from their day off to cope with the turn out. At the same time that I am inviting those who did not go as yet, I take the opportunity to thank all of you who did. I am sure the little we did has been helping our hospitals this week. You still have got time. Today is Tuesday and they are open everyday from 9am to 4pm. Check out this link and verify if you are a candidate for the task. http://www.sanbs.org.za/new_donors/NewDon_CanI_malaria.htm
Posted by Marcia Pires
2. Like Flu
Have you noticed how you suddenly fall sick with flu? It does not give you any notice; it does not show you warning signs. Out of the blue, you have a headache, you feel body pains, runny nose and you find yourself in bed: yesterday you felt good and fit and all of a sudden, you have now a red nose, you are voiceless, dragging your body through the house.
Temptation comes in a similar way. One day you are happy, strong, clean and conscious but, without being alert, it just comes occupying your heart and mind, contaminating your soul, blocking your prayers and stealing all hope.
It gets worse when you give attention to the temptation, when you do its will and turn its way, when you allow your emotions to speak louder than your spirit and from temptation, sin is conceived.
Every human being is subject to that but those who are slaves of feelings and emotions are easy catches.
What most annoys me is that women are always classified in the second category: slaves of emotion. Therefore, we tend to be chronicle patients of temptation and sin.
It is more related to assumptions rather than real facts: what we guess it has happened, what we imagine someone spoke of us, when we feel that others do not care, what we did that was not properly recognized.
It takes a split of a second to be tempted to judge, to envy, to despise, to hate, to bad mouth a friend, to go out of Christian way and give room to ungodly thoughts.
I am not implying that men are not subject to it but those who master emotion can easily distinguish hypothesis from real situations therefore narrowing the passages to temptation at an emotional level. “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
Once David, a man according to God’s heart, has made such prayer and each one of us who wants to follow such wisdom, should do this same prayer everyday, asking God for a loyal spirit that will bring us closer to Him. We should be faithful in our words and thoughts and that will boost our immunity to the traps of our feelings.
We will no longer be a chronicle patient of illusion, disappointments, expectations, grudges and we will keep our eyes set on the One above Who will never leave us on our own.
A loyal spirit is the vaccination that will shield you and me throughout the seasons.
Posted by Marcia Pires at
3.Packing Tomatoes
Did you ever observe another housewife making her food shopping, mainly in the fruit & veggie section? No matter what the ad may say of quality and low prices, there she is carefully examining each and every fruit or veggie. She picks up a tomato and, literally speaking, she examines it: color, size, consistency, kg price, unit price. It looks like it is the very first time she has ever seen a tomato, when, actually, her last groceries shopping was just a week before. Men normally say: why you take so long; at the end of the day, they are all tomatoes! Pick up some and let’s go!
And it goes on with oranges, lemons, potatoes … a thorough examination throughout her shopping list.
Her reasoning, as a housewife, demands of her to be sure she is paying for worthy food to set her table nicely and feed her family in a healthy manner.
But when, we – women, turn to relationships we do not apply the very same criteria. We trust in the “ad”, in the outward appearance, in eloquent words and we give ourselves in totally.
I have been seen many women of God – I am not even focusing on secular women here – getting hurt, deceived, frustrated on the way because of cracks and failures in relationship.
Only because she met someone inside the church, then it seems to her that the person is a fully converted Christian, of good cheer and character, discreet, friendly and will make her happy forever.
Common words are “it is a blessing from God”, “it is the man of God I have been praying for”, “it is the friend I needed so much”, “it is the partner that will help me to improve my business – God answered my prayers”.
She does not “inspect thoroughly” the person, as she does in the supermarket with tomatoes!
My friends, God has and always will answer to your prayers but do not forget that the devil will always be on the way to deceive you. That is why the Holy Spirit has equipped us with an intelligent faith and the Bible motivates us to make use of this faith.
In Luke 14:28, Jesus advises that before we engage in a project, we should “count the costs” let alone if we are going to engage in relationships.
Unfortunately, many women have been despising this advice and allowing her emotions to speak louder. We have been sadly contemplating wrong marriages, friendships and partnerships because one gave more ears to her own feelings rather than to the intelligent faith.
Before embarking into any relationship, opening your heart, trusting your children with someone else, your business, your personal financial matters, your long-term plans, assess the person, examine attitudes, reactions, discuss issues that are important to you, discuss truths of the Bible and pray but be prepared to give ears to the voice of God and not to your heat!.
