God knows…God cares…God loves you…There is hope. Someone is waiting to talk with you now.

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loves us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17).

Are you weary today? Is your strength failing?

Often we find ourselves in situations that require us to pour out physical and emotional energy at such a pace that there is little or no time to be replenished.

Raising young children is one such season of life. There aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish all that needs doing; the necessity for constant vigilance is draining and a moment of rest seems weeks away.

Being the primary care giver to someone who is sick or aging is another period of unrelenting demands on your energy. Beyond the physical demands, grief often takes an added toll.

Perhaps it is the strain of broken relationship that is exhausting you. Estrangement from a friend, sibling, or son or daughter exacts a heavy price from your peace of mind. Confession, forgiveness and working through the issues take more strength than you possess.

Many times we desire to do these good things that God has called us to, but become discouraged and tired.

Thus it is wonderful to discover that our God gave us eternal encouragement and good hope! More than a momentary pick-me-up, by God’s grace and love we have access to a continuous supply of hope and encouragement.

Feelings fluctuate, but God and His word stand firm forever. Keep clinging to Him.

Please allow me to call on God on your behalf today:

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loves you and by his grace gave you eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your heart and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.

Questions: What does eternal encouragement and good hope mean to you? What unrelenting demands on your energy are you facing today?

About the Author Suzanne Benner

“I called to the Lord…in my distress I called to the Lord…I cried to my God…He heard my voice…He reached down…the Lord was my support…He rescued me because he delighted in me”  (Psalm 18: 6, 17 & 19, NIV).

“Over here, Grandpa! Over here, Grandpa! Over here, Grandpa!” The toddler’s piercing voice reverberated in the restaurant as she persistently called to her grandpa who stood, seemingly unresponsive, at the order counter. For what seemed like eons to those of us hoping for a quiet morning coffee, the childish voice shrilled on. Finally—to our immense relief—Grandpa turned, smiled and said a quiet, “I see you.” Satisfied with this simple reply, the child quieted and settled into her padded seat.

This incident strikes close to home for parents traveling with small children.  It is a vivid example of how God patiently waits for us to hear His quiet voice when we insistently cry out our needs. We shout “over here, Father!” as though He doesn’t see our trembling bodies or hear our shrieking cries. And then, finally, His soothing words enter our beings and we can settle into whatever circumstances surround us: “I see you.”

The child simply needed to be reassured that her Grandpa actually could see her even though he was engaged in other activity. When we call to the Lord—when we cry out to Him—we can be confident of his support and His rescue. Because He delights in us.

I wonder how much energy I spend in shouting when all I need do is whisper?

Help me, Father, to settle into your love and delight.

Questions: How are you reassured that God hears you?

About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Our Protection, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

When is the last time someone said to you, you did a good job!  You look lovely today!  I really appreciate your kind spirit!  Thanks for being a good friend! When was the last time you said that to someone?

I was recently challenged about using more positive words of encouragement.  I think you can agree that there is enough pressure of negative words inside our heads and from outside forces that we don’t need to waste our energy on that.   God made us to enjoy Him and to enjoy life in a world of harshness. He is our source of identity.  So let’s pass it on……

1.     Praise God
“Bow down and worship the Lord our Creator!  The Lord is our God, and we are His people, the sheep he takes care of in his own pasture” (Psalm 95:6-7).

It is so easy to come to God with my list of needs and wants.  Don’t get me wrong, He desires that in His Sheep.  He is there 24/7 with open arms.  However, there are so many verses in the Scriptures that remind us to praise and worship Him.  A lot of my prayer time is on my drive back and forth to work.  I have been challenged to spend time in thankful reflection of His majesty and His character. “Everyone on earth now trembles and worships the Lord, majestic and holy”. When I praise Him, I draw closer to Him, increase my trust in Him, and love Him even more. He never changes. He gives back 100 fold.  The friendship is strengthened.  What a privilege we have to praise God and enjoy who He is. In our society, people love to ‘name drop’ who they know and who they met.  We know the Living God who hung each star, keeps the solar system in place, changes the seasons, and holds us like a shepherd does a lamb!

2.    Praise Others
It seems easier to criticize and judge.  It doesn’t take much effort. Taking the time to see people for who they are, investing in their lives, and being patient with them is a risk and time consuming.  Listen to what Paul says to his friends in Thessalonica. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone.  Paul lived it.  He was unjustly persecuted, thrown in jail, and beaten.  Yet he made sure he encouraged and praised his people-world. When we are truly wanting to bless someone with praise we are not attempting to make them proud.  Human hearts crave honest and truthful support.  Look around you and see who you can encourage today without expecting anything in return.

When we praise, our hearts become less hardened and bitter.  When we praise, we give of ourselves and take our eyes off our selfish needs.  When we praise, we see the enjoyment of our life and a God who unconditionally loves us and we can in return pass it on.

Look around your people-world and make a mental list of those you can encourage.  Take a few minutes to just praise God for His majesty and holiness.  We were made to pass it on!!!

Father God, I am gratefully honored to tell You how wonderful and caring You are.    You are King, and I adore You.   Thank you for being such a Mighty Rock where I am safe in a world of instability.  I honor You today!  Thank you!  Amen.

Questions: Why is it important to spend time praising God and praising the people we come in contact with?

About the Author Linda Goodhand Rodgers

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Worship on the Go, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

There is great satisfaction in a job well done, but there is also a danger.

Pride, that insidious sin, tends to swell our brains so that they can no longer think straight.

Although we often begin with the right attitude, using the gifts God has given us – health, energy, creativity or intelligence – to work, learn and produce, sometimes in the end our perspective becomes distorted. We start to think too highly of ourselves and forget that it was God who enabled us to accomplish these things in the first place.

In the Old Testament judgment was proclaimed on the city of Tyre, not because of their ambition or skill, but because they had grown proud.

“By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.” (Ezekiel 28:5)

“Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:17).

We can keep ourselves from falling into the same trap of arrogance by remembering that everything we have is a gift from God.

“For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not” (1 Corinthians 4:7)?

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

God give me a grateful heart to always remember that everything thing I have – my intelligence, beauty, athletic ability, musical talent – is a gift from You. Thank you for the amazing things You have done in me and through me; may I never forget Your work in me and grow proud.

Questions: In what situations are you in danger of growing proud? What helps keep you from falling into the trap of pride?

About the Author Suzanne Benner

Daily audio podcast: Hear today’s daily devotional, Growing Proud, read aloud on the Men’s Devotional Blog

All I needed was a loaf of bread, so I turned into one of those gas stations on steroids where you can buy most of the necessities of life. I looked up and down row after of row for a simple measly loaf of bread. Finally, in the back corner on a bottom shelf, I found a loaf or two. But, what amazed me was all the other food offerings.

There was row after row of all sorts of snacks containing high fats, carbs and sugar. I started looking at the nutrition disclosures on individual packages. Why, the calorie intake on some of those small packages was more than half of a recommended daily caloric diet. No wonder American’s have an obesity problem.

You are what you eat, and what you eat influences virtually everything in your life, from how much energy you have . . . to how well your brain works . . . to how long you live. If you want to have a great brain, you must consistently give it nutrient-rich foods. I know it sounds almost too easy, but it’s a scientific fact: Change your diet, and you change your life.

But, those same principles dealing with our nutritional food diet apply to our spiritual diet and effect our life just as much…..change your thoughts and change your life. Garbage in, garbage out, or so the saying goes. We tend to become what we think about al day long.

Paul gives us some worthy advice in Philippians 4:8: “And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.”

Truth, goodness, righteousness, purity and loveliness… think about these things. Let them be the object of your careful attention and study, so as to practice them. Think what they are; think on the obligation to observe them; think on the influence which they would have on the world around you. Esteem them highly, recommend them heartily, and practice them fervently.

Lord, I don’t want to feed my soul on junk food. Help me to not only change my pattern of eating to get physically fit, but to also change your pattern of thinking to get spiritually fit. Help me today to think on the good things You have provided and have done in my life. I cast my thoughts on You, Jesus and my desire is to become more like You. Amen.

Questions: How differently would your life look if you got rid of your spiritual “junk food”?

About the Author John Grant

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Knowing God as Our Father, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

Energy is big business. Producing it brings jobs that fuel the market place. It brings revenue fueling corporations and governments. Without its invisible force, engines stop and every area of life is affected.

Fuel in affects energy out

In our own lives we know that the food and exercise choices we make fuel our bodies. The choice of input directly affects the energy levels of output. It’s also important to consider what fuels our spirits. Energy is also a need on the spiritual side of our lives. How we fuel our spirit greatly affects our well-being. With the increasing stress in life and relationships many feel a growing deficit within.

Recent surges in exploration of spiritual energy have proven that it too is fast becoming big business. Many want to cash in on the confusion and emptiness that is openly acknowledged.  You can have your future told or buy an object said to bring luck or peace, for the right price. Advertising slogans are also showing a strong spiritual awareness.  Many companies are now pitching serenity right alongside a new car, chocolate, even household paint. The promises of peace in exchange for your dollar are plentiful. Yet spiritual hunger only grows.

Fueling the spirit

Spiritual peace comes not from a set of religious standards or specific rituals or objects. These may bring some degree of comfort for a short time… but true fueling of our inner spirit comes only from a relationship with the living God. Spiritual fulfillment comes from inviting God to share the journey of life with is.

Millions around the world have come to know the lasting inner peace that comes when we realize we need God’s forgiveness.  The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ provided that. We need only believe and invite Him to walk with us through every area of our lives. Changed lives are the evidence of the reality of God’s power in an individual … changed lives that were once empty or hopeless…changed marriages and homes that wondered if change was even possible.

Jesus is the Source of hope and strength. He alone is the Source of all we need to fuel us within our spirits. He alone can be depended on to meet the need of the heart that is close to running on empty.

If your spirit feels empty or depleted today from the cares of life, why not invite Jesus to share the journey with you? He alone can fuel the deep places of your heart with new life and new energy. Take the step of faith today. You will never regret it! It’s as simple as praying this prayer…

God, my spirit often feels empty. I am running on empty as I hurry through my days. I believe that You sent Jesus to be my help and my strength. Forgive me for going my own way. I invite You to walk beside me and to bring new life into my soul. Lead me and guide from this day on. Amen.

** Are you confused and not sure what to do or where to turn? http://thelife.com/interactive/share.html

Thirty years and thirty pounds ago I spent my time at the local YMCA in gym class trying to balance the beam. I have to say now I get winded just finding my hidden exercise clothes! Finding balance was never easy for me and it followed me through life as I became a busy mom, wife, writer and speaker for the countless events on my calendar. On one particular event I determined to take a catnap before my session and almost slept through the evening. Waking up abruptly to panicky leaders and not knowing what city or event I was at gave me some insight to finding some balance in my life!

It seems in this day of over committed schedules we find ourselves trying to keep up with work, family, friends and finances. Add to that the desire most of us, as women, have to pleasing everyone around us and we soon find the balance scale in our lives can tip seriously to the left. We find ourselves depleted of time and energy. Somehow we think there is a Christian rule book that tells us we should use every means to do all we can in an effort to become the Proverbs 31 woman.  Do we dare actually take the time to balance our serving ability and, once in awhile just say No? That is, in fact, the only way to keep from wearing down, giving up or heading sideways.

The first thing that takes a backseat when life gets too busy is usually our prayer life – the very thing that puts us in a position to listen as God tells us when to say yes and when to say no. There will always be countless opportunities to serve, but it takes great wisdom to know which ones God has prepared uniquely for us. Sometimes saying no to the good leaves us refreshed and ready to say yes to the best.

The first thing I changed as I began to re-balance was to nurture and mentor my daughter- in-law who took every other speaking engagement for me. To my surprise and delight the requests coming in were for her not me! I also began to enjoy the Saturday morning coffee times with my husband that had been long forgotten. My quiet times centered on God and listening for what He had for my future plans. I even dug out the exercise clothes and with no distractions or pressures walked the park.

If your life resembles a gerbil on the tread mill it’s time to take some time to yourself, listen closely to God and re- evaluate.

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4-7)

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…”

~Father,
I am Yours and Yours alone. You are my beam on which I balance my thoughts and walk out the plans You have for me. Keep me centered and straight on the path to fulfilling Your call in my life. Amen

Question: Will you take time to read these verses and ask God to show you how to better balance your time? Psalm 37:1-6; 139:1-16; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Luke 10:38-42

About the Author: http://thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/joyce-simmons/

If any of these sound familiar, do not despair – you are not alone! If you want to see the widespread impact of stress, visit your local shopping centre and observe the faces of the fast-paced shoppers. Without a doubt, we all experience stress.

Dr. Richard Earle from the Canadian Institute of Stress, located in Toronto, Canada, defines stress as “mobilized energy.” We all need stress to get things done. Think of all that you do in a day – if you didn’t have stress, you wouldn’t be able to do them.

But there is good news–we don’t have to feel “stressed out!” In this way, our focus will be on managing our stress rather than trying to eliminate it.

When you learn the factors which contribute to your stress level and a few methods of managing that stress, you increase the sense of control you have over circumstances in your life. You can also identify the factors which bring you satisfaction at work and at home and increase them!

So journey through this information knowing that there is hope, and give yourself permission to enjoy life in the midst of a busy schedule!

Take the stress test

How is your stress level? Answer the questions below to see just how many of the “stress” indicators apply to you.

• How frequently have you had this feeling?
• My frequency or experience in the past month? 0, 1, 2 or 3?

1. Felt tense, nervous, anxious or upset
2. Felt sad, depressed, down in the dumps or hopeless
3. Felt low energy, exhausted, tired or unable to get things done
4. Couldn’t turn my thoughts off long enough – at nights or on weekends – to feel relaxed and refreshed the next day
5. Found myself unable to sit still, and had to move around constantly
6. Was so upset that I felt I was losing control of my feelings
7. Have been preoccupied with a serious personal problem
8. Have been in unpleasant situations that I felt hopeless to do anything about
9. Felt tired in the morning, no energy to get up or face daily activities
10. Have had problems concentrating on things, or remembering names
11. Feel I could be doing a great deal more to take care of myself and keep healthy
12. Don’t feel I have much control over the events in my life
13. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to accomplish what I want
14. Have been continually frustrated in my life by bad breaks and people not living up to my expectations
15. My standards are very high for my own activities
16. When something difficult or stressful is coming up, I find myself thinking about all the ways that things can go poorly for me
17. My life is empty and has no meaning
18. Often run into problems I can’t solve
19. Am not able to give what I would like to the people closest to me
20. Have not felt close to or accepted by the people around me, both family and friends

Scroll back up the page and add up the numbers you’ve placed in each box.

If your total score is between 0 and 20, your stress level is relatively low. That does not mean you won’t feel the effects of stress, but beginning stress-management techniques now will go a long way to improving your sense of well-being.

If your total is between 20 and 40, your stress level is moderate. Taking steps to manage stress now will help to prevent serious physical, psychological and emotional problems.

If your total is between 40 and 60, you are stressed out – keep reading!

Early warning signs of stress

My own stress level fluctuates with the diversity of demands placed on me at different times. I am active in my husband’s career, I go to school, I am raising two great (and active) children, I work part-time at my own career and I am involved in my children’s schools and at church.

My early warning signs of stress include being impatient with my children, being critical of my husband and letting chores pile-up at home (laundry not done, groceries hitting an all-time low, dust bunnies accumulating on the floors and toothpaste leftovers in the sinks!). When I see these things starting to happen, it’s time to take account of my schedule and make sure my timetable reflects my priorities. Sometimes I have to cut back and take care of my responsibilities at home; sometimes it means I have to increase my satisfiers.

To get to know yourself better, answer the following questions on “Personal Early Warning Signs of Stress”. This way, you will be able to recognize the things you need to pay attention to in order to manage your stress in a helpful way.

• What are your personal early warning signs that tell you that your stress level is going higher than you’d like it to be?
• When you see these signs adding up, what do you do for yourself to reduce your stress level?

Managing stress

If we can’t make stress go away, we can learn to manage it and lessen it’s impact on our lives. The following are three key strategies for managing stress:

1. Powerful relaxation technique
2. Break the worry cycle
3. Increase your satisfiers

1. Powerful relaxation

How and Why it Works:

1. You can’t feel (it’s impossible) emotionally “up tight” or stressed unless your muscles are “tight”.
2. LONG, SLOW OUT-BREATH sends a message to your nervous system and muscles: it’s O.K. to become relaxed.
3. As muscles relax: Heart rate and systolic blood pressure decrease, so do the stress hormones.
4. Your emotions–you feelings of “stress”–begin to decrease, allowing further reductions in muscle tension, blood pressure, etc.
5. Within minutes, you are as relaxed as in the 6th hour of sleep.

How

• long, slow out-breath
• feelings of warmth
• feelings of heaviness

When

• during boring speeches
• before a difficult phone call
• after a frustrating day

2. Break the worry cycle

Most people worry about the same few things repeatedly. These items are like a nagging broken record, playing over and over again.

To break the worry cycle, begin by identifying the situation causing you to worry and answer the following questions. Once you define the problem, you can then begin to solve the problem.

• Defining the problem

1. The situation causing me worry (specifically) is:
2. When I really get worried about it, the bad/unpleasant things I imagine happening are:

• Solving the problem

1. Can I change the situation? yes/no
2. Will I change the situation? yes/no. If you answered “yes,” what change will you make to the situation?
3. Being realistic, what is the worst likely effect on me if this situation does turn out badly?
4. What is my plan for what I will do if the situation does turn out badly?

There are many causes of stress, but the most frequent cause is uncertainty. A study was conducted after WWII regarding the bombings in and around London, England. As a result of these bombings, the number of ulcers increased in London by 50%. Yet the number of ulcers in the area surrounding London increased by 500%. Why? The residents of London were being bombed on a regular basis; the residents in the area surrounding London were bombed less frequently, but with more irregularity and less predictability. The uncertainty of the bombings accounts for the 450% increase in ulcers.

You have control over the situation because it is you who will determine if you will change the situation. All of us CAN change the situation, but we must decide if we WILL change the situation. In many situations we feel we cannot change the situation. It is more accurate to say that we can change the situation but decide not to for various reasons. It is important to note that it is you who are making the decision!

3. Increase your satisfiers

Dr. Richard Earle has written a book entitled Decreasing Your Body Age* which discusses how to increase your personal vitality. “The Vitality Quotient” is equal to the ratio of Satisfiers over Stress. Satisfiers are defined as those experiences which you KNOW (not just hope) will provide you feelings of satisfaction. Although you can manage your stress, you cannot eliminate stress. Therefore, you do yourself a great service by increasing your satisfiers both at work and at home.

Finding your satisfiers

At work?

1. High pay
2. Good benefits
3. Feeling well informed about what’s going on
4. A job that is not too easy
5. Working for efficient managers
6. Seeing the end result of my work
7. A chance to think for myself rather than just carry out instructions
8. Job security
9. Working for people who listen if you have ideas about how to do things better
10. Chance to develop skills
11. Recognition for good work
12. 12. Interesting work
13. 13. Work with people who treat me with respect

What about your satisfiers at home? These could include: going for a walk (a very good idea if you are stressed!), bike riding, watching T.V. or a movie, a hot bath, woodworking, drawing or painting, it can be just about anything. Just remember, satisfiers that are healthy will do the most good. Satisfiers that are unhealthy (too much caffeine, alcohol, or smoking, for example) will increase your heart rate, will probably decrease the amount and quality of your sleep and may in fact contribute to increasing your stress level.

None of us can live stress free, but applying the above principles will help put you in control of your life and hopefully increase your vitality!

(If you’d like to save your responses to these questions please print this page now.)

If you’ve scored highly on this test, you may want to try our free online interactive life lesson “Beating Stress“. Or feel free to contact us if you just need someone to talk to, we’re always here to listen!

© Canadian Institute of Stress, used with permission