When You’re Still

What can God do when we slow things down?

Written by Kimmy Gutierrez

Ever notice when you’re still that you hear things that you normally wouldn’t hear? That you see things that you would not normally see in a busy day? Take a moment right now and silence the tv, put down your phone, lower your radio. (wait just 1 minute, okay 30 seconds)
Just close your eyes and listen…What did you hear?
I heard my water fountain outside, and a few birds passing by.
In today’s society it’s hard to have a moment of silence, little alone be still. Because if you’re anything like me my cell phone is constantly getting texts or notifications, and tweets etc. My house is always full of sounds. Let’s face it, it’s even hard now a days to have a conversation with someone because they are constantly doing something on their phones. (agree?)
Sometimes we wonder why we don’t see God in our situations, why we don’t hear God in our lives. Could it be that we are too busy? Too busy making things happen… and not being still?
The word still in the dictionary means the following:
1. remaining in place or at rest; motionless; stationary: to stand still.
2. free from sound or noise, as a place or persons; silent: to keep still about a matter.
3. subdued or low in sound; hushed: a still, small voice.
Think about it, when you are NOT still, you’re too busy to listen… when you are NOT still you are trying to do it on your own..
But when you ARE still you allow God to do His part, you allow God to take over.
Picture yourself still… are you laying on a couch? a lounge chair? are your arms limp? are your feet kicked up? No worries?
That is kind of how God wants us to be when he calls for us to be still. Still enough for Him to do what he needs to do. (Not being lazy, but just still) Waiting on the Lord. Listening to Him!
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
It is when we are still that we know that He is God… when we allow Him to take on our cares, when we allow Him to go to battle for us and when we allow Him to heal us.
This blog is for me too, I can get really busy and though I try to be guided by him daily, there are situations I sometime just want to take care of right now.
But it’s when you know that He is saying “Be Still”, that’s when you need to just trust in him.
Philippians 1:6 says it best.. “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
So today I encourage you to be still.
As a kid we were taught to Stop, Drop and Roll the fire out, today I challenge you to “Stop”, Listen, and Let God!” be still and be blessed!

Bullying

How far can bullying go?

Written by Remaliah Evans

The effects of bullying reach far beyond school and the school years. Here are a few quick numbers:
·10% kids who drop out of school, drop out because of bullying1, thus severely limiting employment opportunities.
·Those bullied are four times more likely to experience anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and agoraphobia in adulthood than those who were not bullied2.
·40% of boys identified as bullies in between the sixth and ninth grades are arrested at least 3 times before the age of 301.
·Those (male and female) identified as bullies have an increased risk of developing antisocial personality disorder, a disorder in which a person has little empathy and does not mind manipulating others for their gain2.

Whether you are an adult or a youth, chances are that bullying has, or is impacting your life. The Good News: there are resources, and this weekend Life Builder Brea is one of those resources. Be sure to attend Life Builder Brea this weekend and learn what bullying is, and what bullying is not. This special session will be taught by three women with expertise in diverse backgrounds: a pastor and counselor who resolves bullying within adult relationships, a campus safety officer who has diffused numerous bullying incidents for over 18 years, a school psychologist.

This Saturday’s seminar will cover how to recognize the true source of bullying. We know what bullying looks like; now it’s time to discover the root of the problem and then lay the ax to the root. We will also learn how to overcome the negative effects of bullying. As much as we would like to think that bullying ends in high school, unfortunately bullying can occur between adults, in college, and in the workplace.

Bullying is a term that we hear often and it is sometimes misused; therefore this Seminar will also clearly define bullying. You will leave this seminar equipped and empowered! Register for no fee event here

Sources:
1.http://www.nobullying.com
2.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/long-term-effects-of-bullying_n_2728190.html

APPRECIATION MONTH

What Better Time to Honor those who dedicate their lives to serve God?

Written By: Remaliah Evans

Did you know that October is Clergy Appreciation Month? Dictionary.com defines clergy as “the collective body of men and women ordained as religious ministers…” Clergy are the official ministers, pastors, prophets, teachers, apostles, prophets and leaders. What better time to honor these faithful people than Clergy Appreciation Month? As such, I would like to dedicate this blog to the ministers and leaders and say THANK YOU!

When I consider how ministers and leaders have impacted me, I am reminded of the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child.” I joined my church as a spiritual baby and over the years I have been amazed at the time, energy, resources that ministers and leaders pour into others. They have changed my life and helped me grow in my relationship with God. As a tribute to these beautiful people, here are three life lessons that they have taught me:

LOVE: I cannot tell you how many times I have called a minister or leader and they took the time to listen, pray, encourage, and counsel me. Speaking the truth in love, they restored my hope (and oftentimes my sanity) in one conversation! They take time out for me and so many others even though they have very busy schedules. Then there is the fact that I can get a funky attitude at times. They do not condemn me; instead they help me uncover and cure the source of my bad attitude. It takes LOVE and patience to do that. They have taught me that love must be the motivation- loving God and loving people. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12

CHARACTER: Some define character as what you do when no one is looking. I would venture to say that 90% – 95% of what ministers and leaders do is behind the scenes: hours of studying and praying, counseling, home and hospital visits, serving, etc. They live a lifestyle of serving with little recognition. Great ministers and leaders are not concerned with accolades and rewards; instead they choose to maintain integrity and serve people. “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” Psalm 25:21

TEAMWORK: Ministers and leaders build teams because it takes teams to fulfill vision and purpose. Wise ministers and leaders do not try to do it all on their own. In fact, they enjoy imparting their experience, knowledge, and grace to others! We are better together. “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-20. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecclesiastes 4:9

Loneliness

How to break cycles of loneliness and depression

Written by Yvonne Galindo

I wrote in my previous blog “Intimacy I” with regards to being a single Christian Women in the church today and your relationship with Christ. It’s no surprise that more and more people define themselves as being lonely. Some suffer from loneliness because of losing a spouse or child. In most cases it’s divorce; someone you have been intimate with for years of marriage and then one day the happiness you both have shared is gone! I believe we use the word lightly, and don’t realize loneliness can be a serious ailment for some. Loneliness will manifest itself in many forms like using drugs to try to cope with your depression which sometimes can lead to suicide. This truly saddens my heart because I experienced the loss of a loved one who truly suffered from loneliness and depression. It’s not that she wasn’t loved it’s because she never loved herself or forgave herself for her past mistakes. Women not learning to love or forgive themselves are a number one cause of loneliness in the church.
Mother Teresa said it best ~ the most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved ~ anyone who has been divorced knows the feeling of inadequacy or feeling incomplete and unloved which sometimes can lead to unhealthy relationships. I myself have experienced feeling incomplete and unloved, because of those feelings I made some BIG mistakes, some that I have learned from and others I have regretted terribly. I needed to stop looking for someone and find myself in Christ. I needed to seek Greatness and find the good in myself by the renewal of my mind-Rom 12:2. It was a difficult process and I learned to place all my desires before God; to pray about them and trust God to give them to me if and when they’re right. Remember place all the good, bad and the ugly in His hands. There is no room for shame at the altar of God.
The story of your life has many chapters. One bad chapter doesn’t mean it’s the end of the book.

For more from Yvonne, visit her blog.