The Lord has been speaking to me about peace a lot lately. So many people spend their entire life searching for peace that only God can bring. I've lived much of my life without peace, so I know how TOXIC it is, but I also know how powerful peace can be.
Although peace is a fruit of the spirit, many christians don't know how to live in peace. Instead, we carry around a lot of baggage that Jesus, the prince of peace, wants to take away. But we think the baggage is ours to carry, so we never even question it's existence. This baggage includes stress, fear, worry, anxiety, shame, and defeat. These are antidotes to peace. Only by giving these things to Jesus, and trusting him above all else, will we ever experience real peace.
Weekly Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank you that you are the Prince of Peace. I thank you that I can experience peace through you. Help me to throw off anything that hinders me from living fully in peace. IJN Amen
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
The Value of Worrying
In Matthew 6:26 it says, "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Whether you live in a constant state of stress in the month of December (or all year long), or are just an occasional worrier, living with stress won't add time or value to your life. It's important when we're worried and stressed to learn to stop that train of thought and fight it with God's help.
"God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear."
Psalm 46:1
The first thing that you can do when you're feeling stressed is to go to The Lord. He is our refuge when we are worried. He is our strength when we are overwhelmed and weak. As you feel worry and stress creep up on you this week, make a conscious effort to remind yourself where your strength comes from.
Weekly Prayer:
Father God, I know that worrying won't add any value to my life, but will instead zap me of life. Please help me to lean on you for strength in times of stress, instead of giving in to overwhelming thoughts.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Speak Scripture Over Your Life
"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him"
Lamentations 3:25
The Lord desires for us to seek him in all situations whether we are in a time of feast, or a time of famine. Whether we have some time to spare, or are super busy. By seeking him, we are reminded of his promises, reminded of who we are in him, and that gives us hope. When stressed and worried, one of the most powerful things you can do to relax, is to speak scripture over your life. Speak scripture over your circumstances. Remind yourself who your God is, how much he loves you, and who you are because of his grace and forgiveness. You will be amazed at the hope you can feel by doing this.
Weekly Prayer:
Father God, I know you are my refuge and my strength. I thank you that I can lean on you and hope in you during times of stress. Give me the desire to seek you every single day this month. IJN Amen.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Finding Rest During the Christmas Season
If you had to pick one time in a year that you are the most stressed, many of you would say right now, during the Christmas season. The major reason why, is because of the constant go, go, go and your to-do list that is a mile long. This week's prayer and devotion is focused on resting.
In this passage, Elijah has been sentenced to death by the King of Israel. The Israelites have rejected God's covenant, broken down the altars to the Lord, and put all the other prophets to death. Elijah is terrified for his people and his life, and he is ready to give up. He has totally reached his breaking point, even asking God to take his life. Instead, God allows him to fall asleep for an extended period of time, waking him only to eat and drink. Why? Because God knew that Elijah needed rest. He needed rest for his mind, his body, and his emotions. He needed rest because the coming task that God had for him was huge.
Unlike Elijah, most of us have a choice of whether or not to engage in rest. It is especially tempting right now to keep going and wait to rest until after Christmas is over. But I strongly encourage you to rest this year! Otherwise, the odds of you reaching you breaking point a few days before Christmas is pretty high. Plus, God promises that resting is not a waist of time! He promises to refresh us.
In Elijah's case, God did restore him body and soul. Once he was rested, he was able to travel for 40 days and nights without food or water, overthrow the evil King of Israel, anoint a new King, and find another prophet to teach and train up to someday replace him. The strength he received by resting was powerful and effective, and well worth the time it took!
Weekly Prayer:
Father God, help me make resting a priority this Christmas season, so that I can be at my best for my family come Christmas day. Let my resting be a witness to those around me. Equip me to do far more through resting in you, than I ever could on my own. IJN Amen.
"…he sat down under it and prayed that he might die. I have had enough Lord, he said. Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors."
1 Kings 19:4b
In this passage, Elijah has been sentenced to death by the King of Israel. The Israelites have rejected God's covenant, broken down the altars to the Lord, and put all the other prophets to death. Elijah is terrified for his people and his life, and he is ready to give up. He has totally reached his breaking point, even asking God to take his life. Instead, God allows him to fall asleep for an extended period of time, waking him only to eat and drink. Why? Because God knew that Elijah needed rest. He needed rest for his mind, his body, and his emotions. He needed rest because the coming task that God had for him was huge.
"I will refresh tired bodies. I will restore tired souls."
Jeremiah 31:25
Unlike Elijah, most of us have a choice of whether or not to engage in rest. It is especially tempting right now to keep going and wait to rest until after Christmas is over. But I strongly encourage you to rest this year! Otherwise, the odds of you reaching you breaking point a few days before Christmas is pretty high. Plus, God promises that resting is not a waist of time! He promises to refresh us.
In Elijah's case, God did restore him body and soul. Once he was rested, he was able to travel for 40 days and nights without food or water, overthrow the evil King of Israel, anoint a new King, and find another prophet to teach and train up to someday replace him. The strength he received by resting was powerful and effective, and well worth the time it took!
Weekly Prayer:
Father God, help me make resting a priority this Christmas season, so that I can be at my best for my family come Christmas day. Let my resting be a witness to those around me. Equip me to do far more through resting in you, than I ever could on my own. IJN Amen.
Monday, December 1, 2014
How do you Deal with Stress?
How do Christians deal with stress, especially around Christmas time? The time when we are supposed to be celebrating Jesus.
Stress tends to creep up on us when we're tired, sick, stuck in traffic, when we're running late, or when we've taken on too many responsibilities. When circumstances are out of our control, we feel stress. When our basic needs are not being met and our safety is threatened, we feel stress. These issues only increase at Christmas time, causing heightened levels of stress. Which is why, for the month of December the weekly prayers will focus on stress management. (To learn more about the weekly prayers, read 52 weeks, 52 prayers).
Stress, worry, and anxiety for Christians can take on many different forms, but in general, stress boils down to one idea: lack of trust in God. Ouch! Most Christians share the belief that God is sovereign and in control of life. Most Christians believe that God is the author, protector, and provider of life. So, when stress dominates life, that means that somewhere along the way we have failed to trust God. It's very easy to say, "Just trust God more and you won't deal with stress anymore." Yeah right! It's not that easy. Life is much too complicated, and we are much too vulnerable in our sinful nature for that to be true. Yet, for Christians, stress does have a positive side. It can be a mirror, or a reminder, that our lives have drifted away from God. It can be used as an indicator that we have stopped depending upon God for daily strength.
The Bible mentions many practical principles that can be used to avoid stress including regular rest, a proper diet, keeping balance in life, striving for peace with others, daily meditation on the word of God, having a thankful attitude, and prayer.
Obviously, we will be focusing on fighting stress with prayer through the month of December, the rest of the principles, such as rest, proper diet, and having balance in your life are nearly impossible during the holiday season, and that is ok (for the short term). It just means that your prayer life needs to be in overdrive. :)
This month the weekly prayers will also feature an added bonus. In addition to posting a new prayer each week on my website, Facebook page, and Instagram (@abbyshroka), I will also be posting them here on my blog, along with a SHORT devotion (I know you're busy busy busy right now)!
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Stress tends to creep up on us when we're tired, sick, stuck in traffic, when we're running late, or when we've taken on too many responsibilities. When circumstances are out of our control, we feel stress. When our basic needs are not being met and our safety is threatened, we feel stress. These issues only increase at Christmas time, causing heightened levels of stress. Which is why, for the month of December the weekly prayers will focus on stress management. (To learn more about the weekly prayers, read 52 weeks, 52 prayers).
Stress, worry, and anxiety for Christians can take on many different forms, but in general, stress boils down to one idea: lack of trust in God. Ouch! Most Christians share the belief that God is sovereign and in control of life. Most Christians believe that God is the author, protector, and provider of life. So, when stress dominates life, that means that somewhere along the way we have failed to trust God. It's very easy to say, "Just trust God more and you won't deal with stress anymore." Yeah right! It's not that easy. Life is much too complicated, and we are much too vulnerable in our sinful nature for that to be true. Yet, for Christians, stress does have a positive side. It can be a mirror, or a reminder, that our lives have drifted away from God. It can be used as an indicator that we have stopped depending upon God for daily strength.
The Bible mentions many practical principles that can be used to avoid stress including regular rest, a proper diet, keeping balance in life, striving for peace with others, daily meditation on the word of God, having a thankful attitude, and prayer.
Obviously, we will be focusing on fighting stress with prayer through the month of December, the rest of the principles, such as rest, proper diet, and having balance in your life are nearly impossible during the holiday season, and that is ok (for the short term). It just means that your prayer life needs to be in overdrive. :)
This month the weekly prayers will also feature an added bonus. In addition to posting a new prayer each week on my website, Facebook page, and Instagram (@abbyshroka), I will also be posting them here on my blog, along with a SHORT devotion (I know you're busy busy busy right now)!
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Thriving Through the Holidays
I can't believe that Thanksgiving is coming up next week! And you know what that means. The Christmas season is right around the corner and I want to help you make this year different.
This year, you're going to be THAT person come Christmas time. The happy one who can enjoy the holidays all while looking good and feeling even better. Not the "average" person who survives through the holiday season on caffeine and adrenaline all while feeling stressed out, exhausted, and worried about weight gain, finances, and family drama.
A 30 day online program designed to teach you how you can indulge in your favorite holiday treats and traditions without sacrificing your health or peace of mind. And yes, this truly is possible.
When I introduced this program last year, many people expressed concern about dieting over the holidays. So, let me set the record straight: Thriving Through the Holidays is not a diet or a detox and we don't focus on deprivation. This is a program that was designed to compliment your lifestyle and fit in easily with your holiday schedule.
What is the main focus of Thriving Through the Holidays?
1. Stabilizing your blood sugar levels with food, so that your body won't be so affected by all of the extra sugar during the holidays.
2. Eating foods that give you lasting energy so that you won't feel sluggish and exhausted all season long.
3. How to find a healthy balance between sacrificing and indulging, so that you can enjoy your favorite treats without feeling guilty.
4. Way more than just food! We will touch on stress management, sleep, alcohol, and setting healthy boundaries.
5. Weekly devotions and prayers that are designed specifically to help you keep your eyes focused on Jesus during Christmas time.
*This content retails at $400 when conducted in an individual program.
How Thriving Through the Holidays works:
**This year I am offering Thriving Through the Holidays exclusively to you, my mailing list subscribers.
Each Monday in December you will receive an email from me with healthy holiday recipes, handouts, tips, a devotion and prayer topic, and worksheets with action items. This allows you to review the content at your own pace, around your busy schedule.
The cost of the program is $49.00
For questions you can contact me here
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
This year, you're going to be THAT person come Christmas time. The happy one who can enjoy the holidays all while looking good and feeling even better. Not the "average" person who survives through the holiday season on caffeine and adrenaline all while feeling stressed out, exhausted, and worried about weight gain, finances, and family drama.
THRIVING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS
When I introduced this program last year, many people expressed concern about dieting over the holidays. So, let me set the record straight: Thriving Through the Holidays is not a diet or a detox and we don't focus on deprivation. This is a program that was designed to compliment your lifestyle and fit in easily with your holiday schedule.
What is the main focus of Thriving Through the Holidays?
1. Stabilizing your blood sugar levels with food, so that your body won't be so affected by all of the extra sugar during the holidays.
2. Eating foods that give you lasting energy so that you won't feel sluggish and exhausted all season long.
3. How to find a healthy balance between sacrificing and indulging, so that you can enjoy your favorite treats without feeling guilty.
4. Way more than just food! We will touch on stress management, sleep, alcohol, and setting healthy boundaries.
5. Weekly devotions and prayers that are designed specifically to help you keep your eyes focused on Jesus during Christmas time.
*This content retails at $400 when conducted in an individual program.
How Thriving Through the Holidays works:
**This year I am offering Thriving Through the Holidays exclusively to you, my mailing list subscribers.
Each Monday in December you will receive an email from me with healthy holiday recipes, handouts, tips, a devotion and prayer topic, and worksheets with action items. This allows you to review the content at your own pace, around your busy schedule.
The cost of the program is $49.00
For questions you can contact me here
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Monday, November 10, 2014
"But Jesus Often Withdrew to Lonely Places and Prayed" Luke 5:16
The one thing I learned that really changed my life and my health when going through my health coaching training was the power of listening to your body. How to be present; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This was about so much for than food, but that's how it all started for me.
How do you feel after eating pizza for dinner?
How well can you concentrate when you skip breakfast?
Are you emotionally stable after eating dessert?
Once you learn to really listen, and not just assume, you will start to notice that your body really does communicate to you how different foods make you feel. But, as I said before, it is about so much more than just food.
How do you feel when you wake up early in the morning so you don't have to rush?
How do you feel when you exercise right after work instead of doing it in the morning?
How do you feel after you've spent the day with good friends?
So often we are told exactly how we are supposed to feel, or the "most healthy" way of doing things. When in reality, every person is different. One person may feel the most benefits of exercising first thing in the morning. It gives them more energy, helps them to concentrate better, and promotes healthier food decisions throughout the day. On the flip side, another person may need to exercise right after work in order to relieve stress. They find that they can't relax and enjoy being with their family at night, they aren't able to sleep because their mind is spinning, and they find themselves emotionally eating to relieve stress when they don't exercise right after work. The sad part is, a lot of people don't make these connections between what their body needs versus what they have heard is the best way of doing things.
In the end, listening to your body physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually becomes a powerful tool that God uses to bring healing.
As you may have noticed, I have been absent on the blog this past month due to being sick and feeling worn down. In the past, I would have pushed through that and kept right on blogging until I got so incredibly sick that I was forced to take a break. These days though, I have learned to listen to my body and take those breaks before hospitalization is necessary. Rest is something that did not come easy to me. But, God has taught me a lot on the subject of rest. It honors God and it honors our body (God's temple). Jesus himself rested as often as He could by withdrawing to lonely places.
The good news is that I am back to blogging and really excited about it. The weekly prayers will resume in December with some awesome content on stress relief to help you manage all the Christmas craziness. Stay tuned!
How do you feel after eating pizza for dinner?
How well can you concentrate when you skip breakfast?
Are you emotionally stable after eating dessert?
Once you learn to really listen, and not just assume, you will start to notice that your body really does communicate to you how different foods make you feel. But, as I said before, it is about so much more than just food.
How do you feel when you wake up early in the morning so you don't have to rush?
How do you feel when you exercise right after work instead of doing it in the morning?
How do you feel after you've spent the day with good friends?
So often we are told exactly how we are supposed to feel, or the "most healthy" way of doing things. When in reality, every person is different. One person may feel the most benefits of exercising first thing in the morning. It gives them more energy, helps them to concentrate better, and promotes healthier food decisions throughout the day. On the flip side, another person may need to exercise right after work in order to relieve stress. They find that they can't relax and enjoy being with their family at night, they aren't able to sleep because their mind is spinning, and they find themselves emotionally eating to relieve stress when they don't exercise right after work. The sad part is, a lot of people don't make these connections between what their body needs versus what they have heard is the best way of doing things.
In the end, listening to your body physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually becomes a powerful tool that God uses to bring healing.
As you may have noticed, I have been absent on the blog this past month due to being sick and feeling worn down. In the past, I would have pushed through that and kept right on blogging until I got so incredibly sick that I was forced to take a break. These days though, I have learned to listen to my body and take those breaks before hospitalization is necessary. Rest is something that did not come easy to me. But, God has taught me a lot on the subject of rest. It honors God and it honors our body (God's temple). Jesus himself rested as often as He could by withdrawing to lonely places.
The good news is that I am back to blogging and really excited about it. The weekly prayers will resume in December with some awesome content on stress relief to help you manage all the Christmas craziness. Stay tuned!
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