Rest and Trust

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Hello Fellow Sojourners!

Thank you for sharing this mailing with others! Please continue to do so. I so enjoy hearing from you all.

We had an overnight getaway over the holiday weekend. We stopped at Pocahontas State Park here in Virginia and also River Falls Park in Weldon, NC.

The photo is from Weldon, NC. Water brings such peace to the souls of those who sit by it. It seems to absorb every care you have and moves them downstream. Reflections of earth and sky on the surface provide an everchanging beauty of their own.

The pretty weather we had made our outdoor time special since I'm not very fond of the cold. It's nice to get away now and then to the woods ... the stillness reminds me that there are still quiet places in our world where you can hear God's footsteps nearby.

View the photo album from the state park and Weldon.

Now that we're through Thanksgiving, we can challenge ourselves to analyze our relationship to food before December arrives. Obesity in America is an epidemic and I believe it's because of the stressful lifestyle and fast pace we have set for ourselves. The bar to "measure up" has been raised higher and higher till nobody ever truly makes it over, but nobody notices that since they are trying to measure up in their own life.

Food has become a comfort zone for many. It's the basis of life from the day we are born and we associated needs being met by our mouths being filled. Eating and drinking should be done to maintain the body, but glandular malfunction can easily cause addiction to the behavior. Dieter's Cleanse may help to get the focus changed.

We must learn to eat and drink to the glory of God. Food is what tempted Adam and Eve to sin and it was also through eating that the devil sought to tempt our Lord in challenging Him to turn the stones into bread while He fasted 40 days in the wilderness. (Luke 4:3)

Those of us who are not overweight are not released from responsibility. I had to give up chocolate over 8 years ago because I couldn't have it now and then. It was like alcohol is to an alcoholic. If I had any chocolate I would go on a binge, making myself sick and guilt-ridden because our home only held nutritious foods and this was not on the approved list. I found myself eating it in the closet and realized that this food had control of part of my life and that was not acceptable.

I had tried everything on my own to quit the habit, but it wasn't until I told the Lord I could not do this and asked Him to do it for me that I had victory. I told Him that if He would take away the craving, I would forever say "no" to chocolate. I made that vow and hung in there for the 2-3 weeks saying "no" till it got out of the physical body realm and into the spiritual. After that the cravings and fascination with chocolate was gone. That was in November 1998.

Let me challenge you to obey what you are hearing the Lord say in relation to diet. It will bring you much peace and joy as you gain control over the Enemy's temptations in your life.

Before the hustle and bustle of the Season gets you stressed out and blows your immune system, plan now on how you will simplify what Christmas means for your family. Have a family meeting and decide what you want December to be in your home and your lives. I wrote a couple of article years back that may give you some ideas:
A Different Kind of Christmas
Finding Stillness During The Holidays

Hugs and Blessings!
Donna

Today's Featured Article

Rest and Trust
by Donna L. Watkins

In the winter birds have to be especially alert to shadows from the sky (hawks) because they are so visible on the many trees and bushes that are now leafless.

This Blue Jay seems to be especially bold resting on the tree in front of our house. Being in a wooded area, we see quite a few hawks, and we also see birds continually looking upward to be alert to danger.

This bird seemed to be resting and trusting that he was just fine. It gave me a picture of how we are to be. Knowing our Heavenly Father will take care of us no matter what the dangers are around us.

The world is so big on making things happen. Everybody seems to be joining the rat race to the world's definition of success. Where is the stillness that the Bible talks about Christians having? Where is great peace and joy? We are driven to do more and more even in areas where we should be trusting God to work.

Has prayer become obsolete? Totally useless because it doesn't meet the time factors of our project deadlines? Who set the deadlines? I'm always intrigued with the pace of Jesus. He had so much to accomplish on His short stay on earth and yet He never hurried. Never scurried even in the face of death. Yes, He was God and man, but on earth He was operating as man. He had only His faith in His Father to rely on. His timing was not even the world's timing back then. Many thought He had to come quickly, but rather than speed, He chose Faith to overcome even death.

We must learn to place our trust in God. He has promised to be with us at all times, to make our paths straight and to make a way through all of our mountains of troubles. In His name we pray and in Him we trust to accomplish what we cannot and should not.

He knows the beginning and the end. We can place our confidence in the One who never fails. We may look back and think He has failed, but if we see the whole picture, it may be that we messed too much with the situation. Sometimes doing hands are best put to rest as praying hands, which can truly accomplish so much more than any of us can ever imagine.

Trusting in Him. This is where God wants our hearts to be. To obey because of the wisdom gained from faith in Him and His Word. How much more can we accomplish in life if we trust and obey our Heavenly Papa. This doesn't mean we don't move at all and expect everything to just happen around us. God will use us on this earth, but we must listen to find out His way of doing it. Don't go from one extreme to the other of rushing in to do it all, to sitting and doing nothing.

Right now, push the PAUSE button on your life. Find a place of stillness and pour out all your troubles and projects and plans before the Father and allow Him to speak in a still small voice. He promises to direct your paths and Ps. 84:11 says, "Not one good thing has the Lord withheld from me." Believe in this Father, unlike your earthly father who made human mistakes. Don't confuse Our Father with any father on earth. This is The Father that you've always wanted to have. Run to Him and put your life into His hands and rest from your weary labor and burdens.

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© 2006 Donna L. Watkins

All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and link:

This article originally published in "A Healing Moment" was reprinted with permission. The Herbs Place provides a free email subscription to "A Healing Moment." Visit the author's website for more articles and other free newsletters available. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html