Nature

Extra special thanks for your prayers and reassurances from my last post. I love you all dearly.  You know this life is FULL of ups and downs/ twists and turns. What makes the difference and helps us to bounce back from the downs/twists and turns is crying out to God for help and let me tell you...God IS faithful and He truly cares, hears and loves us.

The final topic that I'd like to talk about in our Spirit Health Series is the gift of Nature. Before I move on, I want to mention that I totally enjoyed these inspired posts. They have challenged me and continue to motivate me for a more solid, focused, goal directed spiritual life.  I hope you have been motivated and challenged for growth as well.  There is so much more that could be explored but we'll have occasional Spiritual Check ups every now and then in future posts.

Nature...

Let's explore nature and its impact on our physical and spiritual health. 

Did you know that that looking at green growing plants and trees helps reduce stress, lower blood pressure and put us in a better mood?

Experts have noted that hospital patients with a view of tree branches out their window  recover at a much faster rate than patients who see buildings.  This is why hospitals across the US have started building Healing/Therapeutic Gardens  at an accelerated rate for their patients.

Spirit Health

If the view of nature has a calming/healing/stress reducing effect on patients in a hospital environment, I can only imagine what results admiring and appreciating the beauty of Nature has on our Spiritual health.

I believe beautifully painted birds, plants, trees, flowers in all their varieties; oceans, rivers, lakes, natural landscape formations the sun, moon and stars, animals, humans in all varieties............ALL of God's creation, is a gift from God.

This gift of Nature helps us to relax, experience peace, put a smile on our face, picks at our curiosity and most importantly, causes us to reflect and appreciate the Awesomeness of our Creator God.

Genesis 1:1- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Take the time to reflect on the beauty of nature around you where ever you are, and enjoy the spiritual benefits of calm, peace, stillness and oneness with God and His Marvelous creative works.

Psalms 19:1-2 (CEB) Heaven is declaring God's Glory, the sky is proclaiming his handiwork

http://my.nature.org/nature/photos/first-light-1.html

Psalms: 8:3-4 (AMP) When I view and consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained and established; What is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you care for him?

 

Psalms 69:34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them

 

http://my.nature.org/nature/photos/all-in-the-family.html

 

 



Psalms 96:4-6 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of people are idols but the Lord made the heavens, Honor and Majesty are before Him. Strength and Beauty are in His Sanctuary.

http://my.nature.org/nature/photos/eastern-wood-pewee.html

 

Psalms 145:5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your Majesty and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

http://my.nature.org/nature/photos/happy-earth-day-1.html

Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all.  The host of heaven worships you.

This is My Father's World

 

This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought

 

This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
he shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere

 

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

 
Lord, we love you and we thank you for the gift of seeing a glimps of your beauty and the essence of who you are through nature. We thank you for the spiritual connectedness we expereince and the spiritual blessings of peace, calm and even the physiological affects when we purposefully take the time to open our eyes to acknowledge your wonderful works.  We appreciate you God and will forever seek to praise you in the beauty of holiness.

What a Week

I had a ROUGH week. I've been so disturbed I didn't even get to write and wrap up on the Spirit Health series as I intended to do this week.

God only you see and know all about it. You are omniscient, omnipresent the beginning and the end. The attacks I faced this week is too much. Why God? Is this a test? Is this a trial?  Is this an attack from principalities and powers you spoke about in your word?  Whatever the answer is I need your grace to sooth my heart/mind and soul.  Balm in Gilead, anoint me with your oil and give me what I stand in need of most.  Help me Jehovah, give me a heart that will forgive even when it seems so hard to do. Break every chain of oppression, control and attacks that the enemy of my has set up for me.  I am weak but you are Mighty. Almighty King help me to sing and Praise your name forever more.

A Heart That Forgives (Kevin Lavar)

Signs of the Times

Matthew 24: 3-14

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” Matthew 24:3 (NLT).

⁴ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,

⁶ And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.

 ⁷ Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes and plagues in many parts of the world.

⁸ But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
 
⁹ “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.

¹⁰ And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.

¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.

¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.

¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

¹⁴ And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

Have you been listening to the news lately?

  I hear the sound of a mighty rushing wind
and it's closer now than its ever been
I can almost hear the trumpet
As Gabriel sounds the call
At the midnight cry we'll be going home.

 

When Jesus steps out
on a cloud and calls God's children

The dead in christ shall rise to meet him
in the air
and then those that remain
will be quickly changed
At the midnight cry (at the midnight cry)

When Jesus comes again

 

I look around me, I see prophecies fulfilling
The signs of the times, they're appearing everywhere
I can almost hear my Father, as He say, "Son, go get my children"
Oh yeah, at the midnight cry, the Bride of Christ will rise....

Midnight Cry (John Jones)

Cardio 'Pump It Up'

Greetings! I have missed my blog and reading yours for a week. I have some catching up to do. I attended a training/seminar for work last week called Crucial Conversations; It was excellent training on how to have healthy dialog about problems or situations that need to be addressed or worked out without withdrawing and becoming silent on the matter or take it to the other extreme of being violent which involves verbally attacking, accusing, insulting and/or being condescending. The training taught us several tools/techniques it was overall a great training.

So continuing our Spirit Health theme. How are you doing? I've had some ups and downs, triumphs and failures I have to keep focused and remember...A person's steps are made secure by the Lord when they delight in his way. Though they trip up, they won't be thrown down, because the Lord holds their hand: Psalms 37:23-24 (CEB).

Now to the topic for today, Cardio Exercise.  Cardio is exercise that gets your heart beating fast. A pumped up heart rate moves blood throughout the body more vigorously which increases the circulation of oxygen. It's a ripple effect, as regular cardio exercise fills you with more energy, reduces stress, mood is lifted, thinking becomes clearer and sharper; regular cardio exercise also improves immune function, lowers blood pressure, strengthens our heart and lungs and burns up calories which helps with weight loss.

Spirit Health
 
Have you ever found that you have a desire to do some things but can't seem to push yourself to actually do it? The action thought rarely leaves your head to materialize?

Proverbs 15:19 (NKJV) The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway

Perhaps you find yourself easily distracted,  you may start something but not follow though to its completion before starting on something else and the cycle repeats itself leaving nothing accomplished? 
Proverbs 13:4 (NKJV) The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

The questions is, how do we 'Pump Up' our spiritual state so that we can have a sense of accomplishment, reduced stress, increase emotional stability, mental focus and increased self confidence?

We'll have to do some cardio exercise to motivate ourselves for better results, time management, mental weight loss and overall life fulfillment.

Spirit Health Cardio Exercise

• Make a check list of need to do's and want to do's and break it down to mini steps of needed for focus.
• Example of Need to Do's: 

                         ___Renew expired passport
                              ___complete application
                              ___ get passport picture taken
                              ___ Include fees
                              ___ Mail off application

I LOVE checklists, I would not be able to function successfully at work without them.  I've started using checklists in my personal life for the past two years and Its feels GREAT to cross things off as I've accomplished them.  It helps me to keep focused and makes me feel good in my spirit.  I don't put time frames around my lists but I have a note book that I writ things down in and I pray over it and go back and reference it once in a while to check things off and review what next kinda thing, no pressure at all.

I have things on my list such as make a new friend and so far I've made two!! It happened so naturally.  I also have listed,  learn to make two new dishes.....I've made and perfected like three; Try out a new hair style etc.  Any way, you get the drift...

Proverbs 12:11(CEB) Those who work their land will have plenty to eat, but those who engage in empty pursuits have no sense.

Let us work on our land as the bible text states. Land for the purpose of this exercise can be our goals, desires, needs, so that we will be filled by having a sense of worth, completeness and purpose.
                                                

Your Presence is Heaven

Who is like You Lord in all the earth?
Matchless love and beauty, endless worth
Nothing in this world can satisfy
'Cause Jesus You're the cup that won't run dry

Your presence is heaven to me
Your presence is heaven to me

Treasure of my heart and of my soul
In my weakness you are merciful
Redeemer of my past and present wrongs
Holder of my future days to come

Your presence is heaven to me
Your presence is heaven to me...

 

Israel Haughton & New Breed