Unshakable Joy

^4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Philippians 4:4

Joy vs happiness. Happiness and joy appear to be similar, but they are very different. There are subtle nuances that help us discern which is which. Happiness is a feeling, as one would experience when enjoying job success, the birth of a child, or buying a new home. It is often dependent on what we do, or experience, and is accompanied by temporary positive feelings. The problem with focusing on your happiness rather than joy, is that happiness can be fleeting, while joy is enduring and unshakable. Truth is, happiness, and human feelings, come and go especially in times of adversity, but joy is lasting, and is accompanied by a deep, abiding peace that surpasses understanding.

“Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding 

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:7

Joy Does Not Change With Circumstances

Joy does not change with circumstances, but rather over rides times of struggle, helping you to see the silver linings in every situation, even when life gets difficult and/or complicated. It helps you rejoice in the Lord at all times, putting aside negative, destructive feelings such as fear, sadness, anger and angst, replacing them with the gentle knowing that all is well as you place your trust in Jesus. Unlike happiness, instead of being a feeling, joy is more of a trusting state of mind and a peaceful heart in concert. It is a manifestation of the fruit of having the Holy Spirit with you, one that is stirred into being through gratitude to God for blessings received.

Joy Is the Result of Knowing You Are Loved

Joy is a blessed gift from God, received through His grace. It is the result of knowing you are loved by God and lovable in His sight; thereby enabling you to be comfortable in your own skin. A joyful heart does not solely depend on things always going well, or others perceptions of you. It is more about walking in gratitude and trusting in Jesus.



Certainly it is not easy to rejoice always in times of adversity. Yet through prayer, and God’s grace, we are able to hop over great emotional and situational hurdles. In essence, happiness is more about how we feel, but joy reflects a much greater reality that stabilizes us through the storms of life.

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible,

but with God all things are possible.” 

Matthew 19:26

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© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill

Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. From Broken to Blest is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions. Please click on this link:  https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

7 Ways to Tend Your Flock

“…Tend the flock in your midst…”

1 Peter 5:1-11

Who’s in your flock? In this life, none of us is an island unto ourselves. We have many people in our lives and different roles in this life: Child, parent, spouse, brother, sister, niece, nephew, friend, even acquaintance… And every relationship is beautifully unique. These relationships we have with the people in our lives, some new, some lifelong, offer so many opportunities to practice patience, to help and love others unconditionally, and even forgive them as needed. In reality, some people we treasure and some we don’t. Yet, as Christians, we are called to love them all to the best of our abilities—which as we all know, at times, is no small task!

At times, our greatest temptation is to think we have little in common with other people, while focusing on our differences. However, we must find a way to normalize commonality. That is, to find a bond of some kind, even if it is just a family bond or ones faith. No, we may not like everyone who enters our life, but we are mandated by Jesus to love them all the same. Divine providence has a lot to do with who comes into your life, and that is how one’s flock comes into being.

7 Ways to Tend Your Flock

1)      Understand that relationships are most often mutually beneficial in some way.

2)      Accept that God has given you your flock for a reason.

3)      Always look for common ground with others.

4)      Practice patience with those who are difficult to love.

5)      Pray daily for the flock in your midst.

6)      Be quick to forgive others who hurt or offend you.

7)      Try your level best to love others as God loves you--unconditionally.

When you take a minute to look at your own flock, the comrades God has provided for you on your journey, it can be a little daunting, even baffling. We don’t always get to choose the people in our life, and may even struggle to accept or reach out to them. Some we find truly difficult to love, others we can hardly live without in our daily lives. We may even feel we have nothing in common with them. But there are no coincidences in this life, when we look at those closest to us, especially family members from birth.

As you tend to your flock, you must be willing to accept them as they are. Some are easy to love. While others, you are called to try, with God’s help, to love them with everything you have despite how you feel about them. Sometimes you need to help lead them to higher ground, other times you simply just need to be present to them. When you tend the flock in your midst, you are doing God’s work through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the blessings you receive are awe-inspiring, bringing greater love, peace and joy into your life.

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. From Broken to Blest is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.  Click on this link to order:

https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

The Good Life

Greetings from Adele’s Inspiration Café!

Today’s blog post: 

The Good Life

by Chaplain Adele M. Gill

 ^“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17  (NIV)

To many unbelievers, the Bible is nothing more than an irrelevant and outdated book with vague words written long, long ago that have no application for our daily lives in these modern times. It is a book that is sometimes passed down from generation to generation, but too often, it is one that collects much dust, as it’s wisdom and application are put aside, left on a shelf, and virtually unknown.

However, to believers, Scripture is at the center of living a godly life. It is a bright candle in the darkness of a fallen world, a beacon of light for the weary, the lost, the last and the lowly. Sustenance for poor and hurting souls in need of discernment, protection, comfort and guidance, the Bible stands ready to address many of the contemporary issues we experience. It is a light to our feet and your ticket to redemption as you come to believe more and more in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, our guide and advocate who was given to us by Jesus Himself.

The Holy Bible is chock-full of practical knowledge we can and need to apply to our daily lives through word and deed. Relationships, work, times of adversity—it’s all in there. It has been said there is nothing new under the sun. Those words take on special meaning when talking about all we can experience and learn through Scripture. For believers, followers of Jesus, there is great insight and clarity in the Word, which leads us ever closer into relationship with Him.

Once we start reading the Holy Bible, as we embrace the scriptural meaning ourselves, we are able to apply the truths we learn in so many ways in our own lives. We are enabled to effectively teach others about Jesus’ life, and The Way to righteousness, as opposed to self-righteousness. We are able to live a good life and use it to help others follow Jesus. We are able to speak truth in Love, helping each other to follow him with greater focus and fervor. In essence, we are to equip ourselves for the Christian life by reading the Bible, especially the New Testament, then in turn, share the Gospel of Jesus with others.

In as much as Jesus is the Light of the World, we are all commissioned to love God and one another, and to that end, bring His light into the darkness that surrounds us, while tending the flock in our midst. If we look closely at Jesus’ life and His teachings found in Scripture, we can easily grow in zeal over time, and openly share Him wherever we go--In that way, shining a bright Light upon our little corner of the world.

 “Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.”  Mark 4:21

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill

http://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net 

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. From Broken to Blest is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.              

To order your copy, please click on this link:

https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

Wherever You Go

Greetings from Adele's Inspiration Cafe!

Today's blog post: Wherever You Go

^9 “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged.                        For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Some say God can only be found in church, others say he is nowhere to be found. However, today’s Holy Scripture tells us He is with us wherever we go. As believing Christians, we need to guard against limiting God in our own minds and hearts, and help each other understand the truth, the timeless realities, revealed in the Bible. The New Testament promises us that Jesus, our Savior, God’s only Son who was resurrected from the dead for us, is with us always; that He will protect us, guide us, lead us, comfort us and save us as we go about our daily lives and lead us into eternal life for the asking. He is intimately involved in our lives as we invite Him in.

In as much as Jesus loves us all unconditionally, He is ‘Emmanuel,’ which means God with us. He is with us in good times and in bad. How can it be that He is with us through it all; that He knows us better than we know ourselves? It is through the power of the Holy Spirit, imparted to the Disciples on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit it came into being when He breathed new life into the disciples.

In order to be present to humanity, Jesus stands close to us all, as the above Scripture says, ‘with us wherever we go.’  This is true for believers and non-believers alike, though the latter are generally unaware of His presence, or they would likely believe in salvation through Jesus Christ.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 / NIV

This passage also talks about the command to be strong and courageous. Though through free-will, and fear and uncertainty we often fall short, we need to try to follow God’s commands. Perhaps to gain strength in times of weakness, and grow in our relationship with Jesus, we need to approach life reminding ourselves that we are never alone; that all that is good comes from God. He IS our strength in times of adversity, watching over us especially in times of need. Yes, it is easy to forget we are children of God and need to depend on Him for everything. But in our humanness we sometimes don’t trust Him as we should, as fear takes hold and we lose our courage.

Could it be that we need to pray more fervently for God’s help, that we will be able to trust Him fully, seek Him more often, and accept His Son as our Lord and Savior? Certainly it would be helpful in assisting us to grow spiritually, in peace and Love, the essence of Christian life. 

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill   |   Distributed by News Consortium

http://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. Their book is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.              

Please click on this link: https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

Finding Your God-given Purpose

Though ones’ focus and purpose can and do often change throughout a lifetime, the fact remains that God has a series of purposes and plans for each of us. But it is important for us to want to have a purpose. Understandably, many people find it especially hard to recognize their purpose in life when they are hit hard by adversity. But remember this: Purpose often quietly comes to the forefront DURING times of great challenge.  It is up to us to recognize it and pursue it.

Have you ever wondered if your life has purpose and what your purpose is in this life? Sometimes when we are in a ‘good place’ in our lives, we become complacent and at times a little too comfortable. We may not see the need for having a purpose at that point as we go about our daily lives.

Finding your purpose. No need to wonder if you have purpose, for God already has a purpose for each and every one of us—No one is exempt! In talking about purpose, it naturally brings me to one of my very favorite Holy Scriptures, Jeremiah 29:11-14, as written in the New American Bible, the NAB:

 

Thus says the Lord:

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you,

plans for your welfare and not for woe,

so as to give you a future of hope.

When you call me, and come and pray to me,

I will listen to you.

When you look for me, you will find me.

Yes, when you seek me with all your heart,

I will let you find me,

and I will change your lot.”

Jeremiah 29:11-14

New American Bible [NAB]

In today’s awe-inspiring Scripture, there are five (5) awe-inspiring God-given promises—Some of God’s most amazing life-giving promises ever. For those who embrace God’s promises as truth, these promises lift us above any circumstance that we may encounter including unemployment, poverty, financial strain, infirmity, mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder, disability, homelessness...

In this Bible passage, when we consider that the Lord himself wants to be fully involved in your life and mine, these God-promises can be truly life giving and life-changing. It’s true! God wants to be the focus and center of our lives!

So let’s take a closer look at the 5 promises that God has generously included in this Bible passage:

Promise #1: God has a plan for you, plans for your welfare, not for woe

Promise #2: God’s plan for you WILL provide you with a future of hope

Promise #3: He will listen to you

Promise #4: When you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him

Promise #5: He will change your lot

This powerful Scripture is about how God cares for us, and communicates with us in a way we can understand. In essence, God has our best interest at heart, and wants to be intimately involved in every aspect of our lives. But we have to invite Him in and then step out of the way so He can take the wheel from our hands, and thereby take control of our life. For these Bible promises enable us to grow in faith despite adversity, and sometimes because of it!

There are 3 basic phases to realizing your God-given purpose in life. They include:

1)    Wanting a purpose

2)    Searching for your purpose

3)    Finding and embracing your purpose

It’s also easy to fall into the temptation of letting circumstances, distractions and fear take over or derail ones’ sense of purpose when times get tough. These can be tremendous factors in diverting us from our God-given purpose. As I’m sure many of you know, once fear gets a stronghold, it can make any and every situation even tougher, distract us from our spiritual journey, and cause our mental and physical health to plummet.

In actuality, faith and fear cannot coexist. In tough times, we need to make a choice and decide between faith and fear while trying to continue to focus on our God-given purpose. The pressing question is this: Do we choose fear and slip away from our faith and purpose, or do we choose faith and hold on to our hope in Jesus Christ, our Great Healer, Comforter, Protector, and Almighty Savior to help us stay the course?

Sure, at times, your situation may seem out of control from your own perspective, but it is never too much for God when you place your life in his loving hands. For by His grace, He makes all things new! Though your purpose at any given time may not seem readily apparent to you, especially in confusing, turbulent or trying times, in the eyes of God, your purpose remains well-established. I’m sure you agree, in this promise-rich Scripture, He has given us much to think about and hold on to.

During difficult times, however, we may go into survival mode and our sense of purpose may seem to waiver or go by the wayside. But in the eyes of God, our purpose does not necessarily need to change or end at that point. In fact, you may actually find your purpose through experiencing and enduring tough times. Distractions and challenges come and go in life, but whether you recognize it or not, the fact is that your God-given purpose is enduring, as it is a gift from God.

So now that you know you have purpose, you may be wondering just what your Christian purpose is. Well, let’s consider another blessed Scripture, this time from the New Testament in the Book of Acts 26:16-18. This is what God told Saul, before he became St Paul while he was actively persecuting Christians with great cruelty:

 ^“Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of Me.” NIV

Formerly a ruthless tax collector, God told Paul what his new purpose was, and in a moment, his life changed forever. And he accepted and embraced his God-given purpose and pursed it with great vigor. Like Paul, we also have to be willing to accept our God-given purpose to be servants and witnesses to what we have seen of God in our lives. It is a choice each of us makes for him or herself. Though God made Paul’s purpose known to him by talking directly to him, most of us can find ours through reaching out to God in prayer, helping others, and reading the Holy Bible, the Word of God, daily.

Could it be that our purpose as Christians, like Paul, is to be servants and first-hand witnesses to what we have seen and will see of Jesus in our daily lives? If that is the case, perhaps our purpose is to serve God by example, helping others, and sharing the love of Jesus with others. This is in keeping with Jesus’ mandate to “Love God and one another.”

It is often said that every Christian has a ministry, and I believe that to be true. But that ministry does not necessarily need to be formal ministry or one that is far reaching. Rather, for many, there is a simplicity in ministry that allows us to minister to and serve those right around us, people we encounter each day. One-on-one, through example and reaching out in kindness to each other, we are able to accomplish our purpose in Jesus Christ.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we all have blessings, spiritual gifts, and the fruit of the Spirit from God himself. Your purpose in ministry could be as simple as becoming an encourager. Encouraging others is a powerful way to effectively help validate and lift a hurting souls in your midst. Prayer changes things. A gentle smile, a pat on the back for someone in need of a boost, a thoughtful gesture. Donating to those in need, and volunteering. These are all but a few ways to serve God and witness to God’s love in our daily lives-- to live out our purpose as Christians.

Yes, everyone has purpose and that purpose is found in serving God, through others, while giving witness to the abundant blessings He showers upon each of us.  What better witness to God could there be than to live a godly life serving and witnessing to others through example, compassion and kindness?

Today, after you leave here, please take a few minutes to ask yourself: What is my life purpose? How do I live out my Christian faith as a loving servant and witness to God? By so doing you will likely find your God-given purpose in this life, and be better prepared to pursue your spiritual journey. For in the eyes of God, we all have purpose—No one is exempt!

Adele M. Gill   |   Copyright 2016