Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

I recently attended a Christian women's conference.  It is always nice to get away for a retreat and get refreshed and learn new stuff. Here's a bit of what I learned, or observed, this time around. During one of the segments, some from the audience were to bring their bits of paper and share what they wrote down, how they finished the sentence, "Because I believe Jesus, I will..." It was interesting to me that around 70-80% of the women mentioned the same thing.  "Because I believe Jesus, I will stop controlling everything." It was obvious that this trying to control stuff was a great source of stress and anxiety for these women.  But my first thought was, why do they think they are in control at all? God knows that there are plenty of "movers and shakers" among His daughters.  But who is behind the moving and shaking? As Christians, are we proud when we can "make things happen" in our own strength? How is that being a Christ follower? J

What is bugging you?  What is beyond your control?  Actually, that last question isn't fair - because nothing is really  under  your control and if you think it is, you are most likely stressed out. Holding it all together, are you? Talk about a stressful job! Am I suggesting that you let it all fall apart?  That depends.  Everything you try to "control" or hold too tightly has no real power to give you what you are looking for.  Controlling everything cannot offer you the peace and contentment that you really crave. A few years ago, I was lying in an ER bed stressing not about my health, but about how everything would run, or not run, without me.  My home, my family, my job - all that I felt responsible to and for. I will never forget the words a wonderful ER nurse spoke to me while I was lying in that bed - I don't even remember telling her about my worries, but she probably "smelled" them on me.  She said, "Sometimes, you just need to let everything

If I gave you a list of all the things that you are to entrust to the Lord, it would go on forever.  Now I could easily sum it up in one overarching way - trust Him with yourself.  But what does yourself include? Here is a list to get you started.  It is not exhaustive, but it gives you an idea of just how much you can trust Christ. Trust God with or for your: Health Finances Future Past Present Circumstances Whole heart Job security Provision Safety Security Identity Eternal place Salvation Redemption Heartache Healing Restitution Recompense Reward Justice Peace Friends Family Debt Self-image How you see others Relationships Age Output Purpose Mistakes To be fearless Faults Temper Self-control Resources Network Lack Abundance Possessions Broken relationships Fears Doubts Hurts Regrets Trauma Resolving what bothers you Impossible people and situations Wealth Talents Issues Make up for lost time Insight Wisdom Guidance To lead you Help you let go Surrender Doctor's report Wayward ch

I've been touchy lately.  Irritable.  Short-tempered.  Letting every little - and big - thing get to me.  I've been a nervous wreck. I think it's the cumulative affect of being in lock down for so long. I keep thinking that I need a vacation, that some R&R would do the trick. Then today, as I was reading in Hebrews chapters 4-6 about the rest of God, I got thinking about how Jesus never took vacations (as far as we know).  And though Jesus was always in God's peace, He was a very busy man!  Every day, everywhere He went, He was in demand as a teacher, healer, and rescuer.   Now Jesus went away frequently to pray.  And He spent time with His Father.  This rejuvenated Him. But I spend time every morning with Jesus, too.  Without fail.   Yet just a few hours into the day, depending on what is happening around me, I find myself getting upset about something or someone. How to stay in the rest and peace of God? What causes us stress?  How do we manage it?  Was Jesus ever