Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

You will not find the following words in the Bible: self-care self-love self-worth self-esteem These are man-made words.  So the question that begs to be answered is, why did we come up with these words? Because for most, self is god.  We are obsessed with ourselves. That is at the root of the first sin, isn't it?  Eve thought self knew better than God.  Oh sure, you can say that she was deceived by the serpent - and she was.  But Eve had a choice.  She could have remembered what God commanded her to do and obeyed Him.  She could have taken her eyes off the serpent and herself (her own reasoning).  After all, God blatantly told Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.   Once Eve put her trust in anyone else other than God, she was doomed.   And so are we. Do not believe for one minute that focusing on yourself more  is the answer in life. Focusing on ourselves less  is where it's at! How can I say these things?  Because it's all in there, in th

No one likes to feel deprived.  When we "give up" stuff, we can feel "less than."  But some giving up is freeing.  When we give up sweets, we lose weight.  Losing weight - giving it up, so to speak - feels great!  This "loss" is a positive one. Not all loss is bad. There is a trend that has been happening for a while - downsizing.  To me, this means we had too much to begin with. There is something freeing about cleaning house, getting rid of stuff we don't really need (maybe never really did).  So this is another example of good loss. It feels better to give than to receive.  That is why the Lord told us, according to Paul in Acts 20:35, we're more blessed when we give than when we get. Our loss is someone else's gain.  Another cliche, but cliches have a way of ringing true.  A trip to Goodwill feels good on two counts.  We make a more spacious living space for ourselves, and we bless another's life. So why are we so bent on "getting&