Jenifer gilley
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly."
Author unknown
AIM: jenibear1998
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Barr Jenifer L" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Gilley Jeremy W" <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 8:19 AM
Subject: enjoy your life!
Enjoy Your Life!
Whitney Hopler
When your alarm clock goes off in the morning, do you wish you could
just stay in bed? Do your struggles and responsibilities weigh you down
with frustration,
boredom, or hopelessness? If so, rest assured that God wants you to have
a much better life - one that you enjoy! God will give you the ability
to enjoy
life, no matter what your circumstances.
Here's how you can enjoy your life:
* Look for fulfillment in the right place. Stop looking for true and
lasting satisfaction in the wrong places, such as through your work,
personal pleasure,
or accumulation of knowledge or material possessions. Realize that only
God can provide the fulfillment you seek. Make a strong relationship
with Him your
top priority.
* Give yourself permission. Don't feel guilty about enjoying the
blessings God gives you. Understand that denying yourself enjoyment
doesn't somehow make
you a more seriously spiritual person. Remember that God Himself is
joyful and intends you to fully enjoy the gifts He gives you. Go ahead
and have fun
pursuing your interests, knowing that as long as you don't engage in
anything harmful, you can enjoy your pursuits.
* Notice God's gifts, and thank Him for them. Make it a daily practice
to thank God for each new day after you awaken. Throughout the day, keep
a running
list of specific things for which you're grateful. Then, before going to
bed, pray over your list, thanking God for each one. Don't forget to
acknowledge
basic blessings, such as your freedom or ability to buy healthy food.
* Place the seasons of your life in God's hands. Ask God to transform
your attitudes and bring positive results out of negative situations as
you travel
through life's seasons. Rely on God's unchanging power in the midst of
changes you experience in all aspects of your life. Rather than battling
the season
you currently find yourself in, ask God what He wants to you to learn
from it, and trust Him to give you the encouragement and strength you
need. Whenever
you're going through a tough time, serve other people to take your focus
off yourself and find genuine enjoyment as God broadens your
perspective. Know
that, while life is unpredictable, your faith in God will always stand.
* Don't isolate yourself. Understand that God has created all human
beings to engage in relationships - with Him and each other. Make sure
you're investing
plenty of time and energy in relationships, which will give you lots to
enjoy. Pray about specific challenges in your relationships, trusting
God to give
you the solutions you need.
* Use your time wisely. Regularly remind yourself of how fragile and
fleeting life on earth can be, and that every day is a gift from God.
Don't fall into
the traps of being either lazy or too driven, missing out on God's best
for you. Ask God to give you wisdom to use your time each day as He
would like
you to use it, according to His purposes for your life.
* Place God at the center of your marriage. If you're married, realize
that your marriage isn't about just you and your spouse. Ultimately,
it's about God,
the source of your love. Invite God to guide your marriage and use it to
transform you and your spouse into the people He wants you to become.
Trust that
when you do so, you'll open the door to a much more enjoyable marriage
than you could have otherwise.
* Turn your worries into prayers. Whenever a worry enters your mind,
pray about it. Know that worry can't accomplish anything good, but
prayer has great
power, since nothing is impossible with God. Be specific as you share
your concerns with God, and trust Him to answer your prayers in the
right way at
the right time.
* Pursue contentment. Ask God to help you be content with your money,
your health, and other situations in your life. Realize that true
contentment doesn't
depend on external circumstances, but on internal peace that only God
can give. Trust God to do what's absolutely best for you at all times
and in all
situations.
* Find friends with crazy faith. Don't confront sorrow or pressure
alone. Ask God to provide friends who have so much faith that it
sometimes seems crazy
- friends who will boldly proclaim that God can perform miracles in your
life. Surround yourself with these friends, ask them to pray for you,
and thank
God for them.
* Regularly clear sin out of your life. Ask God to constantly search
your heart and show you areas of sin that you need to deal with in order
to truly enjoy
life. Confess your sins honestly and frequently, repent of them, and
embrace God's forgiveness and grace to keep growing. Expect that the
more you submit
every part of your life to God, the more of His wisdom He will reveal to
you.
* Forgive others and yourself. Don't allow bitterness to poison your
heart and keep you stuck in unhealthy patterns; instead, pray for the
ability to forgive,
and ask God to help you move beyond challenges with confidence.
* Be patient. Remember that there is an end to every trial. Instead of
giving into temptation, press closer into God and ask Him to renew your
strength
during a hard time. If you don't see immediate answers to your prayers,
keep praying, and expect God to answer them at exactly the right time.
* Personalize Scripture verses. Every day, read the Bible and invite God
to lead you to Scripture passages that relate to your current
experiences. Then
paraphrase them in a personal way, either aloud or by writing down God's
fresh messages for you.
* Don't let your emotions lead you. Decide to trust in God's reliable
leading rather than your own unreliable and constantly shifting
feelings. If you sense
God leading you clearly to act, go ahead and do so, even when it doesn't
make sense to you.
* Trust that God will redeem your mistakes. Expect that, just like all
imperfect people living in our fallen world, you will make mistakes. But
also expect
that God will right what you've wronged if you invite Him to do so.
* Give generously. Don't wait until it's convenient for you to help
others. Decide to give whenever God leads you to, trusting that God will
give you joy
in return.
* Take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Recognize that you'll enjoy
life much more if you're in your best possible physical, mental, and
spiritual health
than if you neglect one or more of these areas. Eat a healthy diet, get
enough sleep and exercise, constantly seek to learn something new, and
stay close
to God through Christ.
Jenifer Barr
ACS Detroit
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