 Last week I shared my word for 2023, RISE. In the blog, I shared that I want to RISE UP/P this year. I want to be Resolved, Intentional, Serving, Expectantly Unleashing God’s Purpose and Passion. Interestingly enough, I had the chance to listen to a Podcast where my thoughts were challenged. The guest on the show took exception to the concept of a Purpose Driven Life that Rick Warren wrote in his best selling book twenty years ago https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56495.The_Purpose_Driven_Life She shared that America has been traumatized by the pressure that everyone feels to have a purpose and leave a lasting legacy so that one will be remembered. There is no doubt that the pressure to succeed, to make something out of yourself, can eat you up and spit you out. The lack of life balance has caused many to wake up one day with the regret and question of. “what have I done with this life?” I would like to offer you a different perspective on having purpose. Instead of it being seen as a negative, Knowing who you are meant to be can help free you up to live an enriched and fulfilled life.  It can be as simple as leading others to a desire to make a positive difference in the world no matter where you are placed. One can rise up to this endeavor no matter if they care for kids, bag groceries, run a company, etc. Whether it is personal or in business, it is about building relationships not being transactional. Not trying to chase the deal or get something out of a friendship but instead asking the question how can I serve? The negative pressure the podcast speaker spoke about can be alleviated if one finds something they love versus feeding their ego or doing something to appease someone else. Here is another way of looking at seeking wisdom on how your life is to be lived. I am reading through Proverbs this month. Chapter 10 challenges us to seek wisdom while also heeding God’s discipline to find the way life was meant to be lived. Yes it is our life to live but verse 17 says by ignoring correction we can lead others astray. https://biblehub.com/proverbs/10-17.htm You may not think you are a leader but others are watching how you do life. The (above mentioned) speaker and I are in agreement on one thing for sure. Our life should be one that is stress free and without the pressure of measuring up in some way. God promises peace and joy even in the midst of difficult circumstances. How can that be you might ask. My answer from both the old and new testament is quite simple. He calls me to love Him with all my heart and love others as He loves me. https://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+22:37-39 The life of peace and joy free from the anxieties of the world comes when we live our lives doing these two things and then letting go and trusting Him with the outcome.  Thanks for reading this blog post. It means more than you know. If you haven’t already please subscribe so you can receive email notifications when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at michael@mrg7175,com |
Where has the last three years gone?
I went to Chicago this month in an airplane. As I watched from my window seat while the plane took off, I was struck by the fact that I hadn’t flown anywhere since January of 2020. It surprised me how unsettling this was in conjunction with losing out on most of 2019 due to my battle with Gullian-Syndrome. If you are a recent reader of this blog, here is the link that chronicles my recovery from that crazy disease. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaelguthrie Processing what I went through, led to me starting this blog so that I could share with those who were interested, what I have learned since all of this happened. Here is a link to one of the first blog posts back in the fall of 2019. https://thankfulinallthings.com/337-2/ Wow! My life changed because of Guillain-Barre and then because of Covid given GBS is a compromised immune system disorder.
Since that plane trip and with my 70th birthday right around the corner, I have dealt with grieving over the time lost and things I did not get to do. It is time I can’t get back. It caught me by surprise how The Chicago trip brought it all back. My self reflection leaves me hoping that like this picture, I have had some success at “blooming where I have been planted”. It hasn’t been easy. I have written about how I have been envious of what others were able to do while Dottie and I remained in our self-isolated cocoon.
Yes. I was discouraged but, I never lost hope. Why? When I was first diagnosed with GBS, a doctor friend shared, “it will get worse but you will get better”. I found these words comforting because it allowed me to focus on a positive outcome. A Realtor in my company shared the other day that “Stress is when you don’t what will be your next steps”. Even though I was paralyzed from the head down, I never felt stress but began asking the question, What do I need to do next to speed up my recovery? My next steps were to remember Paul’s promise in Philippians 4:6,7. Instead of succombing to the angst of my circumstances, I was to, “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” I was to, remember that Jesus said to come to Him with my burdens and He would give me rest. https://www.biblehub.com/matthew/11-28.htm
So how I have resolved the question, “where have the last 3 years gone”? I meditate on Jeremiah 29:11 remembering God knows the plans He has for me https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/29-11.htm
and therefore like Paul,
Do you feel stressed out? Are their circumstances in your life that create anxiety? Maybe your next steps should be what Beth Moore recently wrote. ‘“We cannot take God at his word if we don’t know his words. If we don’t know his promises, we cannot profess with confidence that he will keep every last one of them. Spend some time in Scripture every single day. Will you ask God to give you an insatiable appetite to know Him better.”
Thanks for stopping by my blog. It means so much that you took time to read it. Please share it with others if you think it might be an encouragement to them. I would love for you to subscribe so you can receive email notifications when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected]
God promises Peace on Earth but what about for you?
A friend asked me the other day how he could pray for me over the Christmas holiday. I asked for a peaceful mindset. So many things are swirling around creating uncertainty. I desire the peace that comes from trusting Him for the outcomes I can’t control. Timely that the 4th Sunday in Advent represents peace :). It also means the wait for Christmas is almost over. Over the last three Sundays, we have been reminded to have HOPE https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JER.29.11.NIV feel LOVED https://biblehub.com/niv/john/3.htm share JOY https://biblehub.com/john/15-11.htm You can read my thoughts on these by looking back at most recenthttps://thankfulinallthings.com blog posts. As shared above, the 4th candle represents the PEACE God wishes for us as well as expressing Good Will toward all mankind. Whether you are a child waiting for Santa Claus or someone who truly desires Advent to be a time of spiritual renewal, busyness gets in the way. The need to buy presents, attend holiday functions, prepare for house guests and closing out your business for the year all make it difficult to intentionally stop and check in on yourself. Asking, are you ready to experience what Advent and the birth of a Savior truly means? Acknowledging that you and me need that peace these days. The peace that Paul writes about in Philippians is beyond our human understanding and is only found through faith. . https://biblehub.com/esv/philippians/4.htm
Take a moment from reading this blog close your eyes and focus on where your mind takes you. For many of us we will feel anxiety and if so, ask yourself, what is making you anxious and unable to find peace.” You see, anxiety is defined as “a common feeling linked with worried thoughts and can be associated with physical changes like increased heart rate. When we allow ourselves to be consumed by the thoughts that bring us stress, we aren’t much good to anyone else, including God. During this Advent week of Peace, God wants you to take the time to lean on Him in prayer. Even In the midst of what is stressing you out, find things for which to be thankful. Remove yourself from the busyness of the season and go to God saying you need his help. Lay your burdens down trusting Him when He says, “People of God, Come to Me and lay down the burdens you have carried for too long in your secret place.” I promise to all who labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Here you will find the genuine blessing ( click the link below) of PEACE the angels promised to the shepherds in the field and to all of us on that 1st Silent Night. https://youtu.be/Zp6aygmvzM4
Merry Christmas everyone!
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Anyone else tired? Is it any wonder why?
I was grappling with why this past week has been long and hard. It should have been one of excitement because it led up to yesterday marking one year from when I walked out of Albemarle Rehab. Ironically, today marks 43 days of self-isolation as well. Things started to come together when I heard a comment listening to a podcast. On a side note, there is a positive take away from my having and recovering from Guillain Barre Syndrome. For reasons I won’t go into here, I have never liked to be read to by others. Now I listen to books, sermons, and podcasts of interest regularly but I digress. ?. The comment made was, “we can be infected mentally as well as physically by COVID-19. We all certainly need to protect ourselves and others from getting the Coronavirus. We also need to protect ourselves and others from allowing this pandemic to drag us down into a place of discouragement. This thought was reinforced by an excerpt I read from a Regent College class “The Great Conundrum” taught by friend Steve Garber. Here is what he wrote. “the word disease was created to communicate a state of “dis-ease,” its etymological origin from an old word for “ease,” for things being the way they are supposed to be. A life with no trouble, at ease, simply said. When we use the word, we are saying that human life has been disrupted, that we are in disarray, that sometimes something has gone wrong, terribly wrong.” I am guessing we have all felt this feeling that something is terribly, terribly, wrong but have had trouble putting our finger on the part that it has nothing to do with our health.
We can allow this discouragement to mentally weigh us down. Little did I know what I wrote here last week was to help me not to succumb to what I would experience this week. Webster defines succumb this way “ I realize that to not succumb into despair I must choose to focus and trust the One from where comes Hope. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) A Charlottesville pastor, Pete Hartwig and his son Peter are doing an online daily devotional. I listened to one recently on one of my self-isolation walks. It was about the woman who Jesus healed in Luke 13. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Until Pete shared it, I never thought Jesus may have healed this woman from the mental burdens she was carrying vs a physical one. Did you catch it? He placed His hands on her and she immediately straightened up. He wants to do the same for each one of us.
What infirmity are you allowing to weigh you down like it did the woman in the story? What unnecessary baggage or burdens are you carrying through Covid-19? The Lord wants you to let go and give them to Him. He promises in Matthew 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” When dealing with GBS, I chose to do this very thing. I can’t speak for you but, Like the old ad for Alka Seltzer said “Try It, You’ll Like It”. Find the peace only God can provide. Like the woman, you will begin to straighten up as the burdens are lifted off of you. Go out now and find others to encourage out of their “dis-ease” and into the peace and contentment God promises even in the midst of this season of unbelievable challenge.
What will you choose?
One of the first days I was in the hospital unable to move due to Guillain Barre Syndrome, a friend asked me, “Do you ever ask Why me? I cannot tell you why but I was in a weird way comforted and encouraged that the question had never entered my mind. Instead, I made the choice to have a mindset of “what do I and the people caring for me need to do for me to get better?”
This blog post came into focus from three very different places this week. First, a good friend talked about “why is it always about what I need, I deserve, I earned and entitled to instead of about what God has done in my life? The second was a brief devotional by John and Stasi Eldredge on “guarding your heart so you prevent negative thoughts from growing in this time of social distancing. Here is the link. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=214262996537588&external_log_id=d77d5d6df9a10b37ff6523ec739b195a&q=stasi%20eldredge Finally, while walking this morning I listened to a sermon, where the pastor challenged those listening, “how has Covid-19 shown you that your identity and security have been in the wrong places?” All three thoughts though different brought to mind the fact we all can choose how we will respond when faced with challenges.
Hasn’t it been a long week? Just a week ago, we celebrated Easter. We sang Hallelujah, He is Risen and found ourselves uplifted knowing we have Hope because God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. A week later, are you still living in Hope or have you gone back into a state of anxiety and discouragement? A week before Easter over 2000 years ago, everyone was shouting “Hosanna in the Highest”. A week later they were screaming “Crucify Him’. In one short week they went from praising Jesus and what He has done to wanting Him dead.
The point is how we choose to live and behave is our chose. Here are some examples of who how we can choose to live our life. Loving vs Hateful, Fearful vs Courageous, Greedy vs Generous, Anxious vs Peaceful, Selfish vs Servant-hearted, Helpful vs disagreeable, resentful vs grateful, bitter vs kindhearted.( *see verses below) Stasi Eldredge shared in the video seeds get planted in our hearts and unless we nourish them positively we can find ourselves succumbing to the attitude “it is all about me”, III, vs desiring to offer hope and light to others.
A year ago, I was in a Rehab Center excited that I had been given the green light to go home. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be there without being able to have visitors. Am I happy that I have been in self-isolation for more than 6 weeks now because of a compromised immune system? No. but I choose to be grateful that this irritation pales in comparison to what others and their loved ones are going through right now. You see, We all have a chose to live our lives out in certain ways. No one can force us to be one way or another. Revelation 3:20 reinforces that very thing. He knocks but it is up to us to answer and open the door. The answer will determine whether you will experience true peace knowing you are living the life God intended for you. One that as Galatians 5:22,23 says produces, ” the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Let’s all go out and encourage others to choose these.
*additional scripture verses. 1 John 4:19 “one who say I love God,” but hates his brother is a liar” “Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!” – Proverbs 21:26.
Michael [email protected] www.thankfulinallthings.com
In adversity, Can we Count it all blessing….
Today is Palm Sunday. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus rode into town hearing the crowds shouting “Hosanna; blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mark 11.9). Mistakenly, They were celebrating that he was “the Messiah coming to renew the kingdom of our father David!” (Mark 11:10). They had no idea what was to come just a week later. As I thought about this fact this morning, I couldn’t help but think of how a month ago none of us could have imagined we would be sheltered at home because of Covid-19. Each of us has been thrown into uncertainty because our before Coronavirus lives have been turned upside down. The same question needs to be asked, just as back then. Where does my trust lie? Who can I believe to tell me the truth of what is happening and how long will it last? We have been thrown into uncertainty as our lives as we know them have been turned upside down. I am grateful that I count it all blessing because I trust the One who said this to those that were looking for someone to trust. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27. I, we, certainly need to be concerned but we need not fear. Why?
…because our trust is found in the Lord. This is Holy week where we prepare for what God did for all of us. He sent His Son to live amongst us so that He could be sacrificed to fulfill the prophecy of the Old testament. Zechariah 9:9-10 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Yes, then beaten, hung on a cross, and died so that our relationship with God could be restored. Psalm 22, “”They have pierced my hands and my feet.” and in the chapters of Isaiah 52 and 53 where what happens is written in specific detail. I count it all blessing because God knew what was going to happen to His son and was with him throughout the pain and anguish even into death. This gives me renewed confidence and hope that God knew that Covid-19 was going to happen and will be with me and you as well. I use the word renewed because I saw this and continue to see this play out in my Guillain Barre Syndrome recovery. I have written about it on this blog in the past. God made His presence known time and time again in my darkest hours of GBS so I, and I promise you, can count on Him doing it again now. So…..
Count your blessings always being humble and give thanks for everything in life. Be thankful that God through Jesus Christ is with you and promises to walk you through this storm. Be thankful for food, friends, family, but most of all God’s Love. Appreciate everything you have and remember there are people who are in a way harder situation than you. Use this special Holy Week to reach out to those who are alone or are in need. Ask God to show you how He wants you to make a difference in your world. Who knows, maybe you are the one who God uses to show someone He is with them during their darkest hour,
Matthew 25:40- “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” And in doing so, maybe others will count it a blessing for what you did for them.