Unburdened: Living in the Freedom of Grace

 Where Grace is the Boss

Living in the freedom of grace is not a far-fetched idea. It's what we are called into. But, is that what we are doing on a day to day basis? Read on to find out if you have been living in liberty, or as a slave.

Understand Grace

Hey, so we've all heard that we're saved by grace, right? It's like the coolest thing ever, but sometimes it feels like we're just nodding along at Sunday school instead of actually living it. We roll up to Jesus tired out and lugging all our junk, and He's like, "Come on, let me take that load off," and gives us this sweet gift of rest. But then we're out here trying to pay Him back with gold stars for every good deed. But all those points are total rubbish to him. He doesn't care if we are going out of our way to "please" him or not, he only cares for the work He did for us! It's like we're back in kindergarten or something.

Grace isn't just the VIP pass to get into heaven—it's supposed to be the whole party vibe of our lives. It doesn't stop at salvation and leave us stranded. It is the very bread and butter of our lives, we embrace it and live victoriously. But what happens? We get all serious again and start slapping ourselves with rules that aren't even in the playbook Jesus gave us. We're talking about stuff we think we gotta do to keep God happy, like praying with the right words, serving in the exact right ways, and being all holy on the outside. It's like we're trying to win a prize that's already ours.

Absurd!

Now, let's not forget that pitfall of thinking we gotta keep our salvation on a tight leash with all our hard work. We start acting like we're in some kind of divine competition, making up rules that aren't even in the Bible, but we treat them like they're God's own to-do list for us. Maybe, we are so used to abiding by rules that we can't live without them. It's like we're trying to be superheroes when really, Jesus already played that part.

Let's take a page from Paul's book in Galatians:

"Are you really that clueless? After starting with God's Spirit, are you now ending with your own human effort?" (Galatians 3:3, GW)

Our human efforts don't play any part in making God more into us. Isaiah intimated that ALL our righteousness(they are many) are like used sanitary towels. they are good for nothing, except to be thrown into the pit. The only thing that does it is the free gift of righteousness, which is received by grace.

Grace is like the ultimate wingman—

it doesn't just get us in the door, it keeps us grooving on the dance floor without falling over. In fact, grace pulls all the stops and moves, while we enjoy the show. If God ever wanted to be impressed, He already impressed Himself when He gave up His only son to be killed on a wooden cross. That was His greatest show of love. there's nothing we can do to outbid that act. So let's drop the act and stop trying to impress God. He loves us already.

Now, some of this heavy stuff we're carrying around is like hand-me-downs from the religious thrift store. We get told that we still gotta play by Moses' rulebook, with all those old laws about what we can and can't do. But Jesus was like, "Nah, I got a better deal for you. Believe that I exchanged all your sins; past, present and future, and gave you my own right standing with God. 

I played by Moses' rules to the letter, but I still received punishment for those rules you couldn't play by yesteryear, today, and forever. After doing that, I pinned those rules and their legal demands on the cross with my own stamp that said, "Paid in full". Now you don't have to keep on trying to re-invent the wheel, by following them. By me they became obsolete. outdated."

So why are we still lugging around those ancient chains?

But how do we actually live like we're free and loving this grace thing?

Chill with Jesus' Finished Stuff – We don't have to run the extra mile here. What He did on the cross is more than enough for us to be in with God. We're not on a never-ending tryout for His love. You're not inn some kind of probation, if not, recruitment for heaven. In fact, Christ has already made us sit in the heavenly places with him. you may not see it with your naked eyes, but that's where God already sees us.

Say No to Legalism 

– If something makes it sound like we gotta add to what Jesus did to be cool with God, it's fake news. The ones that seem to suggest that you may have lost a place in the book of life.

 Who told you that there's a big filling department in heaven, and the angels are always writing names and deleting? Who lied to you that there are angel reporters following you everywhere, and writing back to heaven? Who lied to you that God blesses according to how good you have behaved? 

He has already blessed you with ALL spiritual blessings, and there's nothing left for you to work for. But legalists will always tell you that there's something left for you to do. Legalism is like a friendship bracelet that's actually handcuffs.

Do Stuff Because You're Loved, Not to Get Loved . 

There's nothing you can do to earn God's love. He already loved you when you were a sinner. Giving in church can't make Him love you some more. Nor can carrying the pastor's stuff to the pulpit every Sunday, or even helping the poor. We read the Bible, pray, and help out because we're already part of God's squad. It flows from the new nature that god gave us when we believed. It's not about brownie points.

Follow the Spirit's Lead. 

Christ left us the Holy Spirit to be our guide and helper. If only you can stop trying hard, and let the Spirit, who is the most natural thing for a believer, to do his thing. Ditch the rulebook and let the Holy Ghost be your GPS. He'll steer you right without the pressure of keeping all those man-made laws. 

Be Friends with God, Not Frightened of Him

 – Knowing God is about chilling with Him, not being scared of messing up. His grace is the warm blanket we snuggle in, not the stick that keeps us in line.

This is exactly what John is saying when he writes that perfect love drives away fear. Instead of trying very hard to be perfect in your behaviors, understand the word of God, and be perfected in His love, Know how greatly He loves you and rest in that love. God is not a Mafioso. Don't run away if you feel like you've messed up. Instead, run closer to him. After all, He's the only one who can make a better you, not yourself.

So let's ditch the fake freedom for the real deal. Jesus didn't just set us free so we could build new cages for ourselves. He wants us to kick back, let His love run the show, and enjoy the ride. So let's get into that groove, my friends, and live like grace is our jam.

The Secret to a Life Brimming with Grace

 

Here are a a few secrets I have discovered for living a life filled with and dictated by grace. Your life will never be the same after discovering the full meaning of grace that God has bestowed on us. 

Ever feel like you're lugging around a heavy backpack that's full of everyone's expectations, your own let-downs, and the never-ending quest to be good enough? That's a pretty common experience for a lot of folks. But the good news is, there's another way to live, a way that's been laid out for us in the gospel—a way of grace, freedom, and being fully accepted in Christ.

Sealed by Grace

When the Bible says we're sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), it's not talking about some temporary fix. This is the real deal, a sign that says we're God's and nobody else's. It's a promise that no matter what we do, He's got us.

What does this sealing really mean for our day-to-day lives?

• We're part of the family. Our status with God isn't based on performance; we're His because we're in Christ.
• We're unshakeable. Nothing can tear us away from God's love—not our mistakes, not other people, not even ourselves (Romans 8:38-39).
• We've got divine help. The Holy Spirit is like our inner renovator, transforming us from the inside, making us more like Jesus.

Embracing the Freedom of a Life Steeped in Grace

You might know about grace, but are you really living it out? Sometimes we keep pushing ourselves like we're back in the schoolyard trying to climb the moral ladder, when actually, we've been given a free pass to the top. As if we can really take ourselves there. 

Remember, that Christ was crucified because we could not bring ourselves to God. If there was a single chance, however remote, that we could behave into a right standing with God, then Jesus would not have had to die. 

The way to God is not some ladder that we can climb on our own; Christ is the only way, and we need to learn to rest in his finished work. To us it means freedom. Here's how to start living in the true freedom that comes from grace:

Rest in His Finished Work

   When Jesus said, "It is finished," on the cross, He meant it (John 19:30). He had already done all that was required for our justification, redemption and even our being transformed to his own image. 

Mark you this, he didn't leave anything behind that we need to do. His work is completely complete. We can stop trying to add to what He's done and just bask in the joy of knowing we're saved. 

If ever there was something that Christ left undone, know that you can't complete it. If I can't lift a rock, my kindergarten daughter can't lift it too. 

But Christ did what we could not do. Not only that, he died for our mistakes, past, present and future. He bridged the gap between us and God. What else do we need to do?

Ditch the Performance-Based Acceptance Myth

   It's easy to get caught up in thinking we have to earn God's love. But the truth is, we're loved because of Jesus, not our to-do lists (Titus 3:5).

Here's the thing: If God were to show love to us based on our conduct, He'd end up hating us with a passion. But he loved us even when we were sinners. Even when there was nothing good to be said about us, He came to look for us. Not only did he look for us, he gave up his only son so that we might be his children too.

Friends, we are not working to be accepted by God. No. It is God who is extending His love to us, and we need only to accept it and live in it. Let us swim in the love that God, our father has lavished on us.

Let Grace Fuel Your Actions

   Instead of doing good to get right with God, start from a place of being right with God and watch the goodness spill out. We have already been made right with God through Christ Jesus. 

Because we are right with God, we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings. There's nothing we can do to add to those blessings. As I have said, He poured ALL His blessings into us the moment we believed. 

You can't be more blessed by giving in church, tithing faithfully, helping the poor, preaching more..... None of those impresses Him. In fact, there's nothing you can do to move God. He moved Himself when He let his son be humiliated and die on a cross.

So, our actions are not fueled by a need to earn God's nod. It is the opposite: we nodding to what He has already done. It's not about us trying to make God react to our actions. It's about living from what God has placed inside us, reacting to the gift of righteousness(2 Corinthians 5:21).

 It's about living from what He's given us, not trying to impress Him 

Follow the Spirit's Lead, Not Your Fleshly Whims

   Being free in Christ doesn't mean going wild. Some people wrongly think that grace is a license to sin. But that can't be further from the truth. Grace is actually the power that enables us to live above sin. 

Before a right standing with God was revealed through Christ, we used to live a life of strife. We tried our best to at least keep the 10 commandments, but we were unable. This was mainly because we didn't have the Holy Spirit in us, and that we were sinners by nature. We were like a scorpion that can't help stinging, even when it shouldn't.

But now God has given us a new nature. one of righteousness. We are new creatures, created in the image of His son. On top of that, we also have the Holy Spirit, who silently leads us to do what is right. We don't struggle t follow a to-do-list. Whatever is nobble, right and praiseworthy has already been carved out in our very being.

So it's not about trying to live by 630+ rules; we have no chance there. In fact, my Bible records that the power of sin is the law. It's about living out who we are from the inside. If only you knew who you are from within, you'd stop trying to become.

 It's about saying yes to the Holy Spirit's gentle nudges and finding joy in doing what's right out of love, not fear (Galatians 5:16-18).

Be a Grace Giver

   Once you've tasted God's grace, you'll want to share it. You can't afford to keep quiet with all this sweetness. Once you know how much forgiven you are, how much loved you are, how much valued you are.

A child who knows how much their father loves them will always want to display their father, parade him in front of their peers. No, it's not an obligation, but just an action from a feeling that can not be held back. 

Am saying this because my daughter loves to show me to her friends, telling them how good I am, how I lavish her with good things, how much we are in love.....

As a result, my daughter treats her peers with the same love, care and tenderness. As her father is, as she has known him to be, so is she. And this is also true to us. the same way we know our God to be, so shall we be. The secret here is to know God even more, coz as He is, so are we.

Before we can show grace to others, we must know the man called grace. to know the man called grace is to know ourselves. From here, we will not struggle to show grace to others. It will naturally flow from within.

The Happiness of a Life Saturated with Grace

When you're sealed and free, you're not just living a peaceful life; you're living a life that's full of joy because you know God isn't holding your past against you. He's not waiting to hit at you at the slightest mistake too. He's showering you with love and affection on account of Christ.

you can easily say like Paul, that it's no longer me who lives, but Christ through me. Everything that God is doing in my life is not because I am good, but because Christ did all the heavy lifting. I am clothed in Christ, and all that God sees is His own righteousness. He accounted all my mistakes  on Christ, long before I was born, so that now I am wearing shining robes of righteousness that can not be stained. For this, I have confidence to approach the throne of grace, having already obtained mercy.

It's a life of confidence, knowing that you're safe in Jesus' arms, ready to take on whatever comes your way. And it's a life that shines love to a world that's still wearing those heavy chains.

So, let's drop the weight we've been carrying. Let's grab hold of grace and really live. You're sealed, and you're free. Just like that.

How to Destroy a Beautiful Marriage

Marriage is an institution ordained by God, meant to mirror God's covenantal love for us, as was shown in Ephesians 5:25-32. But like everything of value, it becomes worthless if not handled properly. This post will delve into how to ruin a perfect marriage not because we want to fail but to point out what to avoid in building a healthy, Christ-centered union.

1. Stop Communicating

If you want to sabotage your marriage, don't communicate openly. Don't express your feelings. Don't show affection. Bottling up frustrations. Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death." No communication kills trust and intimacy. The foundation for a great marriage is open and loving communication.

2. Be Selfish

A surefire way to kill your marriage is to make sure your own desires are met before and above the needs of your spouse. The scriptures say in Philippians 2:3-4 to "value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Selfishness depletes the mutual sacrifice necessary to maintain a relationship. Choose selflessness.

3. Ignore God's Design

You have to remove God's purpose for marriage, and then you will have removed the very foundation of it. Marriage is more than a human contract; it's a covenant before God. Genesis 2:24 says, "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." The absence of God at the center loosens the bond. You align your marriage to His Word to make it stronger.

4. Harbor Unforgiveness

Harbor grudges, and bitterness will be the death of your relationship. Ephesians 4:31-32 reminds us to "get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger. forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Forgiveness is healing and unifying. Without it, even the smallest hurts fester into division.

5. Neglect Intimacy

To destroy a marriage, neglect physical and emotional intimacy. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 reminds us that love and care in marriage is to be mutual. Intimacy isn't just physical; it's connecting on all levels. To nurture your marriage, invest in these connections intentionally.

6. Focus on Faults

Constant nagging of your spouse is a great way to tear them down. Jesus said in Matthew 7:3-5 to take the "plank in your own eye" out before judging others. Build up your spouse with encouragement instead of tearing them down with negativity.

7. Be Unequally Yoked

A mismatch in spiritual priorities creates a conflict. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." Not only initial choices but maintaining unity in faith throughout the marriage is what is implied here. Pray together, worship together, and let Christ be that common ground.

8. Allow Outside Influences to Control You

Let other voices be the voice of your marriage, and division won't be far behind. Genesis 2:24 reminds us to leave and cleave-to make your spouse the top priority above all others. Set healthy boundaries with family, friends, and work, ensuring nothing eclipses your commitment.

9. Stop Praying Together

Prayerlessness is a silent killer of marriages. James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." In prayerlessness, couples lose access to God's power to sustain their relationship. Pray daily for wisdom, love, and strength in your marriage.

Conclusion: Building a Marriage that Lasts

And the secret to not messing up a marriage is rather simple: just do the opposite of all of the above. Devote yourself to godly communication, selflessness, forgiveness, intimacy, encouragement, spiritual unity, and prayer. Marriage requires work, but with Christ at the center, it's a beautiful reflection of God's love.

Let us, therefore, learn from what not to do and deliberately construct marriages that honor God, bless our families, and inspire others. A perfect marriage is not one with no challenges but one in which both partners choose to grow together in love, grace, and faith.

After the Christmas Fun.....

 Christmas is already behind us. Those who had gifts have already unwrapped their boxes and now we are looking forward to a new year. More celebrations...

But let's go back a bit and ask ourselves, what does Christmas really mean to me?

Some would simply say, "nothing " and move on. Christmas is to many a chance to meet with friends, eat nyama choma, get high on something.... 

Some will even tell you that Christmas is not the day christ was born. Suppose it's not? We do not have Jesus's birth certificate nor do we have the Jewish Callender, we only know that he was born. We celebrated that fact, and we don't have a problem doing so in any month. 

Here comes the third question, or is it the second? Would Jesus have celebrated his birthday, as we do? I suppose not.

Jesus's birth marked the beginning of his humiliation stage. Having lived the life of God, as creator of the world, he now had to live in the limitations of a human body. His rank was drastically lowered from lord of all to a position where mankind is: a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7-9)

He would get angry, hungry, feel sad, and be limited by time and space. To be sure, he was still God, born like us(galatians 4:-5)

Before we could talk about redeeming those under the law, we should talk about the ultimate human weakness: death. God can not die, but Jesus OBEYED even death (philippians 2:8)

This is where my redemption came from. He took my place on the cross and gave me his position in heaven. Pilate found nothing to accuse him of, the law and the prophets found none either, yet God heaped all the sins of the world on him.

Because he was judged on my behalf I will not stand in judgment. He has become the end of the law so that there may be righteousness to the likes of me, who believe *(Romans 10:4)

Am waiting for Easter, which stands for my redemption and glorification.....

Can a Loving God Punish?

 

An inferno representation of wrath and hell

No, it's not the nature of God to hit back when we do wrong. He answers wrong with love.

I know what you are thinking right now: what about Sodom and Gomorrah, what about Uzaiah, what about the foot of the mountain when Moses found them worship calf and 3000 died? I will tell you; Moses's misrepresentation of God made him the first Jewish terrorist.  He ordered those men to be killed. 

Now tell me, between the idol worshipers and the killers, who was the sinner?

That's a great illustration of religion. It makes you think you are reacting on God's behalf while in real sense, you are doing your own stuff your own way.

Love, not wrath 

God always reacts with love, in fact, He proactive with love. When Adam disobeyed and found out his nakedness, God, who must have been angry in our minds, devised clothing for him. In the time of Isaiah when the whole world was sinful, God said, " Come, let's talk. Even if your sins are red as crimson, I will make you as white as snow ". 

When the stench of sin was nolonger bearable, he sent His only son to save us from the punishment for sin and the power of sin.

Galatians 3:13 NLT

[13] But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 

https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.3.13.NLT

The old testament writers wrote about God's wrath because they didn't understand him through the lens of Christ. Though they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write, they had liberty to pen their own thoughts, which were shaped by the torrah and traditions. They didn't understand the God whose kindness leads to repentance. 

My Bible tells me that in his forbearance He continually let it slide until Christ came( Romans 3:25). All the punishment that was due to us was heaped on Jesus on the cross. And still on that, God did not punish Jesus as a person, but as sin personified. 

Romans 8:3 KJV

[3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.8.3.KJVThat's to show that God doesn't have a problem with the sinner, but with sin itself. To save the sinner he dealt with the issue of sin completely by making his son sin itself so that we may become not just righteous, but righteousness itself in him. (2CORINTHIANS 5:21)

That's his perfect will, that we'd all be saved through Christ. Instead of lashing out, God points us to the one who can save us, the one He punished on our behalf, the one who took our weaknesses. 

To sum it all, a loving God doesn't and can't punish. Poverty is not a slap from God, nor is sickness, drought, war, or any bad tidings. The wages of sin are death, not any of the above, and Christ Jesus died on our behalf, taking away the charges that stood against us.

Colossians 2:13-15 NLT

[13] You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. [14] He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. [15] In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

https://bible.com/bible/116/col.2.13-15.NLT

Don't anticipate God's wrath and punishment, anticipate all the riches in his glory!

The Power of Shared Experiences

Shared Experiences of the Healing Kind

In a world that lauds the individual spirit, community and shared experiences hold their ground as relentless pockets of strength and healing.

 The old adage, "No man is an island," reverberates with an intrinsic human penchant for connection-finding strength in people who understand and support us.

The Role of Shared Experience in Healing

When we experience hard times, it's natural to feel as though no one else might understand our pain. 

It's times like these that community performs an important role in healing: shared experience can make us more empathetic towards others and relate deeper with them.

 These connections remind us that we are not alone in our struggles and that others have gone through similar challenges and have come through stronger on the other side.

Whether it is through a support group, a circle of friends, or a faith community, being among others that have similar experiences is amazingly therapeutic.

 Research has documented that social support may drastically lower stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improve physical health. 

The telling and retelling of one's story, hearing of others' stories, can be a potent way of emotional release; such often leads to a sense of comfort and relief.

The Biblical Understanding of Community and Healing

The Bible has several passages teaching about the importance of community. Galatians 6:2 says, "Help carry each other's burdens. 

In this way you will follow Christ's teachings." This verse underlines our responsibility to one another, especially in times of need. 

By sharing our burdens, we lighten not just our load but fulfill a heavenly purpose of mutual support and compassion.

This sense of community-in-fellowship was essential to the faith and practice of the early Christian church. 

Acts 2:44-47, GW reports, "All the believers were united and shared everything they had. With glad and sincere hearts, they broke bread with one another." 

It wasn't just about survival in life; it was about thriving by the love and support they would give one another.

Practical Steps to Cultivate Healing Through Community

1. Join or Form Support Groups

In times of grief, addiction, or any other challenge, joining a support group offers a great avenue to share and listen. 

If there isn't a group that fits your needs, consider starting one.

2. Practice Active Listening: 

When someone shares a fight with you, actively listen to them.

 That means hearing them out with full attention, showing empathy, and not giving advice. 

Sometimes the best way to bring healing is to just listen.

3. Join Community Activities: 

Those things that help bring the community together, like volunteering, church activities, or even local meetups.

 In such activities, relationships can be built which will provide a reservoir in support of trying times.

4. Reach Out for Help: 

When in a struggle, reach out for help within the setting of your community.

 It is not a sign of weakness but actually a strong thing to do when needed.

Conclusion

Community is the power that can change isolations to connectivity, pain to recovery, and despair to hope.

 In support from people around us and sharing of experiences, we find the strength to heal and help others to do the same.

 As we go through ups and downs of life, let this be a reminder from Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up".

Nurturing our own lives, while creating a ripple into others' lives through processes of healing and hope, begins as we build up and cultivate our communities.hared Experiences of the Healing Kind

In a world that lauds the individual spirit, community and shared experiences hold their ground as relentless pockets of strength and healing. 

The old adage, "No man is an island," reverberates with an intrinsic human penchant for connection-finding strength in people who understand and support us.

The Role of Shared Experience in Healing

When we experience hard times, it's natural to feel as though no one else might understand our pain. 

It's times like these that community performs an important role in healing: shared experience can make us more empathetic towards others and relate deeper with them.

 These connections remind us that we are not alone in our struggles and that others have gone through similar challenges and have come through stronger on the other side.

Whether it is through a support group, a circle of friends, or a faith community, being among others that have similar experiences is amazingly therapeutic.

 Research has documented that social support may drastically lower stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improve physical health. 

The telling and retelling of one's story, hearing of others' stories, can be a potent way of emotional release; such often leads to a sense of comfort and relief.

The Biblical Understanding of Community and Healing

The Bible has several passages teaching about the importance of community.

 Galatians 6:2 says, "Help carry each other's burdens. In this way you will follow Christ's teachings." 

This verse underlines our responsibility to one another, especially in times of need. 

By sharing our burdens, we lighten not just our load but fulfill a heavenly purpose of mutual support and compassion.

This sense of community-in-fellowship was essential to the faith and practice of the early Christian church. 

Acts 2:44-47, GW reports, "All the believers were united and shared everything they had. With glad and sincere hearts, they broke bread with one another." 

It wasn't just about survival in life; it was about thriving by the love and support they would give one another.

Practical Steps to Cultivate Healing Through Community

1. Join or Form Support Groups

 In times of grief, addiction, or any other challenge, joining a support group offers a great avenue to share and listen. 

If there isn't a group that fits your needs, consider starting one.

2. Practice Active Listening: 

When someone shares a fight with you, actively listen to them. 

That means hearing them out with full attention, showing empathy, and not giving advice. 

Sometimes the best way to bring healing is to just listen.

3. Join Community Activities 

Those things that help bring the community together, like volunteering, church activities, or even local meetups. In such activities, relationships can be built which will provide a reservoir in support of trying times.

4. Reach Out for Help: 

When in a struggle, reach out for help within the setting of your community.

 It is not a sign of weakness but actually a strong thing to do when needed.

Conclusion

Community is the power that can change isolations to connectivity, pain to recovery, and despair to hope. 

In support from people around us and sharing of experiences, we find the strength to heal and help others to do the same. 

As we go through ups and downs of life, let this be a reminder from Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.

 But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up".

Nurturing our own lives, while creating a ripple into others' lives through processes of healing and hope, begins as we build up and cultivate our communities.

Changing Your Victims to Victors

Turn your setbacks into success

We all have trials and adversity at different moments in life. If it is a money problem, if health problems or breakups are your issues- -- such an event will be part of any wake up call we receive. 

The good news is, with God on our side every trial can turn into a triumph!

The Purpose of Trials

James 1:2-4 (GW) states, *"My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you firm faith is tested.

 James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

The lessons of these verses are this: our trials aren't simply inconsequential suffering. They are to make us stronger in faith and better people.

Imagine going to the gym. The weights are heavy at what seems like the beginning, and workouts make you cry. 

But as you continue to forge ahead, the more your muscles adapt and develop strength through endurance.

 It is similar with our spiritual muscles. And the more trials we press through, the more our faith grows.

Looking To God For Help

One of the major ways you can go from trials to triumphs is by seeking for strength in God (Psalm 28:6-7). 

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will walk, and not be weary. They will walk and […]  

our strength does not come from us but comes from the Lord. Through Him, we have the strength and stamina to continue no matter how hard things get.

A Testimony of Triumph

And it made me think of an amazing testimony that was given in our ward. She was sick, really sick for a long time about which the doctors said nothing can be done now. 

But she never lost her faith. She had prayed, and trusted, believing in gods healing. And guess what? God came through! 

Not only was she restored to health, but gave her testimony of what God had done for and in herAvailable on with plenty who were fighting a similar battle.

This testimony is such a great example of how God can turn all things for our good. What seemed like lost cause became a testimony to God's grace and power.

* Get over adversity Step by practical Step

Some practical steps you can take in your trials :

1.) Pray and Seek God: 

Philippians 4:6 (GW), *“

Never worry about anything. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. *

 Ask God to help you through the storm and ask for wisdom and peace.

2. ■ Hold On! — 

Use the Bible as our power and wisdom. Reading and meditating on the word of God helps to keep us grounded, it is that spiritual food we need in order for our spirits not departed from this truth.

3. Be in Community with people who believe in you:

 Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (GW) says, *“Two is better than one because they have a good return for their work. For when his brotha falleth suddenly, he also shall rise up again. However pitiful the one who falls but that they have no helper. 

There isno oneto pick him up. 

Lean on the support, encouragement and prayers of your fellow church family.

4. ** Remember Its Only Temporary: 

Romans 8-18 you are going through fire know that Everything we Experience in This life is only temporary because eternity it will all be over * 

There may be a lot of trial and tribulation now, but the glory in heaven is eternal. The hope to continue is kept alive if we protect our sight on the greater good in life.

Conclusion: 

In Christ we are victorious

Adversity is resulted to be the most challenging part of life, but when we put it across with faith and endurance along with his divine intervention having our back all-the-time — this can lead every burden into a breakthrough.

 Romans 8:37 (GW) tells us, *“In all these cases we are more than conqueror through Christ who loved us.” * With Christ, We are more than conquerors!

Therefore, the next time you are in a storm, remember that God is with whom and He will make everything work together for your good. Believe Him, rest in His and see your trials turn to triumph!

Self-Care and Spirituality

Being close to my pastor has given me the privilege of walking alongside many people in their spiritual journeys. 

In the process, I have come to realize our mental health is not any less significant than our spiritual well-being. Actually, the two are very much interconnected. 3 John 1:2 says, 

"Dear friend, I know that you are spiritually well. I pray that you're doing well in every other way and that you're healthy." 

This verse so eloquently encompasses what God wants for us-spiritual prosperity, yet also extending into all the other facets of our lives.

The Place Where Self-Care and Faith Meet

I have met so many along the way who think somehow self-care is selfish or less spiritual, but let me remind you, it is necessary-taking care of yourself-and it's biblical! 

You remember Jesus went out to pray by Himself? Even the Son of God needed a refuel, and if Jesus needed that, how much more do we?

One Sunday, feeling drained after an extremely busy week trying to juggle the care of a grieving family, the writing of a sermon, and the counseling of a couple whose marriage was on shaky grounds, my pastor was exhausted by Saturday evening, having prepared nothing, and still had a sermon to write. 

So I did what many times he had advised others not to do; namely, he pushed through the fatigue. When Sunday morning finally came, he delivered the sermon, but somehow he knew something wasn't right.

He wasn't into it. I afterwards greeted him and asked, "Pastor, I could feel your heart, but today you seemed tired. Are you okay?" 

Well, that woke him up. He knew at that time he wasn't practicing what he preached. He wasn't taking care of himself.

From then on, self-care became an integral priority in ministry. He began to set aside several times a week to rest and pray, and to do things that rejuvenate my soul, whether it be walks in nature, reading a good book, or just spending quiet time with God.

Spiritual Practices as Self-Care

Spirituality brings a host of practices that double as self-care. Prayer, meditation, and worshipping are also excellent avenues for keeping in good mental shape, not only to communicate with God. 

When we pray, the burdens are lifted unto God, where He can carry what we cannot. As it reminds us in Philippians 4:6-7, 

"Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can conceive, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus." 

This peace God gives is a kind of self-care, divine balm to the anxious mind.

Another story that comes to my mind is about a woman in our congregation who was struggling with anxiety. Life overwhelmed her: work, family, and all the pressure to be everything to everybody.

 We chatted about including more spiritual practices in her daily coping. She started her day with prayer, meditation on God's Word, and time to be still before the Lord. 

And as time went on, she began to realize great improvement with her mental health. She told me, "Brother, it's like I have rediscovered my anchor. God has been my hiding place, and somehow, I feel so much at peace again."

 The Power of Community

And lastly, there is community. God never intended for any of us to live life in isolation. As Galatians 6:2 encourages us, 

"Help carry each other's burdens. In this way you will follow Christ's teachings." 

Being part of a supportive faith community plays an important role in spiritual and mental health. 

It's within these communities we receive encouragement, accountability, and the important reminder that we are not alone.

Conclusion: 

Self-care and spirituality are not the two opposite sides of the coin; they are a match. Taking care of ourselves-mind, body, and spirit-is how we honor God and better prepare for Him and others. 

So take time this week to rest, recharge, and reconnect with your Creator. Your health matters to God, and it should matter to you too.

May God richly bless you as you concentrate on regaining your health and press on with your spiritual lives.

**Scripture References**:

- 3 John 1:2 (GW)

- Philippians 4:6-7 (GW)

- Galatians 6:2 (GW)