I am not a fan of social media. This luring distraction has the power to suck me in, and I find myself wasting precious time looking at what other people are doing or reading articles often filled with fear-bearing news. But every so often, when I am at a doctor’s office or waiting to pick up my daughter from school, Twitter and Facebook keep me company.

During the pandemic, I came across several posts about the fantastic things certain people were accomplishing.

Someone on Twitter felt God’s calling to write her first book. Another person on Instagram shared about her body transformation. Then, there were numerous posts about marriages being strengthened and family relations restored during this most challenging time.

While reading some of these posts, I would sometimes feel discouraged. “Why don’t I feel the same motivation?” I would ask myself. At other times, I’d be more gracious and laugh at myself. Yep. I had a body transformation too. Ten pounds worth of boredom and emotional eating can attest to that.

I don’t admit this proudly, but the pandemic did not bring out the best in me. It was a time of many changes in our household, some of which list as two of the five top stressors a person can experience:

We moved to a new house after 20 years, and even though this was a huge blessing, it surely incurred uninvited stress.

Menopause hit me like a boulder this past year, causing unwelcoming, distracting changes in my mind and body.

Our oldest daughter’s transition to adulthood and starting college brought about challenges and changes that this momma did not expect.

I started a new job, and even though it is another huge blessing, it brought about all the well-known pressures that a new career creates.

I don’t admit this proudly, but the pandemic did not bring out the best in me. Can you relate? @AJC #pandemic #MondayMotivation #thornintheflesh #MondayDevotional
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And then, there is the church issue. Our beloved church of 20 years remained closed for eleven months and had a pastoral transition. We started attending a new church, and even though the new congregation is terrific, we naturally don’t know many people there yet, so the sense of community is missing.

Indeed, the pandemic did not create a significant spiritual awakening in me. Instead, it exposed and highlighted some of my weaknesses.

I was reading the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church when I came across a famous verse in the twelfth chapter:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

This conclusion follows Paul’s confession of a weakness that he bore, and which he implored God to remove:

“For this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself.”

There have been various debates on the nature of Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Some scholars believe it could have been a temptation; however, I am prone to believe that, due to other passages of scriptures where Paul mentions his bodily ailments, it was most likely a physical illness – possibly slowly making him lose his vision.

Regardless of the nature of his “thorn,” there are several things that we learn from Paul’s conclusions and revelations about this weakness: the “thorn” was allowed by God; it kept the apostle humble; it shows us that unanswered prayers do not mean God is not listening; it caused Paul to depend on God alone for strength, and, finally, it taught this mighty saint a facet of God’s grace he could never otherwise have experienced.

As I think about the trials I’ve faced or times when a “thorn in the flesh” threatened to steal my peace, I cannot help but realize in retrospect that these were also times when God planted seeds of spiritual growth.

As I think about the trials I’ve faced or times when a 'thorn in the flesh' threatened to steal my peace, I cannot help but realize that these were also times when God planted seeds of spiritual growth. @AJC #thornintheflesh…
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During those times, I realize how weak my heart and mind can be without God’s strength. It is then that I appreciate His grace, goodness and forgiveness the most. It is then that His omnipotence shines the brightest.

Maybe you are like me. Maybe the pandemic did not bring a great spiritual awakening in your life. You may have found yourself filling the hole or anxieties in your life with food or any other temporary pleasure. Today, rather than discouraged and self-loathing, let us take a moment to thank God for His grace and power, which are evermore excellent in our weaknesses.

And as a new day dawns and we lean on God for guidance and strength, like the apostle Paul, let us trust that God will help us overcome and flourish, despite any thorn in the flesh.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s Column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, April 24th, 2021. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website. 

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Miguel de Unamuno was a Spanish writer, philosopher, and professor of Greek and Classics at the University of Salamanca, where he later became rector. In one of his essays, he tells about the Roman aqueduct found in the city of Segovia, in his country, Spain. The aqueduct, built in 109 A.D., remained actively carrying fresh water from the mountains to the city for eight centuries, quenching the thirst of nearly 60 generations.

Unamono writes: “Then came another generation, a recent one, who said, ‘This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children, as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor.’”

And so, they did. The city laid modern iron pipes to bring in water to its streets, thus choosing to “give the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest.” Their goal was to preserve this iconic historical landmark for future generations.

Instead, the aqueduct soon started to fall apart. Without the water to irrigate its bricks, the sun hitting the age-old structure dried the mortar, causing it to crumble. The unrepairable dry stones and bricks quickly threatened to fall.

Unamuno’s conclusion gave me pause: “What ages of service could not destroy, idleness disintegrated.”

What ages of service can not destroy, idleness disintegrates. @AJC #TuesdayMotivation #Tuesdaythoughts #service
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“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

These words are recorded in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the Christian New testament. This chapter narrates the apostle Paul’s third missionary journey throughout Asia Minor, where, accompanied by other early evangelists, the apostle traveled to carry out the Great Commission to the gentiles in Roman Territory, while serving new believers and their communities.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. @AJC #TuesdayMotivation #Tuesdaythoughts #service
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I thought about those words when our choir director recognized my 20 years of service at our church’s choir this week. My husband and I joined our church in February 2000. That very week, I set foot in the choir room for the first time.

Serving in that choir has not always been convenient, especially since I live 28 miles from my church and therefore, must face the ever-growing Atlanta traffic one extra day every week. Between deadlines, coaching volleyball, and my children’s schedules, life can undoubtedly be hectic. There have also been times during the years when disappointments with people in the choir or physical hardships made me want to step down from serving. But every time I prayed about it, a firm conviction grabbed my heart. Not only does worshiping God in song bring me great joy, but I am also keenly aware that it is while serving others that I wholly fulfill my life’s purpose.

Through the years, I have met many people who were once highly involved serving in their places of worship or communities, but later stopped serving. Many of them stopped attending services altogether, often developing a certain cynicism concerning service and the church. The problem is that such distrust and misanthropy does not remain isolated. If not dealt with quickly and adequately, cynicism can easily spread to our relationship with God and steal our peace.

If not dealt with quickly and adequately, cynicism can easily spread to our relationship with God and steal our peace. @AJC #TuesdayMotivation #Tuesdaythoughts #service
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I believe there is a reason why we read God’s warnings concerning serving others throughout Scriptures. The gifts and talents God gave us should never be confined to the walls of our homes. God gives us these gifts so we can bless others, and therefore, as Jesus said, we are only indeed “blessed” when we give them away.

Just as the bricks and mortar of the aqueduct of old crumbled down when it stopped serving its purpose, many of God’s people are drying up today. Whether due to disappointments, selfishness or busyness, their life is lacking joy and meaning simply because they stopped the living water from flowing through them to quench the thirst of those God called them to serve.

May the vision of that old aqueduct, standing against the test of time and elements, encourage us not to allow idleness to steal our God-given purpose, and remind us that it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on February 29, 2020. You can find a link HERE. 

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The post Could Lack of Purpose be Stealing your Joy? {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

These words in the book of the Prophet Isaiah have been especially significant to me for many years. I came across them for the first time shortly after becoming a Christian 25 years ago, and they caught my attention, because of the eagle metaphor.

Eagles have been my favorite animal from an early age. Childhood friends would list puppies and horses as their ideal representative of the animal kingdom, but my heart placed the king of all birds on top of the list.

It all started when my mom brought home an article about eagles when I was about 9 years old. She had seen it in a magazine and painstakingly copied it word by word on a sheet of notebook paper. I sat down beside her, curious about the content as she carefully unfolded the sheet. She then proceeded to dramatically read a beautiful story about an eagle in the face of adversity. I cannot recall the details but remember that the message captured my heart. When she finished, she folded the paper and handed it to me. Looking me in the eye, she held my hand and said:

“You are my eagle. Remember that. The sky is your limit. You can do anything and go anywhere, as long as you persevere and work hard.”

Ever since that day, I have collected eagle statues, eagle pictures, and eagle stories. I have watched the Eagle Cam at Berry College and named my ministry “Soaring with Him” – inspired by the timeless words in the 40th chapter of the book of Isaiah. It’s a borderline obsession.

For centuries, these majestic birds have fascinated and inspired humanity with their brilliant survival and leadership characteristics. The bald eagle is the symbol of our country, its image engraved in the national seal, certain flags and monuments. In some religions, high-soaring eagles are believed to touch the face of God. Mexican legend holds that the Aztecs so revered the bird that they built Tenochtitlan, their capital, at the spot where an eagle perched on a cactus.

While sharing a friend’s prayer request with my husband this morning, I remembered an aspect in the eagles’ makeup that sets them apart from other birds: the way they face storms.

If you were to see an area filled with birds when a storm approaches, you would see two distinct reactions between an eagle and all other feathered creatures. While other birds would try to flee or hide, eagles would take off, in the direction of the dark clouds. Fearlessly, the eagle would fly into the fierce winds, using the storm current to rise higher quickly. The pressure of the storm is used to help them glide without using their energy as their wings’ unique design allows them to lock in a fixed position amid the violent storm winds.

The eagle instinctively knows it: Just past the storm, in the high heavens, there is peace and security. It is the perfect hiding place.

The eagle instinctively knows it: Just past the storm, in the high heavens, there is peace and security. It is the perfect hiding place.
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My friend is facing a storm which my husband and I know well. As she shared her struggles with me, I could hear the uncertainty, fear and confusion in her voice. “I thought I was doing God’s will.” “I don’t understand why the door will not open.” “Should we move? Should we change something?

”Oh, how well do I know the feeling!

Maybe you do too. You may have done everything, obeyed God and said yes to His direction, blindly trusting that He would come forth with the deliverance, provision or healing. Yet, months and sometimes years go by, and the storm does not seem to die down. You certainly do not seem to be rising above it either.

Can I encourage you today, dear reader? I soar “on wings like eagles,” joyfully and above some vicious, fierce storms.

Unemployment? Check. Cancer? Check. Betrayal? Check. Regardless, I can testify that God indeed used each storm to shake my faith so that fragments of unbelief would fall out. Then, as I courageously locked my wings, determined not to give up, He rose me up. Above each tempest… and in His time. Every.single.time.

Strength indeed comes to those who patiently and wholeheartedly trust in the Lord.

God uses storms to shake our faith so that fragments of unbelief may fall out. As we courageously lock our wings, determined not to give up, He raises us up. Above each tempest... and in His time.
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday – August 3, 2019.

The post Learn from the Eagle: the Challenger of the Storms {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Hayes was not a typical glamorous Hollywood actress. As a matter of fact, she was once described as “diminutive and homespun” for her modesty and practicality. Her lasting career was anchored in a persevering spirit, who rose above the status quo to build a thriving image for decades while other actresses’ time in the limelight did not otherwise last.

When talking about her mother’s legacy one day, the actress told of a time when her mom spoke of the difference between achievement and success: “Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success.”

Always aim for achievement and forget about success.
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When I came across Hayes’ mother’s quote and her life story, I thought about a similar message I heard as a child. My mom was a woman ahead of her time, who was raised in a community where women were not allowed to pursue their dreams. For that reason, she became determined to bring up children with the very opposite mindset: “You can do anything you set your mind to do.” “Reach for the stars.” Indeed, Sir Edward Young’s quote was implied in every subliminal message I heard as a child:

“Too low they build who build beneath the stars.”

Too low they build who build beneath the stars. ~ Edward Young
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One of the first times I had to exercise determination and perseverance to achieve my goals was while playing volleyball in high school. I was one of those girls who reach their maximum height early in puberty, making me a tall 13-year-old at 5’5”. I had started playing the sport in sixth grade, and by the time my high school freshman year started, I loved playing as an outside hitter. As time went by, however, my small stature did not quite fit the profile of a volleyball hitter. I had to make a choice: either I would change positions on the team, or I would have to overcome my height by improving my vertical jump. That’s when my mother’s words echoed in my heart: “Reach for the stars.”

And reach for the stars I did. Literally. I was the first one on the court each day, doing extra drills to improve my jump and speed. By the end of my sophomore year, I had the highest vertical on the team. I ended my high school career as the starter outside hitter and went on to play in college for a while, until an injury prevented me from remaining on the team.

After listing the amazing accomplishments of great men and women of faith in the Old Testament, the author of Hebrews starts the last chapter of his epistle with the following words:

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” In other words, if we are to fulfill our God-given destiny, we must focus on our own race, run it with steadfastness and keep our eyes on God, who helps us overcome our limitations.

I know Helen Hayes’ story did not just ‘happen’ to come across my screen on the first week of 2019. While evaluating the year that ended, I had to confess to God that one of the things that I lacked last year was steadfast focus – that same focus that my 14-year-old self displayed many years ago. I did not focus on how successful or tall some of my teammates were, or the smirks I saw from across the net on the faces of my 6-foot tall opponents. Instead, I focused on my own race, choosing to press on against limitations to achieve my dream.

Helen Hayes heeded her mother’s advice and aimed for achievement rather than success. May her legacy be a reminder to stay focused on our God-given goals this New Year and nothing else. The outcome may not result in being praised by others, but it will certainly please God.

This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday, January 5, 2019.

Stay focused on our God-given goals this New Year and nothing else. The outcome may not result in being praised by others, but it will certainly please God. #MondayMotivation #Newyear2019
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The post Chasing Success… or Achievement? {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

The Sermon of the Mount is believed to have been delivered in the beginning of Christ’s ministry, after His baptism by John the Baptist and after His many miracles in Judea and Galilee. The focus of the sermon was to teach His newly appointed 12 disciples and the multitude that followed Him on the New Covenant’s standards of righteousness.

The words have possibly been the most repeated sermon since the first century. It is a practical discourse, which transcends the credenda of Christianity and bleeds into humanity’s yearnings; for gentleness, comfort, mercy and peace are gifts desired by all.

The first sentence out of Jesus’ mouth sets the tone that revolutionized the beliefs of first-century Jews.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The first sentence out of Jesus’ mouth sets the tone that revolutionized the beliefs of first-century Jews: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. #SermonoftheMount #Christmas #MondayMotivation
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I confess that I was puzzled by the first line of the Beatitudes for a long time. At first glance, both in my native language Portuguese as well as in English, the word “poor” conveys a negative meaning, and one would think that Jesus would want his followers to be spiritually “rich.”

A study on the context of the setting of the sermon and the Greek language, however, opens our eyes to the deeper and strategic meaning of those first words.

As Jesus performed miracles, multitudes followed him — some seeking his gifts, others out of mere curiosity. While the onset of his ministry involved many signs and wonders, Scriptures also say that he taught in synagogues, confronting many of the teachings of the Pharisees. These first-century teachers of the law associated righteousness with observing Jewish feasts, following rituals and abiding by endless rules, many of which had been established by rabbis throughout Israel’s history as supplements to the law of Moses as established in the Torah. Christ confronted their teachings as legalistic rather than spiritual, and the first words on the Sermon of the Mount clarify that position: “Poor in spirit” in Greek, refers to the humility needed by those who seek God. The poor in spirit (otherwise also translated as “the meek” or “the lowly”) are those who humbly acknowledge their need and dependence on God. Those find the blessedness and joy of having access to the father.

Humility and dependence. I cannot help but smile as I realize the connection between Jesus’ first words as recorded on his first sermon and his advent to this world.

Humility and dependence. I cannot help but smile as I realize the connection between Jesus’ first words as recorded on the Sermon of the Mount and His advent to this world. #SermonoftheMount #Christmas #Humility
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The king born in the lowliest of places. A manger. The little baby whose birth distressed the great Herod, moved wise men to travel for months to bear Him gifts, and ultimately changed history like no one else before or since, came to the world as a modest carpenter’s son. Messiah, born as a completely dependent baby, reminds us, as a grown man, that if we are to be blessed by God, we are to humbly depend on Him.

Messiah, born as a completely dependent baby, reminds us, as a grown man, that if we are to be blessed by God, we are to humbly depend on Him.
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As we gear our hearts to celebrate Christmas, I am challenged to connect His birth to His words on the mountain that day. From His lowly birth to His challenge to those who would hear him … from the moment I realized my inadequacy to come before a holy God on my own merit, to my desire to follow His teachings, I believe Jesus’ words translate the very message of Christmas:

Blessed are those who are humble as the Baby in the manger … humble to acknowledge that nothing they can do gives them access to an almighty, righteous God.

Humility and dependence are indeed the heart of Christmas. They are also the key to God’s heart.

This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – December 7, 2018.

Blessed are those who are humble as the Baby in the manger … humble to acknowledge that nothing they can do gives them access to an almighty, righteous God. Humility and dependence are indeed the heart of Christmas. #Christmas…
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The post The sermon of the Mount and the heart of Christmas {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

There are no official records of when King David wrote the most quoted Psalm in Scriptures, but the depth of its metaphorical language suggests the writings of an older, seasoned man. There is a tone of submissive, quiet confidence which suggests a heart that has been tested by many trials and proven the faithfulness of God, time and again. A young man whose life had just begun would not have written with such confidence and assurance of God’s protection in every circumstance.

David had experienced betrayal, loss, persecution, death threats, and the anguish of a guilty soul. He had indeed walked through the valley of the shadow of death and survived, rising yet stronger and wiser on the other side.

A former shepherd, David described God as the ultimate shepherd of man’s soul — a metaphor drawn out of his own experience, no question. He knew that sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd for provision, guidance and protection. He also knew that sheep are stubborn animals and, without the guidance of a shepherd, can easily go astray. Furthermore, he knew that even though sheep usually ignore their shepherd’s presence, a good shepherd never slumbers while watching his sheep.

The words of Psalm 23 danced across my mind as we drove through the Shenandoah Valley this past summer during our family’s vacation. With my camera aimed at the edge of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachian mountain range, I marveled at the lush green vegetation of the large valley, taking in the sights of one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever seen while traveling through these United States.

“It’s funny that we refer to our trials as valleys,” I said to my husband. “There is hardly a more beautiful landscape than a valley between mountains.”

Lush. Fertile. Filled with life and water. That is indeed what one finds in a valley. But they are also known for harboring wild beasts and other dangers that lurk about in their shadows and rivers.

When David wrote about his experience in the valley of the shadow of death, however, he did not convey the idea of being overcome by its darkness, dangers and loneliness. On the contrary, this beloved Psalm speaks of conquering the solitude and perils of the valley. It speaks of the fact that we are never alone through life’s dangerous and difficult circumstances. God, the shepherd, is herein portrayed as a conquering Helper, Provider and Friend.

As I looked through my car window into the beauty of the Shenandoah, I thought of the many trials I have faced, and the fact that I too can sing the song that the shepherd king penned down. Indeed, I can testify that each valley I’ve crossed, though difficult to navigate, had unparalleled beauty within. For it was as I crossed these valleys that my soul proved the faithfulness of my God. It was through each hardship that my inadequacies were exposed, my weaknesses surrendered into His almighty hands.

It is as we cross valleys that our soul can prove the faithfulness of our God. It is through each hardship that our inadequacies are exposed, weaknesses surrendered into His almighty hands.
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If you are going through a dark, scary valley today, may King David’s song echo as a reminder that you are not alone. The Shepherd is ever with you, guiding you to the edge of the mountain and step-by-step reading your muscles, so you can climb it to the mountaintop. He will carry you when you are too weak to walk, restore your soul when you are too tired to move forward.

Even though shadows may threaten to hide the beauty within, remember that the valley is fertile with seeds of personal and spiritual growth. Do not let fear overcome you, nor allow the shadows to threaten your peace, thus hiding the fact that the good Shepherd is with you. And He is enough.

Do not let fear overcome you, nor allow the shadows to threaten your peace, thus hiding the fact that the good Shepherd is with you. And He is enough.
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This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – September 29, 2018.

The post Welcome the Valley {It’s where you will grow} – The Atlanta Journal Constitution appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

While mentioning the critics of his 10-year program, he challenged them as people “who look with fear and distrust upon planning for the future,” and then proceeded to make an interesting analogy:

“These men who live in the past remind me of a toy I’m sure all of you have seen. The toy is a small wooden bird called the “Floogie Bird.” Around the Floogie Bird’s neck is a label reading: “I fly backwards. I don’t care where I’m going. I just want to see where I’ve been.”

Inevitably, curious that I am, I immediately searched for pictures of this unique toy. Strangely enough, I could not find it anywhere on the web. I wanted to see it because I found the saying odd for a child’s toy. But the illustration certainly gave me pause, particularly that day.

The first two months of 2018 have quickly gone by. Earlier this week, before coming across Truman’s speech, I felt a bit discouraged while realizing that one of the most important tasks that God put in my heart to accomplish this year is already falling behind.

At the end of 2017, I wrote my goals for the New Year, and decided to add a new strategy to keep focused on my objectives and not waste time. I wrote down my main goals, and broke them down in smaller tasks, to be accomplished within a set timeframe.

Now – I know that life happens. When you are a mom of two girls in school age and with no extended family in town to count on for help, their schedule takes precedent over yours. It just happens. Since I work from home, I have been blessed to have flexibility, and because I have committed to keep my priorities in order, failure to manage my time in the past caused ministry work objectives to fall behind. No issue there. However, because of these past failures, I found myself looking back at what has not been accomplished last year and thinking: “There we go again – Nothing will change.”

I believe everyone has some sort of paradigm that they do not wish to repeat, and yet, find themselves naturally drawn to. Nevertheless, whether it is a habit that we need to quit, or a past failure that keeps us bound, at some point in time we must realize that we are the only ones preventing our dreams from coming true by failing to commit to the needed changes.

Floggie bird flew backwards, and as a result, he did not know where he was going. President Truman called 1948 Americans to believe that the future could not be better unless certain changes were implemented.

Throughout Scriptures, God also calls us to learn from our past, turn around, and focus our eyes on him for strength to change those things that keep us anchored to past failures.
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As for me, today I choose to review my objectives, rewrite timelines and move forward, with a heart anchored not in the past, but in the blessed assurance that the one who started a good work in me is faithful to complete it.

This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday, March 2, 2018.

Look to the past to learn. But #focus on Jesus to #succeed!
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The post Recipe for Failure: Anchoring Your Heart in the Past {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Several months went by when one of the farmer’s friends stopped to visit. While observing his friend’s barnyard, he was dumbfounded when he watched the king of all birds pecking around like a chicken, refusing to fly. Since it had learned to behave like a chicken, it was no longer an eagle. “Still,” he told his friend, “certainly this bird has the heart of an eagle. Allow me to show him who God designed him to be.”

The man took the eagle to the top of the house, urging him: “You are an eagle! Stretch your wings and fly!” But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self, and thus quickly jumped down to his familiar surroundings. But the man was determined. He took the bird to a mountaintop, where he lifted the eagle high above his head and said: “You belong to the sky! Soar, my friend!”

The eagle looked up, then down again, quickly jumping to the ground. But the man would not give up. Day after day he repeated the exercise, as the eagle became less frightened by the heights. Finally, one day the man lifted the eagle straight toward the sun, and it happened that the bird began to tremble. Slowly, he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens.

I’ve been a collector of eagle stories since my early teens. Some of them are true facts about this majestic bird, and others are simply tales that use the eagle’s makeup to illustrate a point.

In my favorite passage of Scripture, the prophet Isaiah used the imagery of a soaring eagle at the end of one of the most inspiring chapters in the Old Testament, where the prophet describes the greatness and inscrutability of almighty God.

When I read this eagle story for the first time, I could not help but think of how much my environment helped determine what I believed about myself during my formative years. I was blessed to be raised by parents who instilled in me the idea that I could accomplish anything, so long as I worked hard and kept my eyes fixed on my objectives. They encouraged me to face my fears and never back up from my beliefs. I am forever grateful for that.

But as I grew up, and as it often happens, I started listening to other voices. Voices that told me I was not good enough. Voices that laughed at my dreams and mocked my principles. Voices that called me away from a fulfilling and fruitful destiny.

Without realizing, I became insecure, fearful and anxious. The fearlessness and determination which, in my youth, filled my heart with the assurance that I could do anything, was replaced by a constant feeling of inadequacy and co-dependence. Even years of therapy did not erase the mighty voices that tried to silence the eagle in me. And so, I lived like the eagle in the barnyard for many years – designed for the heavenly heights, and yet content with a lowly life. Until God found me, took me to the mountaintop and started showing who he designed me to be.

I cannot help but wonder how many eagles are reading this column today, realizing that there has to be more to life than what they experience. Realizing that they have settled for a life that is far from what God has intended, either by compromising their beliefs and integrity by hanging out in the barnyard for way too long, or by refusing to acknowledge that they need help to come out of their current circumstances.

If that is you today, why don’t you give the Friend a chance to show you the heights of his wisdom, glory, mercy, forgiveness and grace? Maybe it’s time you believe in who he says you are: an eagle, beautifully designed to soar. Would you allow him to be the wind beneath your wings?

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday, October 28, 2017.

God designed you to be a soaring eagle. But are you living as a chicken in a barnyard?
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The post Are You an Eagle Living in a Barnyard? {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

I remember having the same crippling, often irrational fears for many years: fear of dying. Fear of robbers entering my house. Fear that my parents would die. The list went on and on. As fear settles in our hearts, anxiety takes over, and many of us are robbed of a peaceful, abundant life.

The harmful effects of anxiety are well known to the medical community. In the U.S. alone, 40 million adults suffer from anxiety disorders. When our bodies are under stress, our nervous system responds with a reaction known as “fight or flight.”

In the U.S. alone, 40 million adults suffer from anxiety disorders
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There are times when this physiological reaction is a healthy defense mechanism, such as when a person feels threatened by imminent danger. This reaction tells us when to move out of an unsafe part of town, or it incites us to run when spotting a poisonous snake on the ground. We were born with this important trigger to help protect us from threats.

However, the fight or flight response was never intended to be an ongoing reaction to our problems. Indeed, chronic worry and emotional stress breed terrible health problems. Continuous fight or flight responses cause our body’s nervous system to release stress hormones such as cortisol, which can boost blood sugar levels and triglycerides. These hormones cause harmful reactions such as dizziness, increased heartbeat, fatigue, insomnia and headaches.

Needless to say, the long-term effects can be devastating, including suppression of the immune system, digestive disorders and heart disease. In other words, it’s not stress that’s making us ill. It’s our response to stress that is killing us.

I wish I could say that worry and anxiety stopped at the door of our sanctuaries.

But we all know that’s not true. If anything, many people of faith are fretting more than ever. Entire websites are dedicated to disaster preparedness and to tracking events around the globe linked to end-times prophecy. As a Christian, I have studied these prophecies and believe them. But I don’t think this is a time for panic, worrying or fear.

Rather, I’m reminded that one of the most popular commands found in the Bible is “Fear not.” It’s found in almost every one of the books of both the Old and New Testament.

Fear Not. I’ll never leave you. Fear Not. I believe these words. Through my hardest trials I’ve experienced them to be true. I know it won’t be different now.

There is no question that there are many concerning issues in our world. We cannot pretend that there is not turmoil in our country, and that certain preoccupations that occupy our minds are not valid. We cannot dig our heads in the sand and pretend that nothing bad will ever happen. We are not immune from terrible harm or unspeakable evil. We’ve seen it. We know it. We should certainly be vigilant, but we should not allow our spirits to be on constant fight or flight mode. Either we believe that God is in control … or we don’t.

I’m speaking with the authority of a recovering worrier. I’ve experienced firsthand the bitter effects of constant fear and anxiety. I don’t want to tread that ground ever again. I certainly know that problems, tragedies and disappointments are inevitable. But worry is a choice. Therefore, I deliberately choose to turn off the fight or flight mode for things that I cannot control. I choose to turn to God instead — for direction, protection and peace. I choose to surrender my concerns to God, and trust him for the outcome.

it’s not stress that’s making us ill. It’s our response to stress that is killing us.
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This article was published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – October 14, 2017.

The post Fear and Anxiety – The Evil of the Century {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.