Psalm 46 Archives - Soaring With Him Ministries

Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}

Patricia — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 14:24:33 +0000

“Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

The quote scrolled across the TV screen while the leader talked. I immediately started thinking about the truth behind those words.

It was one week before the beginning of the new school year, and I knew it was time to practice some of the changes I had committed to making during the summer.

Let me rephrase it: It was time to start implementing some of the changes I felt God was instructing me to make.

Leave it to me, and I will keep doing things the same way I’ve always done. An innate doer, my fleshly tendency is to fill my calendar with activities and commitments without pausing to pray or think before agreeing to one more move. And I know I’m not alone.

Indeed, many people confuse doing or accomplishing more with great success.

Many people confuse doing or accomplishing more with great success. @AJC #Lessismore #MondayMotivation
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We confuse love for God with more service for God’s kingdom. Or we mistake excellent education for one more extra-curricular activity for our children. And so we add our name to one more committee … or sign Junior up for one more activity in his already overwhelming schedule.

In an age where simplicity is mistaken for lack of success, the world applauds when we step up and lead the charge.

In the meantime, marriages suffer because spouses are so involved in working and serving others that they don’t have time to nurture the most important relationship in their lives. Likewise, children often feel pressured to do more than their small bodies and minds can handle, and we, their parents, often feed the trend and inadvertently whisper to their hearts that more is always better.

There could not be anything farther from the truth. In reality, I believe busyness is one of the devil’s modern tools to prevent us from truly flourishing.

Business is one of the devil’s modern tools to prevent us from truly flourishing. @AJC #Lessismore #MondayMotivation
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Because the busier we are, the less time we have to, as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 46, “be still” to know God intimately, consequently finding his perfect will for our lives.

At the beginning of that summer several years ago, I found myself tired of the mess, running around, unhealthy meals, and overwhelming loss of joy in my life. My body, mind and spirit were hurting. My soul was malnourished, and I knew it was time to renew my mind and refashion my agenda.

That’s when God started working in my heart, convincing me that it was time to review my habits and commitments, rethink and reshape my family’s schedule.

Going against everything I’ve ever known, I even blocked an afternoon to rest (now, that was a first)! Most importantly, I started telling myself that missing an event or two was OK.

“Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

The quote is not mine, but its simplicity rings as the truth behind my newfound direction and a renewed sense of peace.

It wasn’t easy, but I had to sit down and rethink my routines again and deliberately change my ways.

If you can relate, it may be time to stop accepting society’s hurried, meaningless rat race as your norm. More is not necessarily better. Instead, ask God to show you his will for your days. Take time to listen and breathe. And keep in mind that God’s will does not involve chaos, senseless stress and fear. His will is peace and order. As the apostle Paul wrote in his first epistle to the Corinthian church:

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”

Keep in mind that God’s will does not involve chaos, senseless stress and fear. His will is peace and order. @AJC #Lessismore #MondayMotivation
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Nothing will change unless WE change. May we dare to say “no” to chaos and senseless busyness, lest we look back one day, only to realize that we wasted time building empty castles and nurturing the wrong things.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, August 27. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

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When Anxiety is a Focus Issue {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}

Patricia — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 08:42:30 +0000

We have all been around overly anxious people.

Some have good reason to feel anxious. Facing unemployment or severe illness, concerns about basic needs, life and death may fill their minds and rob their peace. Others may experience extreme stress brought up by somebody else’s decisions. Likewise, many people suffer from a chemical imbalance in their brain caused by prolonged stress, chronic disease, or an immune system disorder, creating an afflux of erratic thoughts, fear, and often depression.

I will be the last person to judge someone who suffers from anxiety. Having experienced the issue before, I know the dreadful results of chronic stress if not appropriately addressed through medication and sometimes therapy.

But some people do not fit the categories above.

You follow them on social media or sit beside them at church. They may be your best friend or a close relative. They may proclaim their faith in God boldly, write beautiful, faith-filled posts and even teach Sunday school. But truth be told, those who know them intimately find them wavering between faith and fear, peace and worry, in a dance that does not translate the firm beliefs they so brazenly proclaim. Indeed, their anxiety is not a reflection of circumstances or a medical issue, but rather, it is a matter of focus.

Some people's anxiety is not a reflection of circumstances or a medical issue, but rather, it is a matter of focus. @AJC #MondayThoughts #Anxiety #faithoverfear
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We live at a focus-challenging time. Our brains are constantly bombarded with information intended to distract us and anchor our hearts on anything but God.

Let’s think about a typical morning routine: We get up, and our brains are barely awake before we pick up our phones to browse social media. We come across articles or posts that incite division, fear and confusion: Take the vaccine or lose your job. Take the vaccine, and you may die. Trust the government. Mistrust the government. And below the comments on every post, we find people’s arguments, often blurted out with obscenities.

The world has gone mad, and you took the bait. It’s not even 7 a.m., and your heart rate is accelerated.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters of the book of 1 Kings, we come across a story in the Old Testament that depicts one of Israel’s greatest prophet’s struggles with anxiety and fear.

It’s a long account, filled with twists and turns and marked with beautiful displays of God’s presence and provision to Elijah, the prophet.

In summary, after a challenge between the prophets of Baal and Elijah, the God of Israel powerfully displayed his glory, giving Elijah a supernatural victory. As a result, the prophet killed 450 prophets of Baal, thus causing rage from Jezebel, Israel’s evil, idolatrous queen. She then vowed to kill Elijah, who fled in fear into the wilderness.

As we read the account, it becomes evident that the prophet was under extreme stress and anxiety. Even though he had just experienced God’s omnipotence and sovereignty over evil, he became so distressed by fear that he even begged to die. As he continued his fleeing journey, stress and anxiety prevented him from resting or hearing from God.

Finally, after walking for 40 days and 40 nights, Elijah found himself at the foot of Horeb, the “mountain of God,” hiding in a cave. It was there that the Lord told him to stand on the mountain, for he would meet him there. Scriptures tell what happened next:

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks (…), but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”

It was that gentle whisper (or a still small voice in some translations) that quietened Elijah’s spirit and instructed him in the way he should go.

In a world filled with threats, unrest and fear, this is a story that should give us pause.

Like Elijah, we may be so focused on circumstances that we have no control over that we forget God’s promise never to leave us or forsake us. We may keep our hearts so anchored in the “earthquakes, wind and fire” around us that we ignore God’s gentle voice, nudging us in the right direction.

Like the prophet Elijah, we may keep our hearts so anchored in the 'earthquakes, wind and fire' around us that we ignore God’s gentle voice, nudging us in the right direction. @AJC #MondayThoughts #MondayMotivation
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Indeed, peace and quietness of spirit are sometimes a matter of deliberate focus. May we refuse to give in to the noise of this world and instead center on that still, small voice, whose faithfulness and power sustained us in the past and promises to continue to guide our future.

“Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Sons of Korah, Psalm 46.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, October 9th, 2021. Click HERE to see it on the AJC’s website.

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Menopause: Unwanted, Unwelcome Guest

Patricia — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 09:15:04 +0000

“I feel like I’ve been walking in circles for a long time.”

“I can’t concentrate.”

“I’m in a fog most of the time.”

“I know I came upstairs for a reason, but I can’t remember it!”

“I just want to be alone. If only they would be quiet for 5 minutes!”

If I could have a dollar for each time I either thought or said one of these things for the past couple of years, I would be rich by now.

It’s like something got a hold of my brain… and froze it.

On some days, I thought I was going crazy. On others, a typical fear that cancer survivors have would get a hold of my heart… Could the cancer be back, this time, in my brain?

Guilt, fear, confusion, sadness… on some days, these awful feelings took turns, tormenting me off and on throughout the day.

“What is going on, Lord? Have I disappointed You?”

“Is there sin in my life? Please show me, Lord!”

“In the Name of Jesus, devil – go away!”

It’s true – only by the grace of God have I been able to continue doing what He has called me to do for the past two years. Writing has been difficult, praying has been hard, and on some days… just being around the people I love was a burden.

Hormonal changes.

Sigh.

Yep. I know, I know. TMI.

If you are a man, or a girl in her 20’s or 30’s, please bear with me. There are many gals out there who need this message today.

My daddy is an amusing fellow. He’s 83 years old and has a wonderful outlook in life. He is grateful for each morning and has a positive attitude, most of the time. But if you ask him about old age, he will tell you straight up:

“I don’t know why they call it the Golden Years. There’s nothing shiny about it.”

Yep. I’m with you, daddy.

I’m still far from reaching my “golden years,” but an early menopause has given me a taste of what is to come… And I don’t like it. Not.One.Bit. Call me vain, but is there anyone who enjoys the first signs of wrinkles? Hot flashes? Brain fog?

Sorry, y’all – but this Jesus-loving, Bible-believing girl won’t lie: It “ain’t” fun.

And it’s ok to say so.

Changes in life, even those absolutely natural, were not meant to be easy. And there’s nothing wrong with admitting that we are not doing so good. It does not make us weak Christians. It makes us real people.

Truth be told, even though there are women who go through menopause without many changes or concerns, the greatest majority suffers. And without proper help, something that is a natural part of life can become a dark, deep valley.

Mountain Highs and Valley Lows

Some time ago, my husband showed me this picture:

It’s a simple, childish drawing, yet pregnant with deep meaning.

If we could draw the plan for our lives, it would certainly be a straight line: We would be born, go through school getting all A’s, get into our college of choice (with a full-ride scholarship, mind you), meet our sweetheart on the last year of college, get married (and sweetheart would be a rich and godly man), have wonderful, beautiful, healthy and uber smart kiddos, hold hands with our boo ‘til we both reach those ‘Golden Years’ (and of course – they would be shiny, menopause-free too!)… and finally die, in our sleep, smiling… just to wake up and see our Lord face to face.

Ahhh! A straight, clean and clear path!

But you and I know better.

And so does Yahweh.

God has better plans for us. And His plan has two main objectives: Make us increasingly more like Jesus… and use us to bring others to Him. And He cannot accomplish this without those valley lows and storms, as shown in the picture.

Getting older and all the good stuff that comes with it – including the dreadful menopause – they are all tools that He can use to bring us closer to Him.

The questions is… how should we respond?

First of all – thank Heavens! There is help. Right here, on earth. Help with arms, and feet… and a brain!

I am so grateful we live at a day and age when God has given men and women wisdom to develop treatments that can help us navigate life’s valleys without losing our minds!
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Let me tell you, girlfriend: God uses various means to bring healing to you. And doctors and medications are certainly one of them. If you need hormonal replacement therapy, there are many safer, more natural options out there. Talk to someone. Help your body through this valley. Your family will be grateful you did (as my husband says “Amen” in the background.)

Secondly, but certainly most importantly, remember this:

God.Sees.YOU.

He knit you together in your mother’s womb… all the days ordained for you were written in His book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:15-16), including the bad, dark days. Yes, including the days when this uninvited, unwelcome guest called menopause barges in.

The valleys and difficult natural phases we go through in this fallen world were not meant to destroy us, but rather, strengthen us. The deep waters won’t drown you. The sadness won’t overcome you. He will take you from the valley to the plains, from the storm to the mountaintop… and, in the process, oh – this glorious thought:

On the other side of each hardship, you'll become less like you, and more like Jesus.
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Today, I am here to testify, that even though I was tempted not to seek help, due to prejudice, I admit… I am so glad I did! The clouds have slowly lifted from my head, and I smile again. Best of all! I can pray, read my bible without losing my train of thoughts. I can sit and be still before my God for a long time…

Nothing is worth risking that marvelous communion. Don’t you agree?

Praise you, Father!

Thank you that the waters of confusion did not drown me. Thank you for giving me the wisdom to seek the help I needed to come out of the valley, and into Your light, once again. May these words bring hope to someone who is hurting… and light to someone who was confused as I was, not too long ago. And to You, not medications or doctors…but to YOU ALONE be the glory, forever and ever!

Amen.

PS: If you are suffering through menopause, leave a comment below and I promise to pray for you!

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Sometimes the Hardest Thing to Do Is Do Nothing At All {AJC Column}

Patricia — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 16:37:10 +0000

“To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual.” This quote from 19th-century writer Oscar Wilde was used in a psychology article that I read recently. The article explained the characteristics of manic defense. An example of manic defense is the person who spends all of his or her time rushing around from one task to the next, unable to tolerate even short periods of inactivity. The more I read about manic defense, the more I realized how these characteristics have become rampant in the western societies, as we have become increasingly addicted to endless activities, even from an early age.

Everyone portrays characteristics of manic defense at some point in time, but some people use it to such an extent that it becomes impossible for them to handle even short periods of free time. You find them reaching out to their cell phones every other minute while walking in the park. You find them volunteering to plan one more party, and adding one more activity to their already over-committed schedule. You find them filling even their vacation time with nonstop activities.

And because it’s almost impossible for them to be still, they often don’t make time to sit quietly before God and seek his will before acting.

It’s a huge paradox for those of us who wish to follow God’s plan for our lives. Because, more often than not, finding the answer to our prayers takes time and quietness before God. And he is never in a hurry to act. He is more concerned about molding and shaping our character than immediately answering our prayers.

God is never in a hurry to act. He is more concerned about molding and shaping our character than immediately answering our prayers.
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It takes courage and faith to wait. It’s much easier to settle for immediate satisfaction than to wait for the right job, the right person to marry, or for justice when someone wrongs us. But if we wish to receive God’s best, then we must commit to deny our impulse to act, and simply be still in his presence before moving forward.

I don’t like it at all. Much like many of you, I want to receive the task, plan my way to accomplish it, and get to work. It’s hard to sit still and wait for the answer. But as I look back, I realize that, were it not for the times God made me wait and do nothing, I would still be the same unwise, impatient and impulsive person I was 20 years ago. Worse yet, I would have missed out on so many blessings received after a period of quiet obedience and stillness.

Indeed, waiting has been the No. 1 tool God has used to strengthen my faith and testimony. It’s not an easy task, though. But it makes it a little easier when we realize that, while we have the option to deny every urge to act, God never stops working. In the quietness of our waiting, as we introspectively look within ourselves and deliberately choose to tame our impulsive nature and anxious hearts, we can take comfort in the certainty that he is going before us, preparing the circumstances in order to deliver his best, in his perfect time.

In my humble opinion, Wilde’s conclusion was only partially correct. Doing nothing is indeed one of the hardest thing to do, but it takes more than rationale to accomplish it. It takes faith. Faith that we are part of a bigger plan than our personal circumstances, and that there is a God, the master of it all, whose plans for us are perfect, even when the seeming hopelessness of our situations scream otherwise.

Patricia Holbrook is a Christian author and national conference speaker. Her book, “Twelve Inches: Bridging the Gap Between What You Know About God and How You Feel,” is available on Kindle, at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon and other retailers.

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