Category Archives: Life Issues

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God, I Fell into My Kitchen Sink: My Story

God, I Fell into My Kichen Sink by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti

There is a big difference between doing crazy things ourselves and Biblical prophets doing crazy things. The former is just a part of life we live as human beings. Sometimes our antics make us laugh. Sometimes we get in trouble. But, the latter is usually to convey God’s message to human beings.

My Story

I had never fallen into my kitchen sink. And, I wasn’t planning to fall in today, but it happened! All the training I have had in this life did not prepare me for this moment.

I just finished cleaning my house in preparation for a party I was having over the weekend. That was the only thing on my agenda today. The house was dusted; the floors mopped; the carpets vacuumed; the tables set up; and the cute decorative plates and cups from the Dollar Store were placed around the centerpieces in an orderly fashion. While it is a totally different situation, I felt like Jael in the Old Testament when she said, “Out of the window [I] looked and lamented,” (Judg. 5:28). My house was looking extremely good, but then I spotted pesky water marks and food splotches behind the open blinds above my kitchen sink, and I lamented!

I had no intention of cleaning my windows the professional way, with a squeegee and dry cleaning cloths. I just grabbed my window cleaner and some paper towels and I was ready to do the quickest clean-up job possible.

Being my age, I already knew that I was not capable of using my arms to help me jump up on the kitchen counter, as I had been able to do in the past.

I had already placed all my chairs around the tables that the guests were going to use and I didn’t want to disturb my décor, so I made the decision to stand at the counter with my front facing the opposite counter; I pushed my feet on the counter, and somehow scrunched myself up onto the kitchen counter. It wasn’t easy!

From there, I sat on the counter and started my window washing feat. I have a divided sink—a 70-30 split double sink. I sprayed the windows above the smaller sink and did the minimum required so no one at my party would think I am a bad housekeeper.

The dilemma came next. Should I jump down off the counter and do the same process of getting back up on the counter so I could clean the other side of the window? That seemed like a lot of work, so I decided to just squiggle my back end across the front part of the sink with my legs hanging down to get to the other side.

It worked great past the smaller sink, but as I tried to pass the larger sink, I plopped right into the second [and larger] sink. My back end knocked down my water-filled college coffee cup; pushed back the faucet; and I landed right onto a drenched soak-filled kitchen dishcloth.

As I sat in the sink with my legs dangling over the sink, I had three thoughts.

  • I wasn’t planning on falling into my kitchen sink today;
  • My granddaughter takes her baths in a kitchen sink; and
  • How hard is it going to be to get myself out of the sink?

I wasn’t alone. My friend was sitting outside on my back porch. Honestly, I didn’t want to call out for her and then have her come in and see me plopped in the kitchen sink like a real weirdo. So, I sat in the sink for a while and finally figured out how I could get out. Did I mention these sinks are the deep kind—the kind you pay more for to have them installed? I did get out of the sink by wiggling around and pushing up and down on the counter. It was not a pretty picture. Finally, I jumped and landed on the kitchen floor feet-first with my pants soaking wet. I momentarily felt my back hurt when I hit the ground.

After the ordeal was over, I stumbled outside and told my friend what happened. At first, she seemed concerned, but as I told her the story, we just could not stop laughing. She then asked me for a reenactment, so I graciously accommodated her as I followed the exact steps over again. All the while she snapped photos.

The Moral

So, what’s the moral of this story?

  1. We all do crazy things sometime. (I fell into my kitchen sink.)
  2. Bad decisions and risky behaviors usually result in consequences. (I was soaked.)
  3. Doing crazy things can be dangerous. (I could have fallen off the counter and really hurt myself.)
  4. Thank God for friends who love you even though you do crazy things. (Friends are valuable.)
  5. Vow not to do them again. (I made the decision to be more careful in the future—after my reenactment.)
  6. See the humor in your actions and laugh if you can. (I laughed about my crazy feat.)

Conveying God’s Message

We all have done crazy things, whether it was making a prank phone call as a child or a misguided judgment call as an adult. But, do we ever think of people in the Bible doing things that appear crazy to others? They did.

We can convey God’s message through our everyday living!
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  1. Ezekiel took a brick and started drawing artwork on it and playing with it (See Ezek. 4).

“Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it.”

It sounds like Ezekiel was playing with plastic construction toys that children use for play, but he was really drawing and playing as a prediction of the upcoming siege of Jerusalem.

But, it looked crazy to others.

  1. Daniel chose not to eat the king’s food (See Dan. 1-2).

“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so, he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.”

It sounds crazy to give up the delicious food offered by the king, but Daniel told the overseer to test Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and himself for ten days and give them only vegetables to eat and water to drink. They turned out to be more intelligent and healthy than the others who ate the king’s food. God’s purpose was to prove their wisdom to King Nebuchadnezzar. Later the king would call on Daniel (and his friends) to discern a dream. Being available in this way prevented them from being destroyed with the rest of the “wise” men of Babylon.

  1. Hosea named his second and third child crazy names: No Mercy, and Not-My-People (See Hosea 1).
[His wife] conceived again and bore a daughter. And the Lord said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”

“When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. And the Lord said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”

Hosea’s crazy names were not for himself, but to show God would have no more mercy on Israel and that they were not His people and He was not their God anymore.

Using Your Antics for God

The difference between our crazy things and some of the crazy things the people above did was that they did their crazy things to convey God’s message to the people.

But, how about this? Use some of your crazy things to convey a message from God. Put them in a blog; share them with your friends; become a humorous story teller; then add a twist of the Bible to your stories. That is what I tried to do here and it is just plain old fun! Use whatever God allows in your life to be for His glory.

When we allow God to take all our life and all the things that happen to us, He can use and change us. God did change me today. I learned something about danger, irresponsibility, and consequences. I was fortunate that I landed feet-first when I leaped out of the sink. But I still had a consequence—luckily, the only consequence I had was to change my soaking wet pants!

To read another “Crazy Patti” story, click here to read about how I almost sank in a drainage ditch. (Title: Consequences)

Bible Verses:

[There is] a time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance (Eccles. 3:4).

[Paul} said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. (Acts 14:10).

For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality (Col. 3:25).

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17).

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all You put into my path. Let me enjoy life. Let me laugh and have good, clean fun. Let me use all the situations You put in my life to be a means to share the joy of my salvation. I love You Lord. Thanks for the fun and crazy experiences You allow me to have. Keep me from sin and temptation and give me wisdom to make wise decisions. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Patti Greene, Member Inspirational Writers Alive

Edited by E. Johnson; Bible verses taken from the NASB.

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

Books by Patti Greene

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 90-day devotional prayer journal for all ages; This informative and how-to book on prayer is for seekers, new believers, and mature believers. It encourages a commitment and devotion to the art of prayer. Learn how God reveals himself through Bible study and prayer. ISBN: 978-1512760453 (Paperback) $11.95 on Amazon.

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback) $27.95 on Amazon.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback) $19.95 on Amazon.

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#bgbg2, Christian Living, Friendship, Life Issues, Most Recent Post

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti

[From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

Have you ever tried to share your Christian beliefs with someone, and feel you couldn’t get through to them—no matter what you say? They adamantly refuse to hear anything about God or religion. Their callousness might be foreign to you, and even scare you to the point of being fearful of ever talking to them again.

It happens all the time. We may be genuinely interested in a person’s spiritual well-being, and it breaks our heart when we are ignored, criticized, or made fun of for our beliefs just because we try to talk to them about God.

Many reasons abound as to why some people do not have an interest in hearing about God. Maybe it is because they don’t see us living out the Christian life. Maybe it is because they have encountered negative experiences within the church or with Christians. Or, maybe, it is because they have made a conscious decision to avoid all conversations about God or the Bible.

Many times, our mere words cannot express our feelings, thoughts, and beliefs as well as our actions can. If you find your talking gets you nowhere, God may be leading you to switch over to using actions instead of words to show your love to others.

God Uses Our Actions

God used Ezekiel in a “different way” to fulfill his calling in the beginning of his ministry.

In the first half of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, we see Ezekiel using actions solely (instead of words) to convey God’s message to the people. The Israelite exiles in Babylon became so desensitized and hard-hearted they would not listen to the word of God being proclaimed by the true prophets. So God commanded Ezekiel to take a different approach—an action approach.

God was so serious about using Ezekiel’s actions to communicate His words that He shut Ezekiel’s mouth for a period of seven years, allowing Ezekiel to speak only when and what he was commanded.

Instead of talking, Ezekiel was called to use what author Warren Wiersbe calls “action sermons”. The people had been warned verbally about their sinful behavior over and over to no avail. But now it was time for actions to take over. Many times, our actions can be what causes people to listen to us.

In Ezekiel 4, God commanded Ezekiel to: write on brick, put up an iron wall, prepare food, and to lay on both his left and right side to show what He wanted to get across to the exiles who had become isolated and distant from God.

Ezekiel sketched a map of Jerusalem on a brick and began playing soldier with the brick to show the House of Israel that the city of Jerusalem would be seized by the Babylonian army. He was then commanded by God to lie on the ground on his left side facing his brick for 390 days and then 40 days on his right side. Many commentaries use these mathematical calculations to show the years of Israel’s past sins and the years that Israel spent in the wilderness with Moses.

This kind of symbolism continues as Ezekiel continues acting out the horror and devastation of what was to come to Jerusalem. Later, the Lord asked Ezekiel to mix 3 different grains and 2 vegetables together to make bread. Scarcity of food was upcoming and Ezekiel was called to caution the people what was to come upon Jerusalem. The people had been warned of their heresy and separation from God with words before, but now God has chosen Ezekiel to use symbols and actions to show His disgust with their disobedience.

Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel. “As for you, lie down on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; you shall bear their iniquity for the number of days that you lie on it. For I have assigned you a number of days corresponding to the years of their iniquity, three hundred and ninety days; thus you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year. Then you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared and prophesy against it. Now behold, I will put ropes on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege. “But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days (Ezekiel 4:1-9).

Have you ever thought maybe we have talked too much—sometimes until we are blue in our collective face—trying to get God’s message into the hearts of our friends, family or acquaintances?

Maybe it is time to try “action sermons!”

Through our actions sermons, people may see something different in us that will lead to a discussion on our faith. We may even be privileged to share in the joy of their salvation.

While God uses our actions, He is also quite capable and willing to use our speech and words to convey His intended will and plans.

Let us not forget that God can use us in many ways—both verbally and through our actions.
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God Uses Our Words

But, God also uses words. Later on in the Book of Ezekiel, God opened Ezekiel’s mouth so he could be a verbal witness in declaring the future prophecies of Jerusalem.

While God may not call us to do weird and strange “action” things like he called Ezekiel to do when he prophesized the unfortunate events awaiting Jerusalem, He may call us to show God’s love to others through a kind word, a meal, a note, or a smile. So I am not saying we should never use words to minister.

Writer Will Maule says it best in his recent article titled “22 Things Christians Need to Stop Doing…Now!”

He states, “It’s just as important to represent Jesus by how we live, but someone can’t respond to the Good News without hearing it . . . and they can’t hear it if no one opens their mouths (Matt 10:27, Romans 10:14-15).” ¹

In my life, I have come to believe that unless what we say agrees with what we do, what we say is meaningless to most people.

God Uses Our Actions and Words

In an ongoing survey, people were asked if people were known by their actions or their words. The result was that 57% believe people are known by their actions and 43% believe that actions do not speak louder than words. ²

This discrepancy leans more to the belief that actions speak louder than words. The Bible is full of verses that discuss the importance of our actions. For example:

But these verses do not overpower the fact that God also uses our speech to minister, guide, encourage, and love others. Without the powerful words of Old Testament prophets, the people would not know God’s laws and His plans. Without the convicting words from the New Testament apostles, people would not know the plan of salvation and sanctification.

Be Obedient

Be open this week to His will in all you DO and SAY. Don’t be afraid to step out and do something “different” if you feel God impressing you to do so. If your motives are right, and it ends up not what God had in mind, He will fix it and make it right. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone to grow, mature, and be obedient, whether in our words or actions. Being obedient to whatever God impresses upon us to do is the key. Both words and actions are important!

Being obedient to whatever God impresses you to do is the key. Both words and actions are important!
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God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Patti Greene, Member Inspirational Writers Alive

Bible Verses:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. John 10:25

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunities You give me to share my life with others. Give me wisdom and understanding regarding the best way to approach people with Your truths. You are a God I can trust to lead me in the paths of righteousness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

¹ Maule, Will. “22 Things Christians Need to Stop Doing…Now!” Hello Christian. http://hellochristian.com. Accessed 17 Feb 2017.

² “Do actions speak louder than words?” The Premier Online Debate Website. Debate.org. N.p., 21 Feb. 2017. Web. 21 Feb. 2017 <http://www.debate.org/>.

Edited by E. Johnson; Image Permission from J. Morisho 2-18-2017. Bible Verses from NASB.

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

Books by Patti Greene

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 90-day devotional prayer journal for all ages; This informative and how-to book on prayer is for seekers, new believers, and mature believers. It encourages a commitment and devotion to the art of prayer. Learn how God reveals himself through Bible study and prayer. ISBN: 978-1512760453 (Paperback) $11.95 on Amazon.

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback) $27.95 on Amazon.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback) $19.95 on Amazon.

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Christian Living, Life Issues, Prayer, Testimonies

From a Mother’s Heart: Praying Christian Community into Existence

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From a Mother’s Heart: Praying Christian Community into Existence / by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti

[From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

Our family lives in Houston, Texas. In the fall of 2004, our son Jimmy started his first year at Babson College. It was during this time that God impressed on my heart the absolute need for believers to dwell in union and community in Jesus Christ.

In high school Jimmy applied to many colleges, but after much prayer he made the decision to attend Babson in the Boston, Massachusetts area – which is 1,848 miles away from home.

For background, we are a middle-class family. Jimmy attended a public high school and was raised in Bible-believing churches. Our church, and church friends, were always like family to us.

Jimmy stayed his first year at Babson, but the calls and emails home were increasingly breaking this mom’s heart. That first year was tough for him; for the first time, he was competing with private school kids, prep school kids, and kids much more ingrained in education than he was. The academic standards were higher than expected.

Jimmy was unhappy, stressed, and deeply regretting his college choice. He attended a high school with 3,500 students. He was class president for four years and an outstanding athlete. However, Babson was a D-3 school and there wasn’t much pride in the sports arena compared to D-1 schools. This college was strictly an upper level business school whose attendees consisted of those who considered attending other prestigious schools, e.g. Harvard, Yale, MIT. We were all astonished this was where Jimmy was being led by God to attend. It didn’t make sense to us other than Jimmy had a deep desire to attend a school in the Northeast where he would be challenged academically.

Every day I would come home from work, and I would pray long, hard, and continuously for him. It was sad because my two older children enjoyed their college life, but this post-secondary adversity was a new experience for both my husband, Jimmy, and myself.

I prayed more than I had ever prayed for anything in my life. I prayed for him to find a church family. I prayed for Christian friends. I prayed for him to find a Bible-believing church. I prayed for him to be strong in his faith. I prayed for him to become closer to the Lord. I prayed he would read his Bible. The list could go on and on.

This mom’s heart was breaking. Tears flowed almost daily.

I had been made aware of “prayer-walking” although I had never done it in a church situation before. GotQuestions.org, an online source for answering Biblical questions, defines prayer-walking as “the practice of praying on location, a type of intercessory prayer that involves walking to or near a particular place while praying.” ¹ While unable to be on the Massachusetts campus myself, I decided to prayer walk in my own creative way.

I sat down in the chair in which I normally pray in with a map of the college campus. I “walked” around the campus in my mind, praying for what happened in each dorm. I prayed for Jimmy to meet nice people in the cafeteria and prayed for his classes. Thus, within time, I had prayed for every building on campus, including the chapel, which was mostly used for lectures, not religious events.

I seemed to dwell and pray more in and around the chapel. Of course, in my mind, the chapel represented God, Jesus, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit.

I continued to pray fervently and long. I prayed for any Christian church to reach out in ministry. I prayed for Christian influences to show up. I prayed for spiritual strength. I prayed for the Lord to speak to others to help. I prayed for the community people. I prayed because I love my son and I wanted him to be happy and to keep his Christian faith strong during college.

Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as CRU for Crusade) had occasional meetings on the campus. While CRU was helping to fulfill the Great Commission by winning people to faith in Jesus Christ and building them in their faith, more was needed, e.g. fellowship, Bible study, opportunities to serve.

I was reading the Bible constantly looking for verses to help him and to guide myself in what to tell him.

I was touched by Bible Verses such as:

My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! (Psalm 119:28).

Redeem [him] from the oppression of men, that [he] may obey your precepts. (Psalm 119:134)

And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. (Nehemiah 4:9)

Most importantly, I prayed for students to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior. I claimed verses for these college students to have the ability to stay strong in their beliefs and to avoid evil and temptations.

Our son tried to transfer after his first year to the University of Texas where he was initially accepted, but they wanted him to do summer school first. The timing didn’t work out, and it became obvious that God had other plans. He was going back to Babson.

Long story short: in the fall of 2005, I received a phone call. Jimmy said he went to church. When I asked him where, he said, a church started on the college campus IN THE CHAPEL. When he told me it was a Christian church that believed in the Bible, I was absolutely thrilled!

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think that a church (a CHRISTIAN church, no less) would be right on the college campus where students could just roll out of bed and be ministered to by the Lord and the community.

The vision of this church is to be a local supportive community of authentic followers of Christ who experience transformation by the grace of Jesus Christ and bring God’s love to the world. It was through their ministry that Jimmy’s attitude changed regarding being at Babson. He met fellow students who were believers – one to this day who is his best friend. He found solace and comfort in meeting Christians from the community. Being invited to meals, dinners, and functions by the members of this church boosted his faith and that of those who attended with him. He played his guitar during the church services.

Finally, after a year of zealous praying, my son and others had a spiritual community of believers that cared for them, guided them, fed them, and loved them for the next three years.

I asked Jimmy (who has been out of that scenario for 6 1/2 years) what his involvement with the church meant to him and his buddies. He said, in his business tone, “It was an excellent way for the campus students to mature in their spiritual life; to see how ‘older’ Christians lived their lives; and to see how Christian employers and businessmen act and conduct business.”

Then, the goose bumps came when I heard what God had been doing behind the scenes the entire first year I was praying. One of the founding members of the church shared with me about how their home-church contacted the chaplain at Babson to ask about the availability of their church meeting in the chapel for services. Much to their amazement, they were told that the only time the chapel was available was on Sunday morning.

What a blessing to see how the Holy Spirit was working things all together as only He can do. Only God can take the prayers of one mom in Texas and one congregation in Massachusetts to work things together for good. There was no doubt in my mind that God started the ministry on the Babson campus and there was no doubt why. He always knows the big picture and puts it all together for His glory.

College is hard enough. Having an outlet for fellowship, love, and good Bible-teaching is a true blessing and outreach. You may not ever know how much it means to these kids, but believe me, it does. I continue to see the spiritual fruits of this Christian community in Jimmy’s life. God knew his unmet spiritual needs and He chose to meet it through this church.

The fall after my son graduated from Babson, the church relocated from the college chapel to a different facility. While I was happy for the church when they moved to a new location, a part of my heart was saddened by the lack of spiritual needs that might go unmet with those college students. But, fortunately, their new location was close to the college campus!

All I can say to this wonderful church is “thank you from the bottom of my heart for being receptive to the Holy Spirit and heeding His call.” While I was praying for a local church, God was creating a “ROLL OUT OF BED CHURCH” for all those Babson students who attended. God answered above all expectations. He even knew that my son would thrive best when church was within a five-minute wake-up time to sitting in a pew.

Praying ‘community’ into existence is powerful. Not only was I impressed by the need for believers to dwell in union and in community in Jesus Christ, I experienced firsthand how prayer can spur Christian community into existence.

Bible Verses:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6).

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Prayer:

Dear Father, Thank you for being with me during the difficult and painful times of my life. With your love and power, you can change circumstances and situations. You are an awesome God. May I always trust you to know best. Help me to always realize that through our tough times we grow more in faith and love towards you. Thanks you again. I love you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Patti Greene, Member Inspirational Writers Alive

Testimony given with permission from Jimmy.

Houdmann, S. Michael. Got Questions. GotQuestions.org. Accessed 27 Oct 2016.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]

Edited by E. Johnson

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store. You may order an autographed copy by clicking on SHOP on this site.

Just in time for Christmas! Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer has just been released by WestBow Press. I am so excited about this new book. If you or anyone you know is interested in developing a life of prayer, this 90-day prayer journal is perfect.

Answer Me includes:

  • An Undated Dateline
  • Topic on Prayer
  • Scripture Verse
  • Suggested Reading
  • Daily Thought
  • Prayer Request Section
  • Personal Reflection Section
  • Prayer

To Order from Amazon:

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 90-day devotional prayer journal for all ages; This informative and how-to book on prayer is for seekers, new believers, and mature believers. It encourages a commitment and devotion to the art of prayer. Learn how God reveals himself through Bible study and prayer. ISBN: 978-1512760453 (Paperback) $11.95 on Amazon.

Other Books by Patti Greene:

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback) $27.95 on Amazon.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback) $19.95 on Amazon.

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

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Bible Study, How to Guides, Life Issues, Most Recent Post, The Bible

How To Recharge Your Bible Reading Habits: Catalogs and Bible

How To Recharge Your Bible Reading Habits: Catalogs and Bible / by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti

Do you read your Bible like you read catalogs?

I’m an expert on catalogs—at least I feel like I am. Catalogs swamp my snail mail. A fleeting look at the front cover and I know immediately whether a catalog ends up in the trash, in my bathroom, or on my coffee table. Many times, particular catalogs deserve my immediate attention!

In my email, I receive so many advertisements that I know whether to delete them, file them, or order from them immediately. I know which ones run out of items quickly, which ones have the best sale section, and which ones are not worth ordering from because their shipping is horrendous.

It has to be a very trendy catalog or an impressive advertisement to warrant my attention nowadays.

Do you read your Bible like you read catalogs?
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Some of the marketing headlines that enticed me with last week’s group of catalogs and advertisements were:

Elegant accents to add to your bathroom!

Wrap Yourself in the Beauty of Authentic Irish Knits!

Look for the Jumbo Almond Butter Crunch Buttery Toffee That’s Twice as Thick, Ten Times as Tasty!

Have a CHUCKLE—Then Try to Keep a Straight Face!

Safari and African home decor will unleash your wild streak!

True Classics that Never Go Out of Style!

September Classy Shopping Spree

Guaranteed Forever!

All these appeal to my sense of want, comfort, and style. If I like the color, the layout, the design, and the uniqueness of special catalogs, I look forward to those special catalogs coming! When I open those kinds of magazines or emails, I anticipate feelings of joy and comfort from perusing the pages, whether I eventually purchase from that catalog or not.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we read the Bible with the same anticipation as our favorite catalog? What if we couldn’t wait to sit down and pore over God’s Word. What if we were anticipating God’s love, comfort, and support? What if we knew we would find the perfect gifts and direction in the Word of God?

The Bible is not a dull book. It is a book filled with God’s love, guidance, and purpose for our life. His Word also lays out how He wants to involve each of us in the lives of others.

How To Recharge Your Bible Reading Habits

  1. Make opening His Word a habit. “But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.” Psalm 88:13
  2. Find a quiet place [away from distractions] to read and meditate upon His Holy Word. “I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:12
  3. Open the Word with anticipation that God has something to tell you today. “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.'” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
  4. Look at the subheadings within the various books of the Bible. “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15
  5. Ask Him to enlighten you by the power of the Holy Spirit. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13-15
  6. Ask Him to show you any shortcomings for which you may need help or forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
  7. Make a decision to read God’s Word and pray for specific things. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15
  8. Have a journal or notebook to write down what impressions you receive as you delve into the Word. They may be certain verses or prayer requests that come to mind. “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
  9. Close the Bible with anticipation on how it will affect you today. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

When I receive my Touch of Class catalog, I want to get away by myself, browse the catalog, dog-ear the pages, circle what I need (or like), and/or possibly buy.

My prayer is that we may all open the Bible with even more excitement and awe as we do our favorite catalog. The entire Bible was written for us. I heard someone say that if God gave us the entire Bible, let’s read the entire Bible. There is something we can learn from every word, every sentence, every chapter, and every book of the Bible.

Just as we may browse our favorite catalog looking for those snappy gadgets or voguish apparel, let’s peruse the Holy Bible looking for God’s truth, wisdom, and spirit.

Bible Verses:

See above.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father. My heart’s desire is to read Your Holy Word with all the enthusiasm I can muster. I am busy. I get tired. And, sometimes I just don’t want to pick up my Bible or pray. Lord, I need the desire to spend time with You more than anything else. Please take away all distractions. Communicating with You and listening to You and Your words need to become the major priority of my life. But, I need Your help. Thank you for listening to my honest cry for help. I love you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-2000x655

Headlines from Ballard Designs, Current, Grandinroad, Touch of Class, and The Vermont Country Store.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store. You may order an autographed copy by clicking on SHOP on this site.

devotional prayer journals
Devotional Prayer Journals by Patti Greene

Awaken Me – 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback)

Anchor Me – 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback)

Answer Me – Coming Soon: 90-day devotional prayer journal; All about prayer! Perfect for everyone who wants to deepen their prayer life.

To Order:

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

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Bible Study, Death, Life Issues, People in the Bible

Suicide: 7 Reasons People Committed Suicide in the Bible

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Suicide: 7 Reasons People Committed Suicide in the Bible / by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti [From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

I  once went to the viewing of a young adult who committed suicide. When greeting the parents, I experienced something I will never forget—the big, long hug from a desperate mom—the deep cry of a distraught wife—and the complete agony of a father.

It is the father’s furrowed face I want to keep etched in my mind—for no other reason, but to recall how awful suicide affects those involved. As I looked into the face of the father, his eyes penetrated mine. I’ve never seen such despondency, hopelessness, and despair before in my entire life. Although his eyes were empty, his countenance was reaching out for me to tell him the reason he was sitting in that funeral home pew was a bad dream and that what had just happened really didn’t happen. But, I couldn’t and neither could anyone else.

Suicide affects the family, friends, and acquaintances. It even affects those who have no connection to the suicide through reading about it or hearing about it. It is a tragedy that brings sadness to so many. The “why” question dwells in the minds of all. Thoughts swirl in the mind of those who knew the victim.

“I wish I would have kept in closer contact.”

“What could I have done to prevent this senseless act?”

“Why didn’t I see it coming?”

“Why, why, why?”

In questioning this tragedy, I decided to research suicides in the Bible. I found seven people who committed suicide. This list may not be exhaustive, but it gives a glimpse into the workings of the human mind and maybe, just maybe, it will help others.

7 Reasons People Committed Suicide in the Bible

  1. Regret

    Judas Iscariot hanged himself.

Judas was one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. He was the treasurer for the disciples. He was responsible for their funds and distributing them as needed. He betrayed Jesus by leading Jewish officials to him in order to receive 30 silver coins. Once he discovered that the Jews were going to kill Jesus, he brought the money back to the Jewish officials and threw it on the temple floor. Many say Judas’ motivation was greed. No matter what his true motivation was, it was obvious he regretted his action. Not knowing how to handle that regret and remorse resulted in him hanging himself.

And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:5

Examples of Present Day Regret: Not having enough confidence in oneself; regret in chosen occupation; breakups; loved one passes away.

  1. Humiliation

    Abimelech, Son of Gideon ordered his armor-bearer to kill him.

Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. Some say that he should not be counted as a king because he was not anointed by God. During his reign, he destroyed the city of Shechem. After that he attacked the city of Thebez. During that seige, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, wounding him. He was embarrassed that he would be known as being killed by a woman, so he asked his armor-bearer to kill him. And, the armor-bearer did.

Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. Judges 9:54

Examples of Present Day Humiliation: Embarrassed by friends or family members; depression; lack of self-confidence; embarrassed by abuse; bullying; mental illness; feeling of hopelessness; shame.

  1. Bullying

    Samson caused a disaster and killed himself along with others.

Samson was a Judge of the tribe of Dan. He was chosen by Jewish leaders before Israel chose to have Kings. Due to being a Nazarite, his life was dedicated to God. He was known for his Herculean strength. He is most famous for his Philistine wife Delilah who continually betrayed and humiliated him. She eventually shaved Samson’s hair off and the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. He was put in prison. He was called out of prison to be made fun of again. He was tied to pillars and he pulled down the entire temple. The temple collapsed destroying both his life and the lives of many others.

And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. Judges 16:30

Examples of Present Day Bullying: Friends making fun of each other; being laughed at; being bullied for one’s weaknesses (appearances, intelligence); being made fun of behind one’s back; being nagged.

  1. Fear

    King Saul fell on his own sword.

King Saul was Israel’s first king. He tried to overtake the city of Bethsham. He wanted complete control over the trade routes. But, the armies of the Philistines fought against the men of Saul. They killed Saul’s three sons: Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. Saul was wounded in the battle. He asked his armor-bearer to slay him, but he wouldn’t, so he fell on his sword.

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.  And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 1 Samuel 31:1-4

Examples of Present Day Fear: Desire to be free of pain; terminal illnesses; fear of being mocked, fear of possible abuse, actual verbal abuse; actual physical abuse; sexual ridicule; mocked for being poor, handicapped, judged; fear of mistreatment.

  1. Witnessing Violence or Death

    Saul’s armor-bearer fell on his own sword.

The purpose of an armor bearer in the Bible was to be by their king’s side during dangerous times. Armor bearers were chosen by kings because they were supposed to be known as very brave people. Possibly, Saul’s armor bearer could not deal with the guilt of disobeying King Saul’s command to kill him or maybe he couldn’t accept that he just witnessed the violent death of someone else – King Saul.

And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 1 Samuel 31:5

Examples of Present Day Witnessing Violence or Death: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; witnessing abuse (domestic or otherwise); being traumatized by witnessing natural disasters; being traumatized by witnessing another suicide; guilt they could have made a difference in someone’s decision to take their own life; terrorism.

  1. Powerlessness

    Ahithopel planned his suicide, put his house in order, and hanged himself.

Ahithopel was King David’s counselor. But, at one point, he deserted King David and went to serve King David’s son Absolom. Hushai was known to be Absalom’s friend and trusted counselor.  Absalom valued Hushai’s counseling skills more than Ahithophel’s skills. That disturbed Ahithophel, so he went home to Giloh, put his house in order, then hanged himself.

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. 2 Samuel 17:23

Examples of Present Day Powerlessness: Being insulted; not being viewed as worthy or important;  jealous of other people (co-workers, family members, peers); elder abuse; being talked about behind your back; inability to break a drug habit; not being respected.

  1. Distress

    Zimri killed himself and others by fire.

Zimri was a chariot commander. He murdered King Elah and all his family in Tirzah. He succeeded King Elah as king, but only for seven days. The army elected Omri as king instead of him. He wanted power and was distressed that the army was going to besiege Tirzah. He was unable to cope regarding the besiege of Tirzah and the loss of position so he set the palace on fire killing himself along with many others.

And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire and died. 1 Kings 16:18

Examples of Present Day Distress: Loss of job; unemployment; grades; death of a family member or someone close; divorce; injury; being abused; being neglected; trouble with the law; alcoholism; not getting into the college of choice; pressure to be someone you aren’t; moral distress; comparing your situation to others.

To all who are reading this article, remember that all problems can be fixed. The only problem that can’t be fixed is suicide.

Every problem we face or that we see others facing can be fixed. The only problem that can’t be fixed is suicide.
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If you recognize any of these examples in your life or in the faces of those you come in contact with, please get help. Don’t wait. It may be too late, and we don’t want that. And, if for some reason, you do encounter a suicide and are having a hard time dealing with it (which happens to a lot of people), please get some counseling. Talk to a friend, spouse, parent, mentor, minister, or professional counselor. Let’s try as much as we can to help others so we don’t have to experience the despondency, hopelessness, and despair in the faces of those left behind.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-2000x655

Bible Verses: Above

Prayer: O LORD, suicide is tough. It’s so final. Lord, help me to always realize that there are always ways out of my problems and impress upon me that your Holy Spirit and love can be my source of hope. Let me never be on the receiving end of a loved one’s suicide, but if I am give me your strength to deal with the situation. I pray for those in the midst of this suffering. I lift their heart and soul to you. Give them your comfort and love as no one or anything can. Keep my soul healthy in you. Let me call out for help when I need it and let me recognize those who need my help before it is too late. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Losch, Richard. All the People in the Bible: An A-Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, and Other Characters in Scripture. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2008.

Miller, Stephen. Who’s Who & Where’s Where in the Bible. Uhrichsville: Barbour, 2012.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store. You may order an autographed copy by clicking on SHOP on this site.

devotional prayer journals
Devotional Prayer Journals by Patti Greene

Awaken Me – 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback)

Anchor Me – 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback)

Answer Me – Coming Soon: 90-day devotional prayer journal; All about prayer! Perfect for everyone who wants to deepen their prayer life.

To order Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

To order Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

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Christian Living, Death, Life Issues, Testimonies

Coping with Grief and Loss: Minnie’s Story

Coping with Grief and Loss: Minnie’s Testimony/ by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti [From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

Grief and loss usually go hand-in-hand. Minnie recently agreed to an interview about how her grief and loss has made her a better person. Her brother, husband, and two sons died. But, God was her support before, during, and after her losses.

This interview took place on August 2, 2016 on the Carnival Liberty cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. I met Minnie for the first time on the ship. During a breakfast together, I knew her story had to be told.

Life in a Nutshell

Minnie, I really appreciate the opportunity to ask you some very tough and candid questions about your life. In this interview, my goal is to pull out some insights so others may benefit from your life experiences regarding healing, death, grief, sorrow, and the ability to move on. Please tell me a short summary of your life.

I married at a young age in 1962. After having three boys, Jimbo, Kurt, and Paul, I became a single mother through divorce. My first husband and I were unequally yoked in the things of God, so I knew that if I ever remarried, I would only marry a strong believer. I wanted to seek God again, but I didn’t know how to. After some time being a single mom and growing in the Lord, I married my second husband Morgan. We became parents to two lovely daughters: Melody and Robin. My brother died  the age of 40 in 1986. My son Kurt passed away at the age of 24 from a tragic motorcycle accident in 1990. My husband Morgan passed away in 2013. My son Jimbo passed away at the age of 51 from alcoholism in 2014. I became a believer at 10-years old and was baptized at Nederland Hillcrest Baptist Church. I have always had a heart for God even though I haven’t always walked close to Him. As a child, I used to put a map on my bed and I prayed for the nations. I am 72-years old now.

Healing and Death

In 1986, you prayed for your brother’s healing. In 1991, you prayed for your husband’s healing. Your brother was not healed, but your husband was healed. Any insights?

In 1986 when my brother was gravely ill, Morgan and I prayed so much for his healing. In the hospital, I was paralyzed with fear. I was so scared and afraid. Now, I know that it was [spiritual] warfare – a fight of faith. God was trying to teach me to walk by faith. I was disappointed because I was learning my new walk with God and I didn’t know why my prayers of faith did not work for my brother. And he died.

Then in 1991, my husband was diagnosed with mesothelioma which is a rare form of cancer directly related to asbestos exposure. Mayo Clinic says, “Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly form of cancer. Mesothelioma treatments are available, but for many people with mesothelioma, a cure is not possible.” At the time, I knew I served a powerful God and that He could do anything. One day as I laid beside my husband during his illness, I thought I was smothering to death. But, I went into another room and fell to my knees knowing that God wanted to talk to me, I asked, “Are you going to require my husband’s life to do this?” God responded, “No, I am going to make you a woman of faith over this.” This is when my faith journey began. Many people prayed for my husband during this illness. And, Morgan was completely healed. He lived 22 years after his diagnosis. His medical case is documented at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas. The doctor said that he only knew of two other survivors of mesothelioma and they were not in the United States.

But, with every loss, I have had, I have become stronger and stronger.

Tell me about the deaths your sons Jimbo and Kurt.

Jimbo passed away from alcoholism in 2014. I took care of him the last year of his life and watched his condition weaken until he passed. In 1990, Kurt died in a motorcycle accident when he was 24-years old. He was also struggling with alcoholism at the time.

When your husband and son Jimbo died, you had time to prepare for their deaths, but when your son Kurt died unexpectedly in the motorcycle accident, was it a different experience?

Very much so. But, I didn’t have any regrets. I had many sweet talks with Kurt before he passed away. He shared an experience he had with God. He said he was in the front yard and a plant had a hot flame flaring up from the gas. God told him, “Kurt, if you don’t change your ways, this is what is waiting for you.” He had another experience seeing the stars, the moon, and the clear skies. The Lord said, “This is what is waiting for you if you come back to me.” Then, one night, Kurt called late at night and he cried and we spent time talking together. So I didn’t have any regrets.

You had mentioned to me that your sons and husband were prepared for life after death. What do you mean?

They all had a personal relationship with Jesus. They knew Him and I know they are in Heaven.

In Jonah 4:6, Jonah mentions, “It is better for me to die than to live.” Did you ever feel that way?

Not like Jonah did. I was not in defeat or despair, because God gave me glimpses of the other side [Heaven]. I realized that it is better to be in the presence of God. I never wanted to die due to my losses.

Grief and Sorrow

Out of all of your life experiences, what was the hardest situation you have ever faced?

It was when Jimbo was 16-years old and Kurt was 14-years old. They both wanted to go and live with their father. It was the first real heartbreak of my life. They were striped from my arms. They both wanted to go where they could drink and have no restrictions. Jimbo was only gone a year because he could not live the Christian life at Daddy’s house. But, Kurt never did come home.

Any other heart-breaking experiences?

What broke my heart more than death was seeing the struggles my sons went through with their alcohol addiction. Jimbo would go off for months at a time and my mind thought the worst. But, I know where they are and God has confirmed that to me.

How has grief and loss affected you?

It has made me a better person. It has helped me to know how real God is. He is true to His word. He has made me stronger. There is nothing He will not sustain me in.

Did you ever ask God, “Why me?”

No. Never.

It appears your sorrows were greatly multiplied more than others. Why do you think that happened to you?

I feel like He’s been preparing and using me to help others during their dark times. I encourage others and help them see that what they are going through is not the end. God does not view death the way we do. He wants us to see death through His eyes. I don’t view death as the end.

Prayer During Tough Times

What was your prayer life like during these times?

After each loss, I experienced grief differently. I gained more insight into prayer and how God works with each loss.

I experienced times of fear when Kurt was in a coma before his passing. I could not pray. Words would not come. I just said the name of “Jesus” over and over.

When I was in the hospital with Kurt in 1990, his nurse whispered in my ear and told me to keep praying. She said, “When you aren’t here with him, I am praying for him.” After Kurt passed away, I could not cry. My mom brought me into the hospital bathroom and said, “It’s okay to cry.” But, I couldn’t.

At the time, I was caring for everyone and I felt God was carrying me in his arms. I found my release after the funeral and I grieved properly.

Moving On

What does the phrase “time is short” mean to you?

It means we are allotted so much time. We must make the most of every day. We should see God’s work in all we do. His handiwork is everywhere. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

In 1991, you were impressed that God wanted you to be a “Woman of Faith.” Can you explain that?

When I pray for people, I feel the power of God. I love to read the gospels and life of Jesus. Jesus says in His word that He has given us power and authority on earth to preach the gospel. I’m not a preacher, but we can teach in our everyday lives. We can see people recover when we lay hands on the sick by the power of Jesus has given us. If a child of God does not know about this power and authority, they may live far beneath what God’s purpose is for them.

As you look forward, do you have any goals?

Yes, I want to go to Africa. I just want to touch as many lives as possible. I want to them to be saved, healed, and delivered.

Advice to Others

If you could share one tidbit of wisdom to young women, what would it be?

I would tell young women to let God be the center of their lives. The cry of my heart is that they must pass His name on to the next generation. The greatest gift for children is to pass on a godly heritage. They must guide their children by example. If passing on God stops with us, we will have a lost generation. Another thing I see is people speaking death over their children by talking negatively about them. We must speak life and good things over our children.

The greatest gift for children is to pass on a godly heritage.
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After all the grief and loss you have been through, do you have a favorite Scripture passage?

Yes, it is Psalm 91. I would encourage those reading this psalm to substitute their own name in this chapter to make it more personal and meaningful to them.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place,
the Most High, who is my refuge,
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Any last thoughts?

I just want people to know Jesus like I know Him. I don’t want people to live for themselves. I want my life to count for Him. I don’t want to waste my life. I see so many people throwing their lives away and living for the NOW. There is so much more and we need to go deeper with God.

Minnie, thank you so much for sharing the love of Jesus with the readers of Greene Pastures. Through teary eyes you shared your heart and soul.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Bible Verses:

May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29:11)

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8)

For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. (2 Corinthians 7:11)

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we don’t know why tragedy and loss come upon some and not others. But, we know that when and if it does come upon us that you are there to see us through. You always know the big picture for our lives. As we seek to understand your will and ways, let us never lose heart that your desire for us is always for our best. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

¹ http://mesotheliomaclaimscenter.info/what-is-mesothelioma

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store.

devotional prayer journals
Devotional Prayer Journals by Patti Greene

Awaken Me – 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback)

Anchor Me – 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback)

Answer Me – Coming Soon: 90-day devotional prayer journal; All about prayer! Perfect for everyone who wants to deepen their prayer life.

To order Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

To order Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

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Readers: If you have lived through grief and loss, Greene Pastures would love to hear your story in the comment section. Your words may be just what others might need to hear. Scroll down to the Comment Section.

Faith, Life Issues, Salvation, The Bible

Do You Fear Death?

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Do You Fear Death? [From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

Why do so many people fear death? If you are one of them, you are not alone. Even the most sincere Bible-believing Christian fears death at some point. We might be fearful about diseases, aging, caretaking concerns, pain, disabilities, our earthly possessions, separation from our loved ones, and more. No matter whom we are, we can are assured of one thing — we will all die. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.” Do you fear death?

Last week I visited an upscale retirement community seminar with my mother. As I sat there listening to the presentation, the thought that came to my mind was, “How often do we plan for our retirement and our eldercare years, but give little or no thought to our eternity?” On a material note, our concerns include our IRA’s, our taxes, our stocks, and our possessions. We make wills and wonder how can we pass our money and possessions on to our heirs? If we are financially able, we may decide to live in a senior care community. In planning that stage of aging, we might be concerned if the facility has social activities, housekeeping, meals, pools, beauty shops, clubhouses, medical care, security, or step-up care when we might need nursing or full-time care.

In Japan, there is a new trend where people prepare for their death before it actually occurs. They have their funeral portraits made; they decide on a coffin and are fit for their burial outfit. There is even a funeral business fair called SKUKATSU FESTA to help with the entire process before you die.¹

It is important to make earthly decisions. However, planning for our eternal life is equally important. [Actually, it is 100% MORE important!] When we die, we cannot take our money or possessions with us. Things of the world will give us happiness on earth, but they cannot buy our eternal life. The Bible say, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-22. Our spirits will not die. Ecclesiastes 8:8 says, “No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death.”  Our spirits are forever, so we should show an interest in where our spirits will go after we die. We will go either to heaven or to hell. That is a hard concept to understand. It can only be understood in the light of the word of God – The Bible.

How often do we plan for our retirement and our eldercare years, but give little or no thought to our eternity?
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What Shall I Do To Inherit Eternal Life?

When the fear of the afterlife hits us, let us seize the opportunity to learn what the Bible tells us about death. Jesus wants to help us alleviate those fears. He died on the cross for our sins. We must confess our sins and go to Him in faith. Christ’s answer to the man who came running to him uttering, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” comes in John 6:47 (NKJV) when He says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. When we have confessed our sins and trusted Jesus Christ, assurance of an eternal life in heaven is granted. In addition, the best part of heaven will be the presence of the Lord. We will see him face to face and enjoy all the blessings of heaven.

There is a website that helps people prepare for the afterlife. They help people rent or buy a tomb, schedule mummifications, guide people in a purchase of mummy care. People can purchase statuettes and canopic jars (containers for storing vital organs). This organization will allow you to pick out a basket of food and wine to be placed in your tomb for eternity. They will even hire mourners who will weep and cry as your mummy is brought to the tomb.²

Believe me, that is NOT how to prepare for eternity. We will always be distracted from eternity. That is how Satan wants it. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, our hearts and minds can be drawn to our Lord and Savior. Moreover, through confession, faith, and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, our eternity can be secure.

Today, why not make a decision regarding your eternal life? In addition, if you have already made that decision to follow Christ, I challenge you to share this post with someone else – maybe a relative, someone who you have been praying for, or just a random post.

One day, my mother and I were driving in South Houston. There were three vehicles in a row. There was a city truck, a car, and then my car — all in a row all and all in the same lane. Within seconds, the middle car crashed into the city truck which stopped abruptly. Hanging on to the back of the truck was a government employee ready to jump off the truck to pick up tree clippings. Unfortunately, when the truck stopped, the middle vehicle kept going. The city employee’s body flew over a lane and his body ended up face down on a hard cement sidewalk. It was an awful site to witness. I wish I had never seen it. He died instantly.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, no matter whom we are, we can are assured of one thing — we will all die. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.”

We never know when our last moment on this earth will be. Decide for Christ now.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Bible Verses:

And being made perfect, he [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Hebrews 5:9

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:2

Prayer: O Heavenly Father, with fear and trembling, I come to you. Fearing death is not fun. I admit I am too concerned with things of this world. Grant me the grace to approach eternity knowing that I will meet you in Heaven someday. Give me the courage to accept your free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. I confess my sins and mistakes and I desire you to come to me. Let me hold your hand Jesus as I move forward every day just a little bit closer to you and eternity. Amen.

¹ Moodley, Kiran. Japanese Prepare for the Afterlife by Testing Out Coffins.26 Nov. 2014. Web. 7 July 2016.

² Book Your Afterlife Now. Museum of Science, Boston. Web. 7 July 2016 Eternitytravel.com.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store.

devotional prayer journals
Devotional Prayer Journals by Patti Greene

Awaken Me – 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers.

Anchor Me – 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide.

Answer Me – Coming Soon: 90-day devotional prayer journal; All about prayer! Perfect for everyone who wants to deepen their prayer life.

To order Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

To order Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

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Bible Study, Life Issues, Politics and Current Events, The Bible

Qualities of a Bad Leader from Proverbs: Part II

Qualities of a Bad Leader from Proverbs: Part II

[From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

Bad leaders come in many varieties. There are bad military leaders, bad dictators, bad bosses, bad presidents, bad labor leaders, bad church leaders, bad business leaders, bad parents, and more. The Book of Proverbs mentions good (wise) leaders and bad (evil) leaders all throughout the Old and New Testament. If you missed my last blog on the Qualities of a Good Leader from Proverbs, you might want to check out the following blog link.

https://greenepastures.org/2016/06/qualities-good-leader-proverbs.

When my youngest son was in 5th grade, he joined the YMCA’s basketball class. It was his very first encounter with team basketball. He was a novice while some of the other boys were very experienced in the game. I will never forget one Saturday morning game. The two teams were running up and down the court acting as if they were big shot basketball players playing like their win would get them into the Basketball Hall of Fame. [I might mention that my son was skipping up and down the court.] Actually, it was somewhat cute to me. Long story short is that my son just happened to get his hands on the ball during the last few seconds of the game and he dunked it good! His surprise dunk won the game for his team. He was the hero. He got the applause, the high-fives, and the pats on the back.

Then, the fireworks began. There was a more experienced and aggressive fifth grader on the team whose father felt his son should have made the winning dunk. Out in the lobby of the YMCA, this father could be heard hollering and seen hitting his son for not getting the ball away from my son and making the winning points himself. I will never forget the look on that little boy’s face as he was belittled, hit, and humiliated by his own father. The next thing we saw was his father being pushed in the back of a police car in the YMCA parking lot. Someone must have called and reported him. Now, this is a real-life example of a poor leader. Not only did he belittle and embarrass his son, he exhibited jealousy, violence, and arrogance.

Some commentaries call the Old Testament King Ahab one of the most wicked kings Israel ever had. Even God said that King Ahab did more evil than any other king before him. King Ahab was the king of Israel around 869 to 850 BC. While he was an able warrior, he was completely disloyal to God and embraced his wife Jezebel’s paganism. The LORD gave Ahab a chance to redeem himself through the Prophet Elijah, but he refused. His legacy is intermingled with his wicked wife Jezebel, but even his father King Omri taught him to be wicked and as such he is remembered as an evil and corrupt king. In Richard R. Losch’s book All the People in the Bible, Losch describes Ahab as being “one of [Scriptures] more notorious scoundrels.” ¹

Join the Greene Pastures Community to be sure you don’t miss meaningful posts on issues, such as Life, Bible, Christian Living, Friendship, God’s Will, and More! Go to www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe.
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Some of the traits Success Magazine mentions about a bad leader in 15 Traits of a Terrible Leader are:

  • Lack of transparency
  • Dismissing ideas others than your own
  • Ego
  • Lack of empathy
  • Poor communication
  • Closed-mindedness
  • Inconsistency, and more. ²

In Biblical history, Herodias, Jehoram of Judah, Abimeleck, Herod, and Judas Iscariot were leaders in the Bible known as bad leaders. In Worst Presidents: Warren Harding (1921-1923) by Jay Tolson, President Warren Harding was mentioned as being one of the worst Presidents of the United States because he was more concerned with his womanizing, poker, golf, and mistress. ³ Even Harding admitted it. He said, “I am not fit for this office and should never have been here.”

I hope the basketball father mentioned at the beginning of this post made a turn-around. Watching ‘bad leadership’ is not a nice scene to witness. Ever!

Do you think leaders should be enriched personally or should they enrich others?
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Qualities of a Bad Leader: Book of Proverbs [Not exhaustive] ⁴

When you think of a bad leader, what word or words come to your mind?
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God Bless You.

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Bible Verses: See above.

Prayer: 

LORD, help me to recognize bad leadership. Let me discern between good and evil. As I evaluate others, let me look for their integrity, character, and their relationship with you. Let me always remember that just because someone is a leader that it does not mean that they are good leaders. O LORD, let me also remember that Scripture commands us to pray for all those in authority over us.

¹ Losch, Richard. All the People in the Bible: An A-Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, And Other Characters in Scripture. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008.

² “15 Traits of a Terrible Leader.” Success 13 Jan. 2015. Web.

³ Tolson, Jay. “Worst Presidents: Warren Harding (1921-1923). U.S. News and World Reports. 16 Feb. 2007. Web.

⁴ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001.

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store.

To order Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

To order Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org for confidentiality.

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Bible Study, Life Issues, Politics and Current Events, The Bible

Qualities of a Good Leader from Proverbs: Part I

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Qualities of a Good Leader from Proverbs: Part 1

Most of us have had “leaders.” They come in the form of parents, employers, church leaders, principals, mayors, and presidential leaders. The Book of Proverbs delves into the qualities of good leaders and bad leaders. The Bible mentions good (wise) leaders and bad (evil) leaders all throughout the Old and New Testament.

Today, in all occupations we find leaders from both extremes and some in-between. Just as in the Bible, there are leaders today who are:

  • Good leaders who remain good all their lives;
  • Bad leaders who remain bad all their lives;
  • Bad leaders who turn into good leaders; and
  • Good leaders who turn into bad leaders.
There are good leaders, bad leaders, bad leaders who turn good, and good leaders who turn bad.
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As a point of trivia, it is interesting the House of Israel had more bad kings than the House of Judah. Today, let us look only at the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

The Southern Kingdom consisted of two tribes (Judah and Benjamin). The Kingdom extended in the north as far as Bethel, while in the south it ended in the dry area known as the Negev. Its eastern and western boundaries were the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Jerusalem was its capital and it lasted from about 922-586 B.C. ¹

During this period in history, there were eight kings considered good kings and eleven kings considered bad kings in the Southern Kingdom. Out of the eight good kings, two bounced between the two extremes during their lives. King Asa, King Jehoshaphat, King Uzziah, King Jotham, and King Hezekiah, and King Josiah are noted in most commentaries as “good” kings. King Joash and King Amaziah are recognized as kings who did right in their youth, but evil in their old age.

Let us take King Jehoshaphat as an example of a good king. Jehoshaphat ruled the House of Judah between 873-849 BC. He was 25 years old when he became king. He established peace between the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel. He eliminated Baal worship in Judah. He desired the approval of God when attempting to recover Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians. Jehoshaphat had a very successful military career. He encouraged the worship of God and reformed the justice system. He died when he was 60 years old leaving a Kingdom who loved him. ³

Qualities of a Good Leader: Book of Proverbs ²

  • Knows wisdom and instruction [discipline]; Proverbs 1:2
  • Receives instruction in wise dealing in righteousness, justice, and equity; Proverbs 1:3
  • Gives knowledge and discretion to the youth; Proverbs 1:4
  • Listens and increases in learning; Proverbs 1:5
  • Obtains guidance; Proverbs 1:5
  • Fears the Lord; Proverbs 1:7
  • Walks in the way of righteousness; Proverbs 8:20
  • Embraces God’s instructions; Proverbs 8:32-33
  • Walks with integrity; Proverbs 10:9
  • Gives thought to his steps; Proverbs 14:15
  • Acts cautiously and turns away from evil; Proverbs 14:16
  • Their prayers are acceptable to God; Proverbs 15:8
  • Speaks with divine wisdom and never judges unfairly; Proverbs 16:10 (NLT)
  • Commits their work to the LORD; Proverbs 16:13
  • Life shows in their face; Proverbs 16:15
  • Acquires and seeks knowledge; Proverbs 18:15
  • Shifts out the wicked from the good; Proverbs 20:26 AMP
  • Conducts themselves with purity and unrighteousness; Proverbs 21:8
  • Possesses strength and their knowledge enhances their might; Proverbs 24:5
  • Has an abundance of counselors; Proverbs 24.6
  • Leads their land [their territory] towards stability; Proverbs 28:2
  • Understands justice; Proverbs 28:5
  • Builds up their land [their territory/the people]; Proverbs 29:4
  • Knows the rights of the poor; Proverbs 29:7
  • Possesses self-control; Does not listen to lies; Proverbs 29:12a
  • Faithfully judges the poor; Proverbs 29:14
  • Not hasty in words; Proverbs 29:20
  • Does not drink excessively [or at all]; Proverbs 31:4b
  • Judges righteously; defends the rights of the poor and needy; Proverbs 31:9

List is not exhaustive.

Today, as we look at our bosses, our parents, our government leaders, or anyone who has a leadership role over us, look and see how many of the qualities above they possess. While we are all human and not perfect, possessing some of these qualities is a good start to becoming a good leader in whatever field or occupation we find ourselves in today.

Next Week: Qualities of a Bad Leader from Proverbs: Part II

God Bless You.

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Bible Verses: See above.

Prayer: 

LORD, help me to be a good leader. Allow me to follow good role models in my life, so I can become a person with integrity and good standing with You and others. My heart’s desire is to become more like you in every situation and circumstance I face.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

¹ “The Kings of Judah.” Web. 22 June 2016. <bible-history.com>.

² The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001.

³Losch, Richard R. All the People in the Bible: An A-Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, and Other Characters in Scripture. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2008.

If you liked this article and would like to receive email notifications of new posts or to receive monthly newsletters, please click here and scroll down on www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe. It is an easy way not to miss any posts in your feed! Moreover, I would love seeing you as part of the Greene Pastures Community.

My Books – Available on Amazon or can be ordered at any retail book store.

To order Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

To order Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Comments are always welcome. And, I would love to see you subscribe to my blog. To sign up for Newsletter and/or blog, click here.

On my blog, I want to write about topics that serve your needs and about what matters to you. I strive to help you with your needs and interests. Therefore, I am inviting you to share your interests with me so the content I write about will be more relevant to you. Please comment on this blog or email me at pattilondagreene@gmail.com for confidentiality.

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Church and Ministry, Friendship, How to Guides, Life Issues, Medical

Emotional Stress

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Emotional Stress

[From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

Emotional Stress – Let’s face it. Everybody experiences stress from time to time. Life brings both the good and the bad. However, some individuals experience the “ups and downs” that come with living life more than others do. In Recognizing an Emotional Breakdown, author Tara Warta says, “When pressure begins to overwhelm an individual to the point where her [his] professional or personal well-being is compromised, symptoms of a nervous breakdown may become apparent. Such an event can take place for a variety of reasons, and common culprits include a traumatic family event, [an] unreasonable amount of stress in the workplace or a dramatic change in a relationship.” ¹

When we are deeply overwhelmed or troubled, our emotions, our decision-making ability, and our relationships are unable to continue in the normal fashion. Emotional stress usually causes physical symptoms like tremors, heart palpitations, intense headaches, breakouts, physical pain in the chest, and more.

Emotional breakdowns occur when the stress becomes so unbearable that we do not know how to handle it. We have reached our limit. Different individuals experience diverse symptoms. Stressors may cause emotional instability, changes in health, and a disrupted spiritual balance. When we have reached our capacity to function, we may be on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

Stressors may cause emotional instability, changes in health, and a disrupted spiritual balance. Greene Pastures by Patti
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Merriam Webster’s Thesaurus uses the following words to explain how someone who is stressed-out feels.²

Burned-out [Burnt out]; Exhausted; Knackered [British]; Tired; Worn-out; Undone; Unmanned; Unnerved, Unstrung; Troubled; Upset; Edgy; Nervous; Tense; Uneasy; Agitated; Disturbed; Perturbed, Aggravated; Angry; Annoyed; Exasperated; Irritated; and Shell-shocked.

I performed an Internet search to find out what types of situations lead people to emotional stress. Listed below are some catalysts one might find leading to extreme stress or possibly a complete nervous breakdown.

  1. You are pregnant and you don’t want to be;
  2. You fear you might have dementia;
  3. You are extremely troubled by your family’s choices;
  4. You hate your job or you cannot find a job;
  5. You are deeply depressed over your boyfriend or girlfriend breaking up with you;
  6. You are extremely concerned about your church;
  7. You fear you might not go to heaven;
  8. You are stressed beyond measure being a caregiver;
  9. You made a huge mistake at work;
  10. You are fearful of being sued, fired, or foreclosed on;
  11. You are experiencing a messy divorce;
  12. You can’t handle or care for your children;
  13. Moreover, the list goes on.

Thankfully, removing a few stressors allow some individuals to rebound from the emotional stress they are dealing with. Unfortunately, others may not be able to snap back even when their load lightens. In the case of a sinking state-of-mind, medical intervention is often necessary. Timely medical help may even necessitate an urgent visit to the doctor or emergency room. Never ignore your emotional well-being. It could be the difference between life and death.

Being a believer does not shield us from all the rises and falls we encounter in life. Life happens. Our source is always God, our Father. He provides His Word, His people, and his Holy Spirit to help us. When times are hard or troubles engulf us, allow Him to be our guide. We may have trouble praying ourselves in these emotional times, but God always provides. Many times, He works through other people or professionals. If you need to talk or receive counseling, choose someone you trust, and share your difficulties with him or her.

When Jesus came face to face with the most difficult time of His life, He wanted His friends nearby. Even Jesus did not try to face his most difficult moment alone and neither should we.

In Matthew 26:36-39,

Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [James and John], and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Join the Greene Pastures Community to be sure you don’t miss meaningful posts on issues, such as Life, Bible, Christian Living, Friendship, God’s Will, and More! Go to www.GreenePastures.org to subscribe.
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HOW TO HELP SOMEONE EXPERIENCING AN “EMOTIONALLY STRESSFUL” SITUATION

  1. Listen

  • Listening does not mean giving them advice. The advice might stress them more and lead them deeper into more turmoil.
  • “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” James 1:19 ESV

  1. Reduce the load and stressors if possible

  • Find people who are willing and able to take the load and pressure off them.
  • “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 ESV

  1. Give reassurance that God cares

  • Be an encourager and let them know they are not alone in their present situation.
  • “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

  1. Give confidence that feeling better is within reach

  • Provide hope there are better days ahead.
  • “For I know the plans I have for you, declares theLord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

  1. Intervene, if needed, with family, medical, and/or spiritual help

  • Use discernment when deciding whom can best help in the situation. In addition, be prepared to act when an emergency arises.
  • “Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed.” Psalm 106:30 ESV

  1. Be a confidant

  • Do not gossip about his/her condition or situation with others unless the person has given you permission. Even then, be discerning.
  • “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” Proverbs 16:28 ESV

Bible Verses:

See above.

Prayer:

Oh LORD, as I reach for You, untangle my nerves and give me hope. Make things better. I am distraught; the pressures are too much. My lists grow longer every day. I cannot meet deadlines. I am about to break. Please help me Lord Jesus. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

¹ http://www.lifescript.com/well-being/articles/r/recognizing_an_emotional_breakdown.aspx?p=1

² http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressed

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