“N” – Blogging A to Z

April 16th, 2015 dsisler

 

We are up to the letter “n” in this Blogging A to Z challenge. What fun it’s been to find new ways to boost our happiness or energize our attitudes. I pray that you’ve been able to find a few ways, both physically and spiritually to live an abundant life.

 

nAs we continue through the alphabet using the article in Good Housekeeping titled “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,”[i] Jennifer Rainey Marquez brings up the subject of healthy eating. She says that we should “nosh on fruits and vegetables.” If you’re hungry, recent research has connected improved mental well-being to eating five or more portions of fruits and vegetables per day.

 

Well, I hate to break it to you Ms. Marquez, but I think our biblical friend Daniel knew the importance of eating fruits and vegetables a long time ago.

 

Daniel, as well as a few of Daniel’s friends, was chosen by King Nebuchadnezzar to be groomed for leadership during Israel’s exile to Babylonia. Daniel and his friends were chosen because they fit the criteria.

 

“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace.” (Daniel 1:3-4 – NIV)

 

I suspect this specific criteria limited the number of young men chosen for this assignment. Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego were among this elite group. Very impressive.

 

What’s even more impressive is that this group of young men were also men of integrity and loyalty to Yahweh. When given the opportunity to eat and drink the king’s finest foods, they asked for “permission not to defile themselves in this way.” (Daniel 1:8 – NIV)

 

Instead of eating and drinking what they could have had, they chose to eat nothing but vegetables and drink nothing but water. For ten days, this was the diet of this foursome.

 

At the end of the test period, Daniel and his friends were found to look healthier and were better nourished than any of the other men who ate the royal food.

 

God recognized this sacrifice and blessed these four young men with knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And to Daniel, God gave the gift of interpreting dreams and visions of all kinds.

 

When brought before King Nebuchadnezzar, the king found Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego to be ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom!

 

Perhaps Daniel was thrilled with the king’s response to their knowledge and wisdom, but I suspect Daniel was even more so because of God’s recognition of Daniel’s faithfulness. Daniel lived to serve God. And God honored that dedication.

 

As you go through our day-to-day life, what are you noshing (eating enthusiastically)? I don’t just mean fruits and vegetables. Do you spend time noshing God’s Word? Are you noshing over the principles and precepts God has given in Scripture? I pray that you are. I pray that God is honoring your dedication and faithfulness to being with Him on a daily basis.

 

That’s the letter “n.” Noshing. I am blessed to say that I am heading out to go to Bible study this morning. What are you up to?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,” Jennifer Rainey Marquez, Good Housekeeping, Vol. 260, No. 4, page 114.

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“M” – Blogging A to Z

April 15th, 2015 dsisler

 

It’s April 15. Half way through April and that means we are going to talk about the letter “m” today. In her article,[i] Ms. Marquez tells us that when we make our bed each day, we are able to “enhance our sense of order” and by doing so we are calmed. It’s a little win, but it is valuable for our happiness.

 

mThis may seem like a little thing. But if this simple task can bring happiness, why not try it?

 

There is a beautiful encounter recorded in John 5 between Jesus and a man. The setting is the Pool of Bethesda. I love John’s detail of the actual pool. It’s location. Its name. It’s design. It’s use. The only real useful information in the first few verses of this passage is the use of the pool. For healing. And that is where Jesus wound up for this healing moment.

 

The man Jesus encountered didn’t know who Jesus was. But when Jesus asked if the lame man wanted to get well, this man jumped on the chance to be healed. But he assumed that Jesus would stick around to lower him into the pool. That wasn’t the case.

 

Okay, this is it. This is when Jesus asked this man to make his bed. Jesus’ actual words were to “pick up your mat and walk,” but these little words had a huge impact upon the life of this man.

 

In an instant, or as Scripture says, “at once,” the man was cured. And, he picked up his bed and walked. He made his bed!

 

This miracle changed this man’s attitude from hopelessness to anticipation. From disappointment to excitement. From despair to rejoicing. What a marvelous gift was given to this once crippled man. The ability to lead a normal life.

 

From this point forward, this man wouldn’t need assistance for anything. He could become independent. He could do as he pleased. To do. To go. To be. What a happiness booster.

 

That was an important part of this story, but not the most important part. Jesus met up with the man later on and gave him an even greater gift. The gift of forgiveness. The gift of salvation. The gift of eternal life. Wow! An even bigger happiness booster!

 

Once again, the man could do, go or be anything he wanted, but now with a greater purpose. To tell others of the Man who had healed him and forgiven his sins.

 

I imagine if we had this same sense of purpose, this same spiritual healing, that we might find our happiness and attitude boosted. At least it should.

 

Perhaps you are lying by the pool, just waiting for spiritual healing. If so, look to Jesus. He’s standing there waiting. Perhaps it’s time for you to say “yes” to Jesus and pick up your mat and walk.

 

Perhaps you’ve lost your purpose in life. The excitement of being a believer in Christ has dwindled. If that’s the case, why not ask Jesus to “restore the joy of salvation” to your soul. With a new sense of purpose, you’ll find your spirit lifted.

 

Making a bed may seem like a little thing, but to this lame man in John 5, it was everything. I pray you’ve made your bed today.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,” Jennifer Rainey Marquez, Good Housekeeping, Vol. 260, No. 4, page 114.

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“L” – Blogging A to Z

April 14th, 2015 dsisler

Happy Tuesday morning to you! Thank you for stopping by and checking out Full Measure of Joy. It’s always a pleasure to see your smiling face!

 

lToday I continue with my blogging challenge of working through the alphabet and writing about a specific letter. The letter today is “l.”

 

From the article “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,”[i] by Jennifer Rainey Marquez, she mentions that one way to boost your attitude or happiness is by getting outside into the light. Apparently, people who increased their exposure to sunlight or bright lights were less likely to argue and they felt happier.

 

I love the sun. As a younger version of myself, I enjoyed sitting in the sunshine and allowing the sun to change the color of my skin. I could feel it. I now know it was bad for me. I now know there are some bad things that come with sunshine. But back when I didn’t know better, that feeling was wonderful.

 

Now, I know the importance of sunscreen. I know how dangerous the sun can be. But I also know there are great benefits to the light it sheds and the power it has to boost our attitudes. So there must be balance when it comes to spending time in the sunshine.

 

A safer form of light that is available to us to change our attitude and boost our joy is Jesus Christ. In Scripture, Jesus refers to Himself as the Light of the world. John 8:12 (NIV) tells us that Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 

If you’ve ever walked down a dark path or tried to make your way across a dark room you know how difficult it can be. Perhaps you felt uncertain. Disoriented. Cautious. Fearful.

 

But with the flip of a switch or lighting of a single flame, all of the darkness fled. Your ability to see clearly helped you to get to your destination safely.

 

Sin can have that same affect on our lives. Sin is burdensome. Sin causes us to be uncertain. Sin disorients us. Sin draws out our greatest fear.

 

But when Jesus, the Light of the world enters our lives, the darkness of sin disappears. All that accompanied sin is gone. We are able to see ourselves in a new Light. As a valuable, precious child of the King. Now that is an attitude booster!

 

Are you tired of living in the darkness? Are you ready to turn your life over to the Light? I pray that if you find yourself in this situation today that you will not stop until you’ve found someone to help you live in the Light. Jesus is waiting. Jesus is calling. Jesus wants you to live abundantly. Why not ask the Light of the world to enter your heart today?

 

To conclude, I want to share one more passage of Scripture about the Light. “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7 – NIV)

 

Care to take a walk in the Light with me?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,” Jennifer Rainey Marquez, Good Housekeeping, Vol. 260, No. 4, page 114.

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“K” – Blogging A to Z

April 13th, 2015 dsisler

 

Well, we’re back at it. Blogging through the alphabet for the month of April. Today, we will look at the letter “k” and see how it fits into the boosting of our happiness and attitude.

 

kFrom the article[i] I’ve been using for my jaunt through the alphabet, Ms. Marquez tells us that kissing stirs up positive feelings. Whether it’s a smooch or a peck, kissing is apparently associated with comfort.

 

Perhaps this is why the Apostle Paul brings up the idea of a holy kiss in Scripture. On four occasions, Paul said that the brothers should greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; and 1 Thessalonians 5:26)

 

As was the custom in the day, this kiss was their normal greeting. However, Paul differentiated the kiss of hello and goodbye with asking that the kiss be holy.

 

Holy means to be dedicated or consecrated to God. To be holy means to be set apart, separated from sin and impurity. So just as our lives are to be holy because God is holy (1 Peter 1:16), our greeting to one another is to be holy as well.

 

Peter mentions kissing in his epistle as well. 1 Peter 5:14 (NIV) tell us to “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” While these are different terms, the meaning is the same. When greeting another brother or sister in Christ, the greeting is to be filled with the love of Christ.

 

In our western culture, we have done away with kissing as a form of greeting. So what might replace this holy kiss in America’s churches today? As I stood in the church lobby yesterday, I noticed the greetings. There were tender touches. There were exuberant hugs. There were hearty handshakes. There were holy greetings!

 

While there are folks and commentators out there that will say we are ignoring this command in Scripture, there are many others who say this was just a piece of advice from Paul and Peter. But I believe that we have captured the essence of these words and are greeting our fellow Christians (and anyone else we encounter) with the holiness and love that we should.

 

I certainly can understand how these greetings would boost our attitudes and even bring a smile to our face. For me, there are certain sisters in Christ who bless my heart by sharing a holy hug. These are the hugs I crave. These are my personal positive attitude enhancers. These are the hugs I seek when I need encouragement.

 

Perhaps you know someone like that. Or maybe you’ve been told that you are the person with a holy hug. If so, don’t be stingy with those hugs! There are people who need that cheer.

 

Holy kissing. Holy greeting. Holy hugging. When we encourage one another with Christ in the middle of it, there will be some attitude boosting accomplished. So let’s get out there today and show the world God’s holiness through ourselves. Just think of how much better the world would be if we allowed Christ to use us in this way!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “More Bliss, Less Stress: A to Z Happiness Boosters to Try Today,” Jennifer Rainey Marquez, Good Housekeeping, Vol. 260, No. 4, page 114.

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A Chosen People

April 12th, 2015 dsisler

 

Good Sunday morning! Just want to remind you of who you are in Jesus Christ this morning. “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into this wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9 – NIV)

 

What an exciting message! I pray that you live according to your calling today and every day. Remember God chose you!

 

Today I’m taking a break from the A to Z challenge to bring you an older post about a tree. Enjoy this little adventure and have a great day!

 

A Tree

 

I found this fallen tree in the mountains last summer (see picture). I was intrigued by its position and condition. I had never seen a tree like this.

 

???????????????????????????????I wondered how it had fallen. What had caused its death? Why was the center hollowed out? Of course, I couldn’t give an answer for any of these questions and probably would never know.

 

So now my thoughts on trees moved to Scripture to see how God used trees for examples for us. Here’s a passage from Jeremiah 17:7-8.

 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

 

We can relate the ideas in this passage with our spiritual journey. For the tree, being planted by water with a good root system is the lifeline of the tree. Without the root system that draws nourishment and water to the tree, it would not thrive, and perhaps die.

 

We, too, must be firmly rooted. If our root system, our foundation is not stable, we will not be able to stand up to the pressures of this world. If we are unable to reach the nourishment and the water needed, we would not be able to thrive.

 

Through prayer, Bible study, worship, and fellowship with other believers, we can guarantee that our root system is strong and healthy.

 

With our root system prepared and with the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are then ready and able to meet the troubles we encounter. Let’s see what our tree might encounter and what lessons we can learn.

 

1) It does not fear when heat comes. Troubles will come. Jesus said they would. But when we have a complete trust in God, we will not fear the troubles. We might even welcome them, because we mature through these struggles!

 

2) Its leaves are always green. Do you feel “green” today? Green represents life. As a Christian, we have abundant life and as a result of that, we should be green! Our lives should be a reflection of the abundant life given through Jesus.

 

3) It has no worries in a year of drought. We go through times when we feel parched. When our spiritual lives are not being filled because of circumstances or situations. It is during these times we can utilize the deep connection and trust we have in our God. There is no reason to worry during these times…God will take care of it all.

 

4) It never fails to bear fruit. The fruit that we bear shows that our roots are reaching the source. With the Holy Spirit living within us, we are able to strengthen the characteristics within ourselves.

 

The tree is able to stand up against the elements and we know the blessings we receive from trees. Fruit, shade and visual beauty. From this illustration, we can see that reaching deep to the Living Water is where we gain our strength. We, too, are able to stand up to the elements of this world and are able to bless those we come into contact with.

 

As a person who places their complete trust and confidences in God, you don’t ever have to worry or fear. You can be assured that you will always feel alive and bear fruit. Like the tree planted by the water.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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