KILLING THE ANTs - Speaking of Health, Part 2

June 11, 2018

“You don’t have to believe every stupid thought you have.” Dr. Daniel Amen

That's a summary of this week's message in a nutshell. Too many of us are living as if we are slaves to our thoughts, but in this week's message we saw how we can change our LIVES by changing our THOUGHTS. Specifically, we learned that our thoughts are real things that literally have the power to rewire our brains.

In this week's message, we not only learned the power of our thoughts over our lives, but also a practical way that we can implement God's command to “[bring] every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

IT'S TIME TO FIGHT - Fighting Failure, Part 1

June 1, 2015

"Your problem isn’t that you aren’t worthy of God’s love. Your problem is that you don’t believe it."

Kicked off a new series yesterday about a topic that everyone can relate to...FAILURE. Feeling like you're not good enough, or that you'll never get past your struggles, or that you've let God/others/yourself down. We're talking about what to do with guilt and shame and doubt and despair and all the other feelings that come with failing time and time again.

The theme of the series is this: God wants to work THROUGH your mistakes and shortcomings, not IN SPITE of them.

What’s Playing on Your Record Player?

April 24, 2015

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Ok, so, have you ever read this passage... prayed this passage... meditated on it... wrote it out and stuck it to your bedroom mirror... and STILL FELT ANXIOUS? Anyone???

I think God showed me a little secret a few years ago and He’s highlighted it again this year. Bear with me a little, please, while I get to the point.

How God Used My Illness as my Cure

August 22, 2014

Sickness is one of the very few things in life that can push you face down into the mud—even when you are already on your knees. I distinctly remember my doctor scribbling something in my patient folder, then gravely lifting her head and giving me a clear diagnosis. I was 23 and optimistic about treatment; 10 months later, I went into remission.

During the recovery process, I learned that enduring any kind of illness is truly a journey. Some ailments may be cured through a regiment of fluids, chicken soup, and aspirin. Others require a more intensive, long-term treatment plan. Unfortunately, I experienced the latter.

The illness spared me no mercy: my body and mind were both diseased. Yet in the midst of my struggle and on the path to recovery, I also discovered my soul and spirit were just as ill. I knew better than to question God about my circumstances, so I didn’t. I simply expected to get better and trusted that God would bring me through the fire. What I did not expect was that the heat of the fire would melt away my spiritual bondage and renew my mind, soul and spirit in a powerful and dramatic way.

How Could Robin Williams Be Depressed?

August 15, 2014

The news of the passing of Robin Williams took the world by surprise. How is it possible for one of the most iconic and brilliant comedians of our childhood to commit suicide? How could someone who brought us so much JOY, have so much hidden PAIN? When the explanation is "he had depression," we sometimes can't help but trivialize it by pointing out irrelevant things like..."But he had it all!", "He was so funny!" or "He was so involved in charity!"

There are realities that the death of Robin Williams will hopefully force us to face.

The Three Phrases of Pope Shenouda

July 11, 2014

Have you ever been so down and frustrated that you knew you were angry, but you weren’t quite sure who you were angry at? Just sort of angry at ‘life’ in general? I know I’ve felt that way before – especially during the time I was admitted to the ICU.

I felt hopeless and tired. I remember how weak I was; how pathetic I felt. I felt frustrated with life and wanted it to end. I didn't know if God was ever going to get me out alive, and at times, I actually didn't want to be alive. I was angry with myself. But more so, I was angry that life had been so harsh on me. I didn't understand why this was happening. All I knew was that this was the 'last straw'. I was breaking down, losing hope, and losing faith.

During that time, my parents would often comfort me and support me with three quotes from the late Pope Shenouda III (1923-2012). I’ll never forget those three statements that my family always said when they came to see me: “'this too will end soon”, “God is here”, and “all is for the good”.

Three short statements, but the power and hope they instilled within me was incredible.

Are You Strong and Courageous?

March 28, 2014

Life is tough, isn’t it? Everyday we faced multiple challenges and obstacles and at times it seems like it's more than we can handle.

At these times, we don’t feel strong and we certainly don't feel courageous. We are tired and we want help!

We pray to God, asking for strength. “God! Strengthen me! Either make this problem go away or solve it! Please! I am tired and frustrated…”

The Bible is full of verses that can motivate or strengthen us at these times, such as Joshua 1:9. This verse is God speaking to Joshua when he was feeling a little down as well.

Learning to Blame God

February 12, 2014

Certain passages in the Bible always touch my heart – no matter how many times I read them. Genesis 45 is one of those passages. It’s the account of when Joseph finally comes face-to-face with his brothers and confronts them with the sin they had committed against him years earlier.

A quick recap of the story. Joseph’s family was kind of a dysfunctional one. He was the second youngest of twelve brothers. Those ten older brothers didn’t care much for Joseph. He was somewhat of a brat – an annoying little brother who always got special treatment from their father.

“But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” Genesis 37:4

They didn’t like him. And gradually their dislike turned to anger. Anger to hatred. And hatred to murder.

“Now when they saw him [Joseph] afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’” Genesis 37:18-19

Uhhh…that’s not good. Look, I got two brothers and we used to get into fights when we were younger; but there were limits! We never used weapons. We never tried to injure one another. And we never threw each other in pits and left one another for dead. Period. Those are the rules.

But not these guys. These “brothers” hated Joseph so much that they wanted to kill him right there on spot. You can only imagine how Joseph felt as he was attacked by his brothers… thrown down, beaten, kicked, mocked, spit upon and then left for dead in an empty well. I shudder just at the thought of how helpless he must have felt – ten burly men attacking and assaulting a weak young boy…AND THAT BOY IS THEIR OWN BROTHER!

Redefining Happiness

January 31, 2014

Happiness. Everyone wants it. Many people define happiness in a certain way, claiming that they have the ‘secret to happiness’. The dictionary defines ‘being happy’ as ‘feeling or showing pleasure or contentment’.

In today’s world, it is becoming more and more difficult to define what happiness is. Personally, I've struggled with defining the concept of happiness. I don't remember anyone ever teaching me what 'happy' meant.

But as a little girl, I felt happy. I was satisfied with my life and I felt at peace. Looking back now, I wonder how I could have been happy. My family was not well-off, and we didn't have much. I wore my sister’s hand-me-downs, and I didn't own any toys. My family never went on vacations, and we didn't eat out at restaurants.

Yet, as a small child, I didn't feel as though I was missing out on anything. I made use of what I did have - a loving family and a wonderful church community. I had clothes to keep me warm, and even the hand-me-downs felt new to me!

Letting Go of Your Past (video)

January 13, 2014

"I cannot REALIZE my future if I'm still REACTING to my past."

Ever tried to drive a car looking exclusively in the rear view mirror? Think you'd be able to get very far that way? I'd say that your chances of crashing are significantly higher than your chances of success. Right?

Well, that's how many of us are living today - especially when it comes to relationships with friends, family and loved ones. We think we moving forward but the truth is that we're just dragging the past with us. And it is SABOTAGING THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS IN OUR LIVES!

That's why today's message at The Well is a must-listen. Listen to it prayerfully and with an open heart and God just might open your eyes to something that you've never seen before.

Perfect Timing

December 27, 2012

In the midst of the Christmas festivities, a time where we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ, I find myself surrounded by tragedy, grief, and loss. Lost jobs, terminally ill loved ones, war, and, as anyone with a television set knows, slaughtered children for no apparent reason. It’s supposed to be Christmas; my favorite time of year!

The irony and sacrilege seem almost unbearable. What perfect timing, isn’t it?

In the midst of this moment of sarcasm, I recalled a quiet time I had many months ago. It came from Esther 3:1-13 from a Bible Study excerpt I was following by Beth Moore. Esther was a young, Jewish woman who miraculously became the chosen Queen of Persia. Persia was home to many Jews, but they were technically the foreigners. Esther had been cautioned not to reveal her true heritage because there was an evil man with power in the kingdom who hated God’s people.