I can’t believe how fast we got to Thanksgiving week! Unbelievable! So many things to be grateful and thankful for. However, in a mind where rumination exists this could be a time of turmoil as the holidays approach.  What can we do to counterattack that mindset? We can begin by working diligent to flush out those thoughts and focus on the positive.  There is always something to be grateful and thankful for. Even in the lack.

As Apostle Paul wrote:

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  Philippians 4:11-12

No matter what season we go through we learn how to be content. This is a state of inner peaceful happiness.  Instead of thinking so much on the things that we do not have or have been negative, we have to think of what we have left and what is positive. There’s life that continues for us and we need to find purpose in that. We can live again, laugh again and love again.

What are we grateful for? What are the things that we can appreciate in our life? There are family, friends and fellowship.  There are people that still love us tremendously. There are friends that need your words, your hugs and your time.  There are people that we can fellowship with and share encouraging words through times like this. We just have to come out of a state of inactivity to where we are actively seeking the good.

We have to nourish our mind. Not the pain, not the past and not with the things we can do nothing about.  We are grateful to have had wonderful memories.  We appreciate them. Now we also have the capacity to make new ones.

There is also a big world for us to travel upon.  The many places our eyes have not seen to remind us of all the beautiful things that exist.  Places to visit, coffee shops to sit in and landmarks to view.  This is all for us.  We just need to invest the time in travel because there is such a value in viewing new things.

What are we thankful for?  What are we pleased and relieved about?  I am pleased and relieved that I got through MANY difficult obstacles in life. Which leads me to believe that no matter which ones come my way, there is going to always be a way out.  Look at how far I have come. Look at how far YOU have come. We are not the same people, we are stronger! We become a better version of us.

We learn how to move away from rumination, which is the process of deep thought.  It is where we encourage negative thinking. We feed it. We keep it alive. We care for it and continue to give it life rather then let it die out.

“If you start looking for good news, you will find it everywhere.”
Renew: Breaking Free from Negative Thinking, Anxiety & Depression
Julie Winter 

So let’s start seeking the good. We find that in His word and we find that by changing our thoughts to reflect heavily and purposefully on what we are grateful and thankful for this holiday season.  Some people don’t even have a warm plate of food, but we do and we can help someone get theirs.  They will be grateful and thankful for YOU!

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Remember not to eat too much. 🙂 #justfortoots

With Love,

Christina

Driving out of the country part of Scotland, we can once again take in all the beautiful land.  So many trees, bushes and green pastures. It’s all quite breathtaking. I wish I could stay there.  We point to the colorful bushes and say–“Look at the many berries on the bushes!” Our guide says, “Oh no you don’t want those–they are poisonous!”

They certainly don’t look poisonous.  They look very good. I love berries! I can eat a whole plate of them easily. But no matter how good some things may be, some of it can actually be very harmful for you.  There are good things that can be negative –we just need to watch for that.

Just like the Word declares:

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
1 Corinthians 6:12

So many things are good–relationships, food, sports, social media, work…but what about when they have a power over you? What about when they bring you down? Or when the good things take the place of God?  Then the good thing becomes negative. Those things are also so hard to let go–because they are GOOD! But the negative effect that is occurring because we continue to keep certain things in our lives is not so good for us any more.

How do we identify those things?  Here’s a few to help….

Relationships— as T.D. Jakes says, “Value is determined by sacrifice.”  So is this relationship a benefit if there is no sacrifice?  Is the person willing to go the mile that you are going for them? Are they willing to lay down some things to accommodate you –just the same as you would do for them?  Are they willing to change behavior patterns–repeated wrongs?  Does that change?

Well there is your answer.

Food— Is this food healthy for you?  Are you consuming too much of a good thing?  Have you done research to certain types of food that you love that are good? How is your caffeine intake?  Your vegetable and protein intake?  What if you are loading up on fruits all day?  Did you know how much sugar they actually contain?  Have you gotten a recent physical?

There is your answer.

Sports— Oh how we love our sports don’t we.  However, are we damaging relationships that are good to have because we are competitive? Are we becoming too exhausted by them?  Are we getting injured by them? Are we taking too much time to contribute to them while neglecting other tasks that are just as important?

There is your answer.

Social Media— this is actually great! We get to keep in contact with family and friends from afar.  We get to stay in touch with pictures, videos and more.  But are you becoming affected by postings? Are the tags and yearly pop up reminders disturbing your soul?  Are you becoming sad, angry or frustrated by them? Do you feel excluded? Disliked? Unloved? Is this taking too much of your time by them?

There is your answer.

Work–we all need to make a living.  Is your job stressing you out on a daily basis? Are you losing sleep because of it? Are you spending too much time at the work place and finding that you no longer have adequate time to do life?

Well–there are some answers.  It is not that these things are bad for us.  They are good.  But when the negative begins to outweigh the good–the only thing that you can change at that point is YOU.  You can change what you do, how you connect, where you work, the healthy relationships that you can invest in, the food that you can enjoy and the time that you can take for exercise and sports!

Everything has its balance.  You just need to learn what is best for you.  The key to having a healthy life, is all based on the choices that you make in your daily routine. The things that don’t benefit you and begin to pull you down then take those away.  Reduce it. Doesn’t mean you have to eliminate the use of good things. Just keep things to a minimum so that you have the best of God’s best for you!

You can start today…. Make the things around you positive, by changing the things that can and must.

With Love,

Christina

I am just returning from an amazing trip to the UK, which they would call vacation as a “Holiday”! I would say that this was the best holiday ever! This was the second trip I made out this year to Scotland but this one was so amazing because it was a getaway from my normal world.  I needed the time to reflect, redirect, re-purpose, rejuvenate, re-calibrate, restore, replenish but most importantly —renew my mind!

You don’t realize how much we clutter our minds as we continue day to day with our busy schedules.  It is SO good and so healthy to get away with folks that you don’t live with to refresh.  There is a time to get away with your family indeed–that is a priority time to plan and save as reserved of course.  However, time away with friends that you love is truly a time well spent and well deserved.  This is bonding with your sisters.

They know you, understand you and allow you to take that time to settle your mind. You become a child again. Able to be that authentic loving version that you don’t get to put on most days.  I have a role as wife, mother, daughter, pastor, business professional and more. It gets so busy for me –jumping from role to role.  During this vacation it was just me being me…nothing else required. I fell in love with me again. I took the time to de-clutter. I took the time to discard so many negative thoughts that were building up and coming through every act.  It was becoming very toxic for me.

I finished reading a book, “Fiercehearted” by Holley Gerth and continued to dive into another good read called, “Renew: Breaking Free From Negative Thinking, Anxiety and Depression” by Julie Winter. This was a hearts cry of mine.  Can I be real with that?

My thoughts and actions were becoming disgusting to ME! Imagine what it was doing to others. 😦 I wanted to break free from that and breaking out to another place to reassess, refresh and redo all that was the best decision I could have made.  So timely.  I think I just reached the brink of a huge breakdown and meltdown that was seeping through. I didn’t enjoy being me.  I hated to wake up. I hated my thoughts and I couldn’t even focus. In a nutshell–I fell into another onset of a deep depressed state coupled with anxiety attacks because of my negative thinking!

There’s hope!

God led me to pick these books and be obedient to study them. My mind was becoming way too negative for me to function properly.  I felt so broken inside–so unimportant. I felt less than a person. I felt less of everything. And that is because I kept nurturing and feeding this one big lie that the enemy kept showing me.

“You don’t even matter!”

Shaking my head! Well I do matter. I am important.  I am loved. I am different. I have beautiful things about me. I am special. I am appreciated. By who—? By GOD Himself! And also by me! There are those that love and value me in their life! I am important to God’s Kingdom.  I have a specific assignment.  I have things to do, things to share, things to write, things to teach–but how could I do all that with the enemy tearing at my mind, heart and soul ALL DAY LONG???

RENEWAL!

Renew my thinking–because it starts within me. In comes the thought–Chrizzy flush that crap out! Bad word–I’m sorry, but call it what it is. Stinking thinking that needs to be flushed out.  Like crap sitting in a bowl –down it goes–and the smell remains but eventually will disappear into the air and it will smell pure again.

FLUSH IT DOWN AND OUT!

Because that is what the enemy wants to feed us daily–when God wants to uplift us daily. it starts in the mind.  If you are someone that is being weighed down and bombarded with the thoughts then this is for you too. Don’t leave it there. Floating around. Entertaining it…staring at it…rehashing it… keeping it alive… when all it needs to do is flush itself out and be discarded! CAST THOSE THOUGHTS DOWN!!!!

The feelings will then come into alignment with those POSITIVE thoughts. It is time to renew folks–renew our mind so that our ways of life become healthy. So that we can have the victory.  This “Renew” book reminded me to go to God first–to ask Him to reveal the “big” lie–so that all the little “reminders” trying to attach itself to the great big lie can be dealt with and discarded.

What’s the big lie for you? Identify that and use FORCE to cast it down.  Make it obey Christ –Make it obey His word. Wash yourself now–not with wipes but the water that comes gushing from His word.  That is your life source now and always. To cast is to use force folks! It is to use much effort… to destroy and to tear down. It is work! It is a daily and consistent job! That job belongs to no man but yourself.

More to follow on Renewing The Mind….. stay tuned folks.  My writers block has been SEVERED!!!!! Praise D Lord as Grandma Nelly says! Love her.  LOL

Let’s live again…laugh again…. love again… the right way.  Discard every negative thought and begin to love the God that created such a beautiful unique version of YOU! ❤

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:4-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

With love,

Christina

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]
1 Peter 5:8-9 AMP

Are we really always mindful of where the attacks are meant to hit the hardest?

• Mind
• Heart

These attacks in the mind feel like a strong chemical imbalance.  It’s too much.

This trip—is going to be good for you. Sometimes you have to get out of your current place—changes the scenery.  It is helpful.  You need that break; need that runaway and to be around your sisters in Christ.  This will be rejuvenating for you.

Don’t think that you are chemically imbalanced at all. It is not a result to medicine. From a natural standpoint there are things that release those chemicals that make us happy. Dopamine is what will promote happiness like exercise; dark chocolate and more.

Just started a devotional – “Detox Your Soul” and the topic is THOUGHTS!

We have these toxic thoughts—to be able to overcome toxic thoughts, we need to be able to identify them so that we can then reject them.

Looked up scripture reference–2 Corinthians 10 on casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity!

God has to help us and fight that fight with us. Because the mind is such a battle.

Ephesians 6 is another reference on putting on the armor of God.

I recently did a lesson with the youth—but instead of talking about arrows I talked about bullets to make this more relevant to our modern times. I took the Bullet example—drew the outline of the person board from the shooting range places and then explained how vital it is to not get injured in your heart or your mind.

If your heart gets shot—your likeliness of staying alive is close to none.

If your head gets shot (same thing)—chances of survival are close to none.

The brains cell don’t reproduce and that’s why brain injuries are so fatal! People go brain dead and coming back is like no chance in the natural (same with the spine). Spiritual same thing –you get hit in this area or this area your dead.

Spiritually you get hit in this area (heart) or that area (mind), because they are such vital organs you can’t afford to be injured there.  Cells go—not much of a survival chance—which is why the enemy goes after the mind and the heart. This is why protecting the mind and protecting the heart are so important.

Also, it’s better for a bullet to go completely through then to get stuck inside and the reason for that is if a bullet gets stuck inside it does something in your body that it is likely to affect the surrounding organs. It is better if the bullet goes straight through and it didn’t stay in there.

Using this source:  https://health.howstuffworks.com/
A bullet that passes through the body (creating an exit wound) generally will cause less damage than one which stays in the body, because a bullet that stays in the body transfers all of its kinetic energy (and ensures maximum damage of tissue). This is the aim of most modern ballistic design. Jacketed bullets are designed to fragment after impact, dividing their destructive power. Hollow-point and soft bullets are designed to flatten and spread, creating a wider area for their tracks and increasing the damage caused by shock waves and cavitation.

So with our thoughts– it is so much better for it to just go in and right out because if we leave it in there with the impact, it starts to affect the things around it and starts to make our condition worse!

With Bullets—if you get shot, what makes somebody live? The will to live helps us. For someone that wants to live; a fighter; this plays a big role.

Think about it spiritually. The important thing is that the thoughts go in and out. We don’t let it stay in there –because that is going to affect our condition more. Just like the bullet.  The things go in and they go right out.  Don’t even entertain it.

Just like the relapse blog on being rebuilt we discover that there is something wrong. We went on this journey and somewhere along the line we messed up. Somewhere along the line– something went wrong. Before something didn’t work—there was a piece that was being rebuilt and then something happened along the way. I have to be rebuilt again and again.  That is because there was something that got rebuilt that wasn’t supposed to be there. There is something that happened along the way that made this process have to start over.

We can get it right.

Thoughts that you have—Do you let it sit there? Or do you MAKE it go through?

We understand that our weapons are mighty in God—to CAST IT DOWN; it is just a constant thing.  We do ask, “Wheres my break? Wheres my rest?” It gets exhausting. But in God He is SUPER-natural, we don’t go dead in any capacity– the mind CAN be renewed! OUR BRAINS CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE EVEN AFTER INJURY!!

This is important–keeping this (our inspiration) is important. Support –keeping that! Prayer –keeping that. It’s important… there our ways if we are going to overcome.  It makes us stronger.

It’s so much harder to fight when you feel like no one is on your side; when your not being catered too; when they are not showing you love; when no one is surprising you or no one is calling you to see how you are doing. It is so you understand –it wasn’t people. There wasn’t something that helped you get through it –it was ONLY God!

So now when I’m through it…I had no crutch—I had no Band-Aid –you had no bandages that helped your healing. Bandages look like your healed but when you take it off it is still not healed. When you take it off—no bandage—raw…nothing covering it.

You did it raw with no medicine, no epidural; you did it raw with no fix.

This is a Spiritual Battle to Fight!
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6

The Whole Armor of God!
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:10-18

Note–these are ALL Kristen Rabadi’s bullet points! Thank you for sharing these words.

With Love,

Christina