Not too long ago I read Diane Hunt’s Victory Call – “What Am I Holding Onto?” And it caused me to question, “How do I live MY life? IS it MY life to begin with?!”
I believe I found mySELF acting on, “what will make ME happy?”

I have a Bible app on my phone and I signed up for one of the reading plans called Jolt of Joy. I (I) guess I (I) felt I (I) needed some joy in MY life. (I hope you are getting the picture here…of MY SELFishness).

But GOD….time and time again GOD kept showing me as I was reading these devotionals that life is NOT about ME. The way TO joy is not about me….

Another morning I woke up thinking about MY life and my relationship with God and I asked myself this question, “Am I about ME or am I about HIM?” Within moments I was reminded of a familiar acronym for joy.

JOY=Jesus-Others-You

Right away, I thought, “Wait a minute here, is this the order in which I should live MY life?? If so, that means…I have to THINK and CONSIDER Jesus FIRST…then OTHERS….and THEN me??…What??!! I’M pretty far down on the list, don’t ya think?

Hmmm, what does it say I will have if I choose to live MY life in THIS way? Could it possibly be JOY?

Think about it…does a life of SACRIFICE equal a life of JOY?
Tell me, does that make sense?!
NO!!

But then again, God’s ways are NOT our ways; HIS thoughts are not our thoughts.
I feel I need to share and give testimony here that this is TRUE. For the past three to four months there have been things going on in MY life where it has been ever so tempting to just focus on MYSELF-but God!!

Over and over again He has intervened and provided “a friend that sticks closer than a brother” to lead me into close intimacy with my Lord and Savior Jesus!
The result! I’ve decided that no matter what is going on in my life, Jesus will be the calm in the storm, the peace that passes understanding, and the JOY that floods my soul.

JOY equals-Jesus-Others-You!
The cure for SELFishness!….Something to think about.

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” ~ Phil. 2:1-7

Sue Mercer
Women Of Character Graduate

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the production of JONAH at Sight and Sound. Now, I must admit that while I have seen many of the shows there, I was especially interested to see this one because I wanted to know “how are they going to do the whale?” My interest in hearing the story of Jonah (after all, how many times have I heard that story dating all the way back to my Sunday School days – and believe me – that was a really long time ago) was not nearly as great as my interest in THE WHALE. How are they going to show Jonah in the belly of the great fish, the boat being pummeled by the storm, etc., etc.

But what I discovered was that as I reflected on the day, I found myself thinking about how much truth the developers of the show got out of that tiny book. Things that I had read or heard before but presented in a way that made me think of them differently. At one point in the show, one of the characters says something like, “selfishness and pride are like weeds that never stop growing and I guess that Jonah just got tired of pulling them out.” Jonah allowed his pride to provide the fertile “soil” to allow the anger and bitterness and selfishness in his heart to take strong root and keep growing. At some point it became easier to just let the weeds grow up than to ask God to give him the resolve to help him overcome.

Trust me – I get the tired-of-pulling-out-weeds part. I don’t have a big yard, but the small flower beds that I do have give me great pleasure. I have my favorite (and the deer’s) flowers planted – lillies – and truly enjoy seeing them for the two days they bloom before the deer come to my yard, or as they know it, the salad bar. Why the dopey deer eat the flowers and leave the weeds is beyond me (maybe they aren’t so dopey after all). But they do, so I am left to pull out the weeds. And it seems that while the blooms on the flowers fade (or are eaten) the weeds just grow and grow.

And so it is with the weeds of pride and selfishness in my life. They just seem to grow and the more I try to uproot them, the more they grow. Some days it is so hard to beat back my pride that it just seems easier to ignore it and hope that maybe it will go away. Hint – it never does. At least it never does on its own. It is only by constantly asking God to keep reminding me that I have NOTHING to be proud about. All I have, all I am, is because of His great love for me and because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for me.

As we have just gone through the Easter season, I pray that my focus will not be on me – not on what I want or what I do or who I think I am – but on Who He is — our awesome Father — and on His Son, Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost: which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. . .” (Titus 3:5-6).

“To God be the glory, great things He hath done”

Lynn Randall

Lynn is the Director of Human Resources at America’s KESWICK. She is active in her church and is a gifted planner and organizer. She has a real heart for people as evidenced by her care, concern and practical encouragement.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

As I continue to read Proverbs, The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived by Steven Scott, and sit under my pastor’s teaching on James, I am getting hit over the head with information about the tongue. Even this morning my husband called me because he heard a teaching on the radio during his commute. This pastor called the tongue a “Two ounce slab of destruction”. Ouch!

There are many ways I could share with you on this subject but this is what I have been pondering all weekend. This past week I opened Facebook to find a post from a young lady that took me back. This young lady has claimed to have a relationship with Jesus. It has been a few years since we have had much contact but her post was a prediction of her future career from a fortune telling site. The career choice was definitely not a godly business. First of all, why would you even open yourself up to this? Second, why would you participate further? Third, why would you post the results? This is a case in point of the present day “tongue”. It’s not just about what we speak verbally. Social media has opened up a whole new way to blab. Just like the words that come out of our mouths and cannot be retrieved, our “posts” often get us into trouble, and then? Well, those words are just “out there”.

I am afraid that our filters are gone. We no longer have to write letters that would take weeks to be delivered, with deep thought and wise word choices. We no longer have to wait to get home to make a phone call. We can speak whatever is on our minds in seconds. But just because technology has made it quick and easy to “share our minds” doesn’t mean that we should not be filtering our words in whatever fashion we choose to use them.

Here’s another way in which our tongues can be misused. Proverbs 26: 18-19 speaks of a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death. This man deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” Perhaps this young lady’s Facebook post was meant as a joke but I’m not seeing the humor. My husband recently quoted Cary Grant from one of his films where he said “I am at my most serious when I am joking.” Scripture says so much about the tongue. Perhaps we need to be less wordy and when we do speak by phone, email or Facebook, let’s choose to be careful and filter our words and use them wisely.

Blessings,Kathy

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

Ezekiel 15:8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declared the Lord God.

It was early and my cup of tea had not yet completely cleared the cobwebs of a good night’s sleep, so I almost read right past this verse. At first read – I thought it to mean, again, that God was displeased because “they” the Israelites, were rebellious and disobedient, and they were. I’m only in chapter 15 of a 48 chapter book and that fact is abundantly clear. They were a rebellious, hard-hearted people.

But even as I breezed through this verse – my eye and heart caught on the word “faithlessly”, they have acted faithlessly. It caused me to wonder – Scripture says, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Gal 3:11

How, on a daily basis, do I live by faith? How, on a daily basis, do you live by faith? In Frances Chan’s book “Crazy Love” (which I have a love/hate relationship with) he made the following statement. (I know I have recently referred to this quote but I believe it bears repeating.) “Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don’t have to trust God if something unexpected happens – they have their savings account. They don’t need God to help them – they have their retirement plan in place. They don’t genuinely seek out what life God would have them live – they have life figured and mapped out. They don’t depend on God on a daily basis – their refrigerators are full and, for the most part are in good health. The truth is their lives wouldn’t look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.” Pg. 78

Have we structured our lives so we don’t have to live by faith? When was the last time you attempted something greater than you can pull off? When was the last time you gave more than or all you had? When was the last time you shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ inspite of your knocking knees and racing heart? I work at a Christian ministry yet I wonder how much I do daily in my own strength that requires little or no faith. Are you comfortable in your walk? Perhaps it’s time to trade in your sneakers for a pair of flimsy sandals and start following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ living in full dependence on the Father and Spirit. Believe God for more.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years. She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all. She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

I was recently editing a message for Keswick’s new monthly podcast ministry, Discovering Victory, when the speaker said something that caught my attention. I’m paraphrasing but in essence what he said was that when he was younger there were times when being married just wasn’t very convenient for him, it just didn’t fit in with what he wanted to do, or where he was at, so to speak. BUT…regardless of how he “felt,” he was and is committed to his marriage.

It was this comment specifically that caught my attention, he said, “We’re staying together until one of us walks the other to the grave.”

Selah….let us pause and consider that…

and the two are united into one ‘”since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Mark 10:8-9 (NLT)

Dina Seaton

Visit our website http://www.americaskeswick.org and listen to the full podcast messages from March through May featuring Dr. Richard Allen Farmer. His teaching will encourage and inspire you to press toward the goal…

“But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge…” Psalm 141:8

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:18

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2

The gift of sight is precious. The Lord has created the earth with infinite beautiful sights to behold. And in today’s technological age, the sheer volume of what is available for us to look at through TV and the internet boggles the mind. Some are worth a second or even a third glance, and some things should cause us to look the other way. But what are we fixing our eyes on?

The Bible says we should fix our eyes on Jesus. How do we do that? I would suggest that it is a mindset, and a “heart set”. Are we thinking of Him throughout our days? Are we in continuous communication with Him?

What about when we are in the midst of difficult circumstances? Are we fixing our eyes on Him? Or are we preoccupied with the troubles around us?

“‘Come’, He (Jesus) said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt?'” Matthew 14:29-31

As long as Peter had his eyes focused on Jesus, he was doing just fine; in fact, he was actually walking on the water! But as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus and became distracted by the storm around him, he began to sink. How often are we like that? As long as we are looking to Jesus in all things, we are doing well, even in the midst of life’s difficulties. It is when we take our eyes off of our Lord and start looking at the things around us that we start to sink.

Let’s not become distracted by the things of this world, nor by our problems, but rather let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus always, so that, whether we are in calm seas or in the midst of a fierce storm, He will keep us afloat.

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

“I have tried my best to find you – don’t let me wander off from your instructions. I have thought much about your words, and stored them in my heart so that they would hold me back from sin” (Psalm 119:10,11, TLB).

Each time I read the Bible, I marvel at how up-to-date it is. The Bible has perceptive instructions regarding relationships between husband and wife, and between parent and child. It teaches us how to love, comfort, instruct and exhort one another. The Old Testament gives us numerous examples of what family life should and should not be. Proverbs has many practical hints for parents and their children. The New Testament tells us much about the fellowship of believers and the excitement of the Christian life.

When my parents were raising me, basically only one translation of the Bible and only a few commentaries were available. Books on the practical aspects of the Christian life, child-rearing and marriage were scarce. Although I have often found these supplemental books to be helpful (and as an author I am guilty of adding a book or two of my own to the local Christian bookstore shelf), I sometimes wonder if my parents weren’t better off.

I have observed there is a danger when people have so many points of view readily available to them. As in the Bible, when the early Christians became followers of either John the Baptist or Paul, today’s Christians tend to become followers of one writer or speaker, adhering to that person’s theories on evangelism, marriage, divorce, or rearing children. What the Bible has to say often gets lost among our shelves of books and stacks of tapes.

The True Measuring Stick
We can avoid this pitfall if we determine always to use the Bible as our measuring stick. Oswald Chambers states, “It is vastly important to remember that our duty is to fit our doctrines to our Lord Jesus Christ and not to fit our Lord into our doctrines.”i[i]

If we measure the Bible by a theory or an opinion, using the theory as the measuring stick, and the Bible disagrees with the theory, we may be tempted to re-interpret the Bible and conform it to our new theory. That’s dangerous.

For example, I recently heard a well-known radio evangelist explain why he felt there were times when a lie was justified. If admitting you were a Christian might be a threat to your life, he contended, than a lie would be acceptable. He asked, “What would be gained by telling the truth and losing your life?”

His theory doesn’t stand against the book of Daniel. Three Hebrew children willingly risked their lives rather than deny their belief in the God of Israel. Look what was gained by their telling the truth. God not only spared their lives, but an entire nation acknowledged the God of Israel as the only God.

Also, in the New Testament Stephen refused to deny his belief in Christ. In that particular case, God allowed Stephen to die at the hands of an angry mob, but we read that Saul, who was later to become the apostle Paul, witnessed Stephen’s stoning and was very moved.

In both cases, Scripture teaches clearly that we are to tell the truth and leave the outcome to God.

This devotional is an excerpt from Marilyn Heavilin’s new book, Profound Common Sense. The book will be available for purchase this summer.

Marilyn Heavilin
author of Roses In December,
December’s Song
Becoming A Woman of Honor,
When Your Dreams Die,
Grief Is A Family Affair,
I’m Listening, Lord
http://www.marilynheavilin.com
Live so that others may safely follow

i[i] Oswald Chambers, The Best From All His Books (Nashville: Oliver Nelson Publishers, 1987), p.94.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

Anyone who knows Bill Welte knows that he is a voracious reader. He can go through 6 or 7 books a week. He will frequently give me a book he has recently read, which is full of highlights, and ask me to type up everything he has highlighted. He’ll then use that material for Freedom Fighters or sermons. It’s a tedious process, but I really enjoy it because it’s like getting the “Cliff’s Notes” version rather than reading a whole book.

I recently finished typing up his highlights from “Thirsting for God” by Gary Thomas. And there was highlighting on almost every page, so it took me quite some time. I ended up with 43 pages of quotes! As I was typing, certain statements would really jump out at me and I’d think, “I need to spend some time thinking about that. There’s probably a Victory Call in there.”

So, now that I’ve finished the book, I’m going back and re-reading all those quotes.

Here is one that hit me: “Sin’s power needs more than an ‘I’m sorry’ to be defeated. It often needs a plan. I know this sounds awful. It sounds like a lot of work, but growth takes work. Salvation is free, but maturity comes with a price.”

It reminded me of Philippians 2: 12-13: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

We need to figure out where our weak areas are, and then come up with an action plan. Are there places we need to avoid? People we should not spend time with? Activities that are not good for us?

Genuine sorrow over sin and repentance are essential – but to grow as believers requires that we take action to keep from repeating the same sins.

If you knew that there was a giant pothole on a street on your way to work and traffic always backed up there, but you could go a block over to get around it, wouldn’t you go around the block to avoid it? In the same way, we need to find detours around the areas in our lives that trip us up so that we don’t keep on the same cycle of sinning and being sorry.

I need to really examine the areas in my life where I could make some changes in order to take a step or two forward in my spiritual life.

Mr. Thomas goes on to say, “‘That’s just the way I am’ is a confession of sloth, not humility. It’s admitting that we are too spiritually lazy to change, to selfishly indifferent to the way our weaknesses and lack of virtue hurt people. Whether we have a bad temper or an overly indulgent lifestyle, we injure others, weaken our virtues, and grieve our Lord.”

May God give me the grace to stop excusing bad habits and call them what God calls them – sin – and then work to change them through His grace.

Ruth

Ruth Schmidt is on full-time staff at America’s Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

I was traveling down Route 539 when up ahead I saw fog and flashing lights. I recalled getting a message that the Fire Department was doing a controlled burn in the area so I was not concerned about what was happening. I am a bad judge of distances, but I will say that for a mile or more I had to drive through smoke. It was a bit eerie. Finally I passed through the smoke and everything was bright and clear again. My thought was this: is what it will be like to arrive in heaven? After being in this world and then in a split second to be with Jesus; To see all things as they should be; To no longer be caught up in the things of this world? YES!

My next thought was that even here and now I often find myself living in a fog. Dwelling on things I cannot change, not being healthy, disciplined and not tending to things that matter most put me in a fog. I find I can be my own worst enemy rather than living life abundantly. My husband says that I love deeply and when relationships cause me pain I tend to take things really hard. True story! And when I am hurt the “facts” run through my head at 100 mph. Then I load up on sugar which causes an even heavier brain fog. And a vicious cycle goes round and round. To clear up the fog I need to keep things in proper perspective, eat right and exercise. It’s always a struggle for me. But the fact is I do feel better emotionally and physically when I make better choices.

I share this to ask you what can you do today to get yourself free from the fog that wants to consume you? Prayerfully consider what the Lord might have you do. Don’t settle into the fog when you can find clarity and well-being in Jesus Christ, and take steps to take better care of yourself.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s the best place to begin:
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 and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. Philippians 4:6-8

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

I have to request of the Lord to suppress my thoughts, on a daily basis. My mind gets invaded with thoughts that are negative and of the world. At times people have shared their thoughts without being cognitive of the harm it can create. Then the evil takes place, which I am exposed to, and lies are created that are against the word of God.

I pray, even as I begin to pray, I have to discipline my mind “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” 2 Cor.10:5.

In the course of the day, being aware of the negative and worldly thoughts, I find myself putting warnings up, for example: Do Not Enter, Not Allowed to Dwell, Lies are Not Permitted. I thank God for His commandments and wisdom. “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'” Matthew 22:37. The Lord teaches on the things to think on: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things” Phil.4:8.

My Lord, You are the great teacher, Your Word is refreshing to my mind, it is the living water. Silence my thoughts that I be completely attentive to Your Word. “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind” Ephesians 4:23. “Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear, Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So the king will greatly desire your beauty; Because he is your Lord, worship Him” Psalm 45:10-11.

Glory to God!

Sandra Valdes
Staff Member – WOC Graduate