Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath for of what account is he? Is. 2:22

How subtle the many forms of “regarding” man” that infiltrate our hearts and minds. A very common counseling issue – regarding man, and by that I don’t mean man necessarily in the male version but rather – man as in people.

We regard people.

We value too highly or too significantly the thoughts, opinions and reactions of others.

What will others think?

What will others say?

What kinds of things do you do in light of your regard for people?

Another name for regarding man is fear of man and we are told in Scripture that we should not fear man.

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. Proverbs 29:25

Even in Isaiah 2:22, we are warned to stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

In other words, he is a mere man so don’t put too much value on his thoughts, opinions or reactions. After all He is NOT God Whose thoughts, opinions and reactions we must regard, we must consider, we must pursue.

Oh, to be free of the opinion of others.

May that be true in your life today.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 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.

http://www.americaskeswick.org/christian-events/special-events/anniversary-banquets

Oh, how I love to read the Word and then be still. Today I want to invite you to allow the Holy Spirit to create a devotional just for you.

First, I would encourage you to ask the Lord to cleanse your heart and your mind. Confess any sin He may reveal to you, be forgiven by His grace and allow Him to set you free. Joyfully sing of His forgiveness and praise His Holy Name! (Psalm 51) Next invite the Holy Spirit to open your ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying as you read and meditate upon each of the following scriptures. (Mark 4:9, 20, 23, 25a)

Finally write down whatever you believe the Spirit of God is saying, and pray.

Psalm 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (NASB)

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (NASB)

Isaiah 26:3
The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. (NASB)

James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. (NASB)

Blessings,
Patricia L. Wenzel
Women of Character Graduate

http://www.americaskeswick.org/christian-events/special-events/anniversary-banquets

My family and I are in the midst of trying times. As we deal with the daily…moment-by-moment realities of caring for and about a loved one who is very ill, it can be a challenge to find a place of rest and remember to also take care of our own soul.

Our particular familial M.O. is to pretty quickly step into “do” mode. We get moving, going from one thing to the next, so on and so forth, doing the next thing…the next…etc.

All that doing, running to and fro comes fairly easy compared to the resting — the being still that is required to prevent the mental and emotional unraveling that could essentially cripple and render ineffective the true ministry and presence of mind, for the one who needs us most.

One of the reasons being still tends to get put off is because, as soon as we sit still the flood of thoughts rush in regarding all the “what ifs” and the “what abouts”. Thoughts which are quickly followed by waves of emotion that overwhelms and threaten to undo the soul of its peace.

In those moments the Word of God comes alive in our mind, pushing aside all the thoughts that assail, instantly bringing a level of peace and calm to our spirits.

Here are just a few verses for soul peace and comfort:
“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”.~~Psalm 4:8. Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 23:1-6, Philippians 4:6-7

Stephanie Paul

Stephanie serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

1 http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/rest-bible-verses/

Recently I was reading through some notes that I took last year when Leslie Vernick came to speak at America’s Keswick, and I was reminded of her fantastic teaching that weekend. I wanted to pass along this tidbit because I think many of us struggle with the hectic busy pace of our lives. We live with a full plate, packed schedules and very little down time.

Any misrepresentation of what Leslie shared in November is entirely my fault – I am sharing from my own notes of her message.

Slow down – we must learn to slow down. We believe the lie that if we are really busy we must be dong something important – maybe even BE important.

Maybe the lie we believe is that the busier I am at church the godlier I am.

Chronic busyness is a mark of self-importance.

I think some of us need to read that again. Chronic busyness is a mark of self-importance.

People who slow us down become our enemy.

We thing that if we are busy we have a meaningful life but that is just an illusion.

Leslie offered these practical steps:
1. Refuse to hurry. Live with a margin. When I hurry through my day, I am bowing to the god of productivity.
2. Learn to savor the moment. Be present. That requires that we are not thinking about the last thing, the next thing or the possible thing.
3. Each day God brings beauty and meaning into my life. Am I taking time to notice?

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God Ps 42:1

Presence is more important to God than productivity.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 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.

One of my faith sisters, Liz Curtis Higgs, wrote:
“I love to make lists, set goals, and plan my days… It feels so good when we finish a task and check it off. Done.

But lately, God has been showing me that Real Life isn’t about to-do lists. It’s about breathing. It’s about embracing what Christ has already accomplished. It’s about freedom. It’s about being motivated by God’s love, instead of by man’s expectations. It’s about experiencing a genuine revival of our child-like faith.

Revival literally means “restored to life.” Life with a capital “L”. Life the way it’s meant to be.

Revival is why Jesus came to earth, and made His home in our hearts. “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

And revival is what the Women of Faith team prays for when they walk through the back door of an arena, and you walk through the front. Help us all, Lord Jesus. Teach us how to “take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19).

Here’s the tricky part: we need both hands to grab onto that kind of Life. When our hands are full and our calendars as well, we haven’t allowed room for God to fill us with His Spirit. We’re living and breathing, but not really alive in Christ…This season I’m learning to cross things off my to-do list. Not because I’ve already done them, but because I don’t need to do them. Amazing what a little white space on a calendar page can do for our spiritual growth.

We can look up with expectation. We can look forward with a sense of peace. We can breathe again.
Restore us, O God —Psalm 80:3”

I realize that many of us are being ruled by the list and all the things we HAVE to get done yet NEVER seem to really accomplish.

In the stage of life, space and time I currently occupy, I’m keenly and profoundly aware that I have wasted time doing much too much of everything and nothing.

Watching a loved one’s health decline is a sobering thing. So much feeling and thinking occur. I have questions that have no answers. I have emotions with no outlet. I have “stuff” to do that isn’t getting done. That’s why my recent reading is impacting my mind and heart so strongly. I want and need to breathe and what I know for sure is I am not alone.

Dear ones, let’s pause today and breathe. That’s right: inhale…exhale…do it again. Lift your hands and arms toward heaven; open your mouth wide and ask Abba for whatever it is that you need for a revived and restored soul. It may just be that He will direct you to shove some stuff off your to-do list, and then direct you to set yourself down and allow His Spirit to speak. Will you hear? Will you listen? Will you obey?

Stephanie Paul

Stephanie serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

1 http://www.womenoffaith.com/2014/07/learning-breathe/

If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior you have been blessed with a whole new identity. You are among the chosen, a person who is now counted among God’s very own. You have been called out of darkness and into the light of truth. God sees you and has a plan for your life, which is to prosper you with a hope and a future. (1 Peter 2:9)

Let us give thanks for the grace of God. Let us receive His grace. It is so freeing!!

As Christians we want to follow God’s law and live a godly life, but so often we fail. Although we have a new identify in Christ, our sin nature is still with us. Paul, author of many of the books of the Bible, understood the challenge. He writes: “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.” (Romans 7:19-20)

Dear ones we, not unlike Paul, simply cannot trust our sinful nature. Our sinful nature, despite the law we long to obey, leads to death.

So how can we maintain righteousness?? Give up, humble yourself, let go and let God, and receive His grace!!

By His grace, we are blessed with God’s favor.
“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

By His grace, God gives us the power to do what we cannot do alone.
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

By His grace every blessing is available to you and me. (James 4:6a)
“But He gives a greater grace…”

I will close with this Word of encouragement:
“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Be blessed,
Patricia L. Wenzel
WOC Graduate

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:…the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things – that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:1, 3-5

Previously, I have written about the causes of addiction in women as well as the obstacles to recovery that women face. Today I would like to address how we will set the course for healing through the ministry of Barbara’s Place.

Just as Paul admonished Titus to teach the women to develop their relationship with God and to walk with God through their actions and interaction with the world, our goal at Barbara’s Place will be the same. We desire to help women to love the Lord with all their being and for that love to show forth in their interactions with the fallen world in which they live.

First, we will insure their safety physically and emotionally, by having a female-only staff and a small, safe community for them to reside. We will emphasize Christ, His redemptive work of love and His desire to have a personal relationship with them. That theme will be interwoven in all we do and teach. Our approach will be multi-dimensional, teaching and interacting with the women through individual counseling, small groups, life skills classes, work therapy and job training, as well as community involvement and connection. Based on the needs of the women, we will help them learn how to repair relationships as well as choose healthy relationships and to heal from the scars of previous abusive or unhealthy relationships. Our goal will be to help them be independent of others, but fully dependent on God.

Through teaching and hands-on learning, we will teach the women to run households, raise children and maintain job options in the community, as well as to take care of themselves emotionally and physically.

This will not be a simple or one-step task or event, it will be a part of all we do and how we structure house life. It will require time, effort and lots of love as well as involvement with volunteers and additional mentors. Time-wise, we envision each woman staying between 6-12 months to be outfitted and equipped to live successfully in the world. Graduation will be based on goals achieved and readiness, rather than just a time frame or date. Each woman will be guided through the program based on who they are, where they are going, and their readiness to get there.

We will need your help to do accomplish this task. We need mentors to personally adopt a resident to disciple and love through the program. We need volunteers to share their gifts, talents and training to teach the women new ways to communicate, embrace life, socialize and to help them fill their tool box with skills necessary to journey in this life.
We will also need your prayer support! This is a big endeavor and we will appreciate many hearts supporting us through prayer. And yes, of course, we could also use your financial support as this will increase our overall budget and, like the Colony of Mercy, we will depend on outside resources to fund the program.

I encourage you to ask God how He wants you to help and assist in healing the hearts and lives of women in bondage to addictions. Our website will give more information on how to help, or you can e-mail me at ljahns@americaskeswick.org to volunteer your assistance. I thank you for your support and prayers.

Lynne Jahns
Barbara’s Place Program Director

Recently, I was reading a blog written by Linda McCullough Moore. She was sharing some words of wisdom that had been spoken to her:

She began by saying that we will all die with to-do lists. She noted that our lists seem only to grow, never to shrink. And so, her wisdom was this:

“Accept the fact that your to-do list will never be completed, and so, while you are whittling away at it, make relationships the centerpiece of your life.”

This wise woman suggested that we might trade in the frank impossibility of ever finishing a to-do list for the entirely possible endeavor of forming relationships that matter. I may not have her phrasing precisely as she spoke, but I’m quite sure of the meaning.

When it comes to our to-do lists, there is a behavior we persist in without rhyme or reason. With no evidence whatsoever that we can, or will, complete our list of tasks, nevertheless we get up every morning determined to give it just one more try. Every morning. Every day of our lives.

But what if, instead, today we got out of bed and said, “Today while I am nibbling away at my to-do list, I’m going to keep my focus centered on being with God and other people in ways that are loving and important, growing in bonds that will last for time and all eternity”?”

Dear sisters in faith, my reality today is this: apart from a miracle my one and only daughter is not long on the earth. We may have weeks…we may have many months ahead. God alone knows the time we have left to be in relationship with one another.

I’m so keenly aware of this reality that I almost don’t care a wit about anything else. But thankfully/prayerfully grace sustains and keeps my soul and spirit fixed on doing the things I need most and letting go of any and everything that would rob me of precious moments with my beloved.

What about you? Is your living being robbed of meaningful, intentional, deep relationship by the “to-do” list? Pause and ponder on this today. If your list is out of control and you find that you have drifted from keeping the main thing the main thing — STOP! Just stop! Make a decision TODAY to make the to-do of relationship as important as the to-do lists of things really need to get done. Let’s decide to whittle away at the extraneous things and focus our minds, wills and emotions on the main thing: relationship with God and relationship with one another.

“Loving God. Loving each other. And the story never ends.”

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”-Mark 12:30-31

Stephanie Paul

Stephanie serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

http://www.womenoffaith.com/2014/07/simple-little-total-life-evaluation/

“Every word of God proves true, he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Proverbs 30:5

Every time, EVERY time we take God at His word–every time we stand on His word – every time we believe Him and not just believe in Him – every time — He keeps His word. Every word of God proves true.

If there are times it appears otherwise, it is either because we misunderstand or have misinterpreted His word OR He has just not brought it to fulfillment yet.

Too often we take God’s word and apply it to situations or circumstances because we want to believe it – but it was never intended to be applied as WE intend.

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. The solid truth of God’s word is an impenetrable shield behind which we may stand.

To take God at His word, we must know His word. Did you spend time in the word today?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years. She has 2 adult children, 3 grandchildren, 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.

Are you in a place where you feel weighed down? Perhaps you are in a job that you don’t want to be in or a house you don’t want to live in? Do you have a neighbor that annoys you? Did the reading of the will not go the way you expected? Do you find yourself weighed down by your past? Or something you did? Are you in a place where you find yourself believing, “I deserve better than this”?

Are you draining your energy focused on the wrong things?

“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil – this is the gift of God. For he will not remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.” Ecc 5:18-20

There are four words in these 3 verses with the root word JOY. How is it that Solomon speaks of joy and toil in the same sentence? When we understand and believe that God has placed us where He has placed us for His purpose and for His glory, we can start to have a larger picture of our purpose that goes way beyond our four walls.

When we are most occupied with the things of God, the things of earth will pale in comparison. It is God that will occupy us with His joy in our hearts.

Now that is a great occupation.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years. She has 2 adult children, 3 grandchildren, 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.