Day 14: Nourish me, Lord…

Visually, today I am going to share pictures of just a few of the things that “nourish” me.

1. God’s Word nourishes me
2. Walking with Jesus nourishes me
3. Waking every morning to bird songs nourishes me
4. Starting my mornings outside in the fresh air and sunshine nourishes me
5. Enjoying anything that nature provides at the moment nourishes me
6. Essential Oils provide concentrated nourishment for me
7. An apple a day and fresh blueberries in season nourish me
8. Clean eating nourishes me
9. Vibrant color pure food nourishes me
10. Cooking with pure food nourishes me
11. Precious friendships on this journey, called life, nourishes me

Day 14: 9 May 2018

Today’s sermon – crucial for today to dig deeper into God’s word and imprint it on my soul.

Beth Moore Sermons Update May 8, 2018: The Art of Growing Up part 3

The whole sermon was crucial for me, for today. Her whole series on “The Art of Growing Up” has been revealing to me.

NOTES from sermon:

1. All of my lifelong struggles have been preparing me. Sure could have taken a straighter faster path if I would have asked the Lord this one simple question decades ago: “What do you want to accomplish IN me, so you can accomplish it THROUGH me?”
2. If we do not know, down to our marrow, that we are truly loved by our Creator, then we are taken on a journey to help get us there, sometimes a painful journey.
3. One quote I will share here, that needs to be heard in context of the sermon, but I never want to forget this, “Sexuality is a God-intended passenger, but it is a terrible driver.”

Introduction: Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship exercise  – this time, exact lyrics matter.

 SONG: Resurrection – Nicol Sponberg

“I’m at a loss for words, there’s nothing to say
I sit in silence wondering what led me to this place
How did my heart become so lifeless and cold
Where did the passion go?

When all my efforts seem like chasing wind
I’ve used up all my strength and there’s nothing left to give
I’ve lost the feeling and I’m numb to the core
I can’t fake it anymore.

Here I am at the end I’m in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I’ve lost to the world what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again

You speak and all creation falls to its knees
You raise Your hand and calm the waves of the raging sea
You have a way of turning winter to spring
Make something beautiful out of all this suffering

Here I am once again I’m in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I’ve lost to the world what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again

You have a way of turning winter to spring
Make something beautiful out of all this suffering

Here I am at the end I’m in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I’ve lost to the world what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again”

Songwriters: Michael W. Smith / Gloria Gaither / Willam J. Gaither

Resurrection lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group, Mike Curb Music, Fun Attic Music, LLC 

Step 1: Gather

So many thoughts…

Health coaches can alter our credentials, a bit, within the scope of our training and education. We also do not have free reign to make unlawful claims, whether we agree or not. I for one, always stay within the boundaries of the law – except my speeding!!!

For example, the state of Texas no longer allows health coaches to use the word “psychology” in our credentials or our claims unless we are licensed psychologists. So even though that was how I was trained and by whom I was trained (The Institute for the Psychology of Eating) I can no longer use the word “psychology” as a health coach.

The recommendation, from the school I attended, suggested we all use something like, “Mind-Body Eating Coach.” So, I have been using that for the last 6 months. Then yesterday as I was doing this 21-Day Brain Detox, it hit me.

How obvious, I am not an EATING coach, I am a NOURISHMENT coach. Darrrrr!!! I get to laugh at myself on this one. Nourishment is the exact word (for MY coaching); it covers food, supplements, sometimes mainstream medicine, air, water, fire, earth, sunshine, universe and beyond – all as physical and spiritual nourishment.

We all FEEL nourishment from different forms: comfort foods, hugs, a walk in the forest, a smile from a stranger, chatting with a friend (just to name a few).

We all NEED nourishment from different sources: vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, water, safety, love (just to name a few).

We all DESIRE nourishment in different ways: a need to be understood, deep meaningful relationships with humans and relationship with the source of our creation. Finding meaning and purpose for our individual lives and beyond. For me, that relationship is with Jesus, my Creator, my King.

Yesterday when I reached a level in this round of this toxic thought on this 21-Day Brain Detox, I was able to make a huge transition. I was able to maintain rising above the toxic thought long enough to let the word nourishment feed my soul.

And on I went. I rolled with it. I got on the computer and made the changes to the graphics for my business cards. I uploaded them to the printer I use and placed my order for new cards. I was down to my last 10 cards anyway. Done deal. I reserve the right to do something different down the road but for today NOURISHMENT is my deal.

So, this is what it comes down to. I can keep whining. I can keep allowing others to create an evil atmosphere or I can get on with getting on. Been through many rounds of this in my lifetime. Each round seems to get a bit easier to move through the nonsense of this world and back into serving Christ a bit faster.

Jesus was, and is, and always will be a perfect example. There were times that he spoke up and there were times that he shut up, both appropriately placed for eternal purpose, the Kingdom of God.

Spoke up (righteous anger):

“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.’.”  ~ Matthew 21:12-13 NIV

Shut up (not worth the air to spend on non-hearing non-believing people):

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”  ~ Isaiah 53:7 NIV

I also think about the ways that Jesus responded to satan. Jesus responded with questions. He also counteracted satan’s twist on scripture using Old Testament scripture, in the correct context. God’s Word, in correct context, is the end of the argument.

How awesome is that. No matter what the situation, we have the perfect example in Jesus. Everything can be said, or not said, done, or not done, based on God’s word and who God is. It is a choice NOT to react to this world and its nonsense. Each situation might be a bit different, but it is all exactly the same focus, Kingdom of God.

What I do NOT hear from you, Lord: no whining, no gossip, no complaining, no self-pity, no victimization, no martyrdom. You were/are our ultimate martyr and you never took on the role negatively as martyr, ever.  

Step 2: Focused Reflection

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” ~ Revelation 22:1-2 NIV

 Step 3: Journal

“If we are going to walk on water, we are going to have to grow up a bit”  ~ Beth Moore

It takes NOURISHMENT to grow up. Whether through nurturing parents, loving relationships, healthy food, fresh air and sunshine, AND God’s word.

What does this mean to me, right now. Regardless of my personal lack of nourishment from life, I have received an abundance through Christ. I am loved, dearly loved.

Nourished by his healing water to create a life that is specifically for him. A life that has been so filled with miracles galore, nourishment and quenched by living water that I can see the role of not just my healing, but the future healings to come in others.

With blood now flowing through me, oxygen finally reaching vital organs, I am given the opportunity to let the healing of others flow through me, as the Holy Spirit directs. I do NOT possess healing powers. I do possess truth, through God’s Word which has the power to heal.

Step 4: Revisit

It is currently 2:30 p.m. I have watched myself slightly dip into the toxic thought of abandonment by so many. It has only been slight and brief dips, but they are still there.

I was nourished by contact from 4, FOUR, different girlfriends today. That is unheard of in my particular life. Two of them were a mother-daughter combo but you better believe I am counting it as two. I have no right to complain when I get that much nourishment in one day?

Step 5: Active Reach     

Decision:  

For today, no more slight dips into my toxic thought of abandonment. They are so incredibly worthless. They serve the devil, but they do nothing for eternal value. Not today, not ever.

Lord, you have provided, beyond measure, proof that you specifically love me, specifically. You allowed me to tell of your miracles today to someone who saw you in it all. She is a neighbor-friend.

Today you blessed me with a time of story-telling that landed on ears that are so open for you. If I did not feel your abundant love for me, the kind that has deeply nourished my soul, I could not have told the story in the way I did. Thank you for your precious endless love.

You have blessed me with a very special long-term girlfriend who sees your handiwork in all of the 19 years of our friendship. Thank you, Lord, for keeping her in my life regardless of geography. She has always nourished me.

Action:

Focus on nourishment. When I fill my soul with the endless nourishment Jesus has provided, there is no room for the nonsense.

May ALL of you find abundant nourishment from Jesus,

Maribeth Baxter, MBNC (Certified Mind-Body Nourishment Coach)

Do your own 21-Day Brain Detox, by Dr. Caroline Leaf, Christian neuroscientist.

Find out about Dr. Caroline Leaf, a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology. … She frequently lectures to both Christian and secular audiences worldwide, linking scientific principles of the brain to spiritual, intellectual and emotional issues in simple and practical … Dr. Caroline Leaf

75% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. It’s an epidemic of toxic emotions. The average person has over 30,000 thoughts a day. Through an uncontrolled thought life, we create the conditions for illness; we make … Dr. Caroline Leaf