From Above!
An Online Ministry for the Men of CLF
When we venture into the world to earn a living, we all face our own unique set of challenges. As you can see, my office has a great view! But some days are more challenging than others. Long days away from home, weekly hotel stays, continuous jetlag and stress are some of the challenges we face in the travel industry. As men, sometimes our life is not aligning with our testimony...what people see on the outside is far from the feelings and emotions we are experiencing on the inside...
Friday, March 24, 2006
Depression....
Martin Luther said, reflecting on his long struggle with depression, that "trying to get yourself out of a depression is like trying to pull yourself out of quicksand by pulling on your own hair".
Can you relate? Those of us who have experienced a life time struggle against this silent enemy know the truth of this statement by Dr. Luther. Depression has been a part of my life since I was a teenager, and I remember well that slow slide into a cloudy state if inner nausea. Certain activities and times of change lessen the nagging emotions, but they soon return. Working in aviation has made it difficult to manage this malady...Loneliness, sleepless working nights, high stress and the constant unsettling of new surroundings, makes countering the effects of depression difficult. Sound familiar? Millions of men and women daily balance night shifts, child care, illnesses, and critical life events that stress us to our limits.
The Bible says that " the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God", or the knowledge needed to live life is gained by respecting the truth in God's word. Similarly, healing is received through our knowledge of His love toward us....He opens us up with His love, and fills us with Himself... And where He is, their is LIFE. The beginning of healing and restoration is knowing that He loves us exactly as we are, and that His plan is always to make us more like Himself through love and discipline.
Do you know God's love? In our emotional battles, feeling His love can be impossible at times unless God breaks through, but the word tells us that " God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life." Sometime we may trivialize this passage and miss it's true impact...but consider this true story.
Years ago a Mississippi river railroad bridge operator took his young son to work with him. His son was playing in the mechanism of the bridge that raised and lowered it for the passing ships, and then re-positioned it in place for the trains to pass over the river. He lost track of his son, and as the train approached, he notice to his horror, that his son would be be killed if he moved the bridge. His son could not hear his father calling out to him over to noise of the train. The train was full of people and moving quickly, and he had no time to retrieve his son. In a moment of time, he had to decide between the life of his son, and the lives of hundreds of strangers. He chose to give up his son to save to others.
God gave us LIFE though the LIFE of His Son...An agonizing choice that was the ONLY way to save many...Real evidence that we are loved!
Let's take our problems to Him. He promises to be there to heal us or to help us ...Which ever is best in His sight.
Please e-mail cort@clfmayville.org or press "comments" at the bottom of the blogg and we will be here to encourage you.
Blessings.
Can you relate? Those of us who have experienced a life time struggle against this silent enemy know the truth of this statement by Dr. Luther. Depression has been a part of my life since I was a teenager, and I remember well that slow slide into a cloudy state if inner nausea. Certain activities and times of change lessen the nagging emotions, but they soon return. Working in aviation has made it difficult to manage this malady...Loneliness, sleepless working nights, high stress and the constant unsettling of new surroundings, makes countering the effects of depression difficult. Sound familiar? Millions of men and women daily balance night shifts, child care, illnesses, and critical life events that stress us to our limits.
The Bible says that " the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God", or the knowledge needed to live life is gained by respecting the truth in God's word. Similarly, healing is received through our knowledge of His love toward us....He opens us up with His love, and fills us with Himself... And where He is, their is LIFE. The beginning of healing and restoration is knowing that He loves us exactly as we are, and that His plan is always to make us more like Himself through love and discipline.
Do you know God's love? In our emotional battles, feeling His love can be impossible at times unless God breaks through, but the word tells us that " God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life." Sometime we may trivialize this passage and miss it's true impact...but consider this true story.
Years ago a Mississippi river railroad bridge operator took his young son to work with him. His son was playing in the mechanism of the bridge that raised and lowered it for the passing ships, and then re-positioned it in place for the trains to pass over the river. He lost track of his son, and as the train approached, he notice to his horror, that his son would be be killed if he moved the bridge. His son could not hear his father calling out to him over to noise of the train. The train was full of people and moving quickly, and he had no time to retrieve his son. In a moment of time, he had to decide between the life of his son, and the lives of hundreds of strangers. He chose to give up his son to save to others.
God gave us LIFE though the LIFE of His Son...An agonizing choice that was the ONLY way to save many...Real evidence that we are loved!
Let's take our problems to Him. He promises to be there to heal us or to help us ...Which ever is best in His sight.
Please e-mail cort@clfmayville.org or press "comments" at the bottom of the blogg and we will be here to encourage you.
Blessings.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Storms
Storms are a natural event. They sometimes water our crops, or cover the ground with a delightful blanket of snow, or sometimes they are a Katrina, destoying lives and property.
In the late 70's, our nations summer weather seemed less hostile. In the past few years, it seems that the intensity of summer storms has increased, sometimes stretching from Canada to Mexico as high as 50,ooo feet, making them almost impassable. Navigating around large storms requires training and experience in order to avoid aircraft damage and injury to passengers and crew. We develope procedures and skills to survive and learn never to under estimate the power of the weather...the same airmass that supports flight, can also take your life.
If we know that storms are going to come our way, shouldn't we be prepared? Jesus called life's bad storms tribulation. He said we would all suffer tribulaton in this life, but that He would be with us THROUGH the storm. He say's to "take heart"...that He has overcome the world and all it's potential to do harm to our soul, IF... we will trust Him.
Are your in the midst of a storm? Are you suffering a damaged self esteem, a failed marriage, the shame of sin, the fear of failure, an illness, bankruptcy or some other crisis?
Listen to these words from Psalm 46:
Our God is refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.
God Himself lives in that city; IT CAN NOT BE DESTROYED!.
We are safe in the arms of our Creator...even if the natural elements seem to storm against us... He promises us that He is still loving us and looking out for our lives...as only He can!
Keep the faith...
P.S. Note the comment box at the bottom of the Blog...we would love to hear from you.
In the late 70's, our nations summer weather seemed less hostile. In the past few years, it seems that the intensity of summer storms has increased, sometimes stretching from Canada to Mexico as high as 50,ooo feet, making them almost impassable. Navigating around large storms requires training and experience in order to avoid aircraft damage and injury to passengers and crew. We develope procedures and skills to survive and learn never to under estimate the power of the weather...the same airmass that supports flight, can also take your life.
If we know that storms are going to come our way, shouldn't we be prepared? Jesus called life's bad storms tribulation. He said we would all suffer tribulaton in this life, but that He would be with us THROUGH the storm. He say's to "take heart"...that He has overcome the world and all it's potential to do harm to our soul, IF... we will trust Him.
Are your in the midst of a storm? Are you suffering a damaged self esteem, a failed marriage, the shame of sin, the fear of failure, an illness, bankruptcy or some other crisis?
Listen to these words from Psalm 46:
Our God is refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.
God Himself lives in that city; IT CAN NOT BE DESTROYED!.
We are safe in the arms of our Creator...even if the natural elements seem to storm against us... He promises us that He is still loving us and looking out for our lives...as only He can!
Keep the faith...
P.S. Note the comment box at the bottom of the Blog...we would love to hear from you.
