Author: casualchef

3.18.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.13.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
Romans 5:6-11
How do you think the attitudes of believers would change if they truly recognized salvation as the source of their joy?:
We would become more Faithful. Joy is Internal happiness. It is generated from inside of us. If we are Faithful and Listen, God will bless us with Joy. Joy will abound within us.

3.17.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.13.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
Isaiah 25:1
Take time to write out why God is praiseworthy and all that I am thankful for:
God is good, all the time. He is faithful to us with his promise. If you look and listen, he is everywhere, as long as you pay attention.
He rewards faithfulness with blessing.

3.16.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.12.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
Psalm 1:1-8
How have you found Happiness in God?
To get myself straight, I had to define Joy vs Happiness.
Joy is internal, Happiness is external. We are joyful because of something inside of us. We are happy because something made us happy.
Happiness for me is seeing PS. Its good friends and family. It is intentional prayer. It is external fun, a party, wedding, good time.

3.15.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.12.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
John 20:1-8 and Luke 24:13-25
What are the mental pictures that come to mind when you hear the word Joy?
Happiness, Kids Laughing, Parents and Grandparents, Health, Weddings.
[[4.13 Update]] Joy is generated internally, given by God. Joy is because of something inside of us. It comes from the Heart (the moral center, not emotional center, in this case Heart = Soul)

3.14.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.13.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
What is one way your perspective on suffering has shifted?
I need to be more mindful of suffering, allow it to sink in, and turn to God in prayer about it. Lean into Him.
[[4.13 Update]] The situation with PS is a perfect example. I tend to deal with these situations (and currently am doing this) logically, and through my mind. I need to lean into God and Trust that He knows why and what to do. This is a struggle for me.

Identify an area in your life in which you could apply something you learned about suffering?
I need to lean into God when I am suffering. I need to rely on Him for guidance . I tend to solve my own issues, think my way out, but I need to allow Him to work within and through me.

Which aspect of suffering (Pain/Loss, Hardship/Struggle, Darkness, Perseverance) are you committed to working on right now?
Darkness and Perseverance (Grief) are what I need to work on. I need to better see the light by leaning into God.
[[4.13 Update]] Suffering is key for me also… I do not understand it. I need to work on it

3.13.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.13.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
James 1:2-4
When was the last time you experienced grief? How did God help you through it?:
Grief is not something I have a lot of experience with. I tend to be very upbeat and positive. I do not let a lot get in the way. That maybe part of my Journey though. Maybe I need to experience Grief, Pain, Loss in order to find Sacrifice and Surrender.
Do not get me wrong, I feel bad at times, I feel loss. But I pull myself up and move on quickly. I do not dwell on things.
I feel as though maybe I need to allow that pain and loss, Grief, to sit for a bit.
[[4.13 Update]] A VERY important person just stepped out of my life – PS. She is moving back toward family and I am extremely happy for her, but there is incredible loss related to that. She and I were CLOSE, very Close. We had a rough couple of weeks, and she needs to do what is right for her and move.
I have experienced Loss and Grief related to a relationship, but this one is different, as we both knew God put us together for some reason. Our connection was amazing when we were connecting. Bad/Damaging to each of us when we were not connecting. I believed we were together for long term reasons, but short term, def for each of us to work on compatibility. 10-12 weeks of time with her and its over. Remain friends? Likely, but it will not be the same without the every morning and night txt, without the 2-5hr phone calls most nights.
I believe this is part of my Suffering, Grief, that I need to experience, and frankly it sucks.
Will I Persevere? Of course I will. (situation still sucks though hah)

3.12.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.13.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
Matthew 27:45-54, John 1:4-5
Reflect on a time when you experienced a greater sense of Light after passing through a season of Darkness. Consider whether you would take the idea of “light” for granted if you did not know “darkness”:
2009/2010 and 2014/2015 were periods of Darkness for me. My bankruptcy and BW’s attack and recovery. Both crushing at the time in their weight and darkness. I have described in some detail both above (though I admit I have not gone back and read what I typed above, as I do not want to “correct” things and make them “nicer” as this is meant to be sort of gut level stuff.)
The BK was a personal darkness, while BW was a family/shared darkness.
I am good at seeing the “Light at the End of the Tunnel”, I am generally a positive driven person, I have episodes of negative thought or action, but on the whole a positive person. The BK was a lot harder to see the light, as I was personally depressed and defeated. But ultimately, I pulled myself out of it, my self preservation and history of being a driven and confident person, would not allow me to stay down. I came roaring back. The HVAC/Chimney company, then moving into the RV Industry as a recruiter, 6ish months into that taking over the Collision/Insurance Depart, and then a year later running five dealerships as the Director of Fixed Operations. An industry I had never been in, 3ish years to running five dealerships? Since then I gained a reputation as a Fixed Ops Troubleshooter. Hired by two other RV Companies to fix individual dealerships and now being recruited by two consulting companies to be a Fixed Ops Specialist.
Since 2013 and the HVAC company my pay and responsibility has gone up by over 300%. Light is there, you have to be willing to see it, work toward it, allow God to help and pray for guidance. 2013 to 2018 were likely my most Faithful years. I need to change that and make TODAY my new start and be more Faithful. And everyday after the Most Faithful day.

3.11.21
[[Reposted and some updates on 4.13.21 as I turn these into individual blog posts]]
John 11:25-26
What hardship or struggle are you dealing with right now? Write out a prayer giving it to God and laying it at the foot of the cross:
My current struggle is getting back on His Path. While I have never strayed that far, I have never really fully followed it. I have always lived my life doing what I know to be best, what I believed to be best, how “I” thought He wanted me to do things. What I was missing was His Will in it. He would point me in a direction and I would go… but I then took the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc steps on my own. THAT SAID, I fully believe in Free Will, there are times that God expects us to act on our own, with his Guidance at some level. BUT when he lays out a path or direction and does not clearly tell you to go at it, then you have to learn to Wait and Listen. I have not been very good at that.
The Struggle for me is Waiting, Listening, having Faith, Patients.
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, please open my heart and fill me with your Spirit. Help to discipline me to learn to Wait and Listen. To follow your Guidance and stay on your path. My mind often gets in the way, you have blessed me with my natural talents, but I need to lean on you for Guidance in how to proceed and use them. Help to open my heart and give me the patients to wait in Your word. Amen.”