Cherished Magazine August 2015

August 2015

ST OP FEA R FROM H OLDI NG YOU BA CK JOURNAL PAST YOUR PROBLEMS

Let t ing Lif e Be EASY! Th e

source of my

happiness

CherishedMagazine.com

2 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

features

The Source of M y H appiness The Beach Chair

6

19

departments I f we had coffee...

17

25 Cherished Style Journal Past Your Problems

36

46 27

Letting life Be Easy

Stop Fear from H olding you Back

40 August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 3

13

As I sit on my back porch, laptop perched on my lap and as I sip my hot cup of coffee, this thought came to my mind: To d a y is a n e w d a y .

It was one of those mornings as I was beginning to stir awake when my thoughts decided to wander to all those things I didn't do over the last few weeks. Actually since I didn't put an immediate end to this bashing, it started to spin out of control to things I hadn't done this past year and more! "Not good enough" bombs were being set off in my brain.

What about you sweet lady? Do you have days where you are plain mean to yourself? Do you know someone with "not good enough" bombs being set off in their brains?

It had to stop. I got my coffee, sat in my favorite spot to curl up with my Bible and journal and I fixed my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I thought about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8) T O D AY I S A NE W D AY! Better

yet

T O D AY

IS

A

NE W

D AY

WO R T HY O F P R AI S E ! You are cherished!

Sh er y l

4 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

By Grow Bloom Inspire Co Editor in Chief Sheryl Siler Advertising Adam Siler Contributing Writers Kristen Clark, Crystal Tingle, Cheryl Townsely, Rebecca Mclellan Sheryl Lynn Siler Views expressed in CherishedMagazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the staff to ensure accuracy of the publication content. We do not guarantee the absence of errors or omissions. No responsibility can be assumed. Š CherishedMagazine.

Š GrowBloomInspire Co

All rights reserved.

How to reach us Customer care, advertising, subscriptions, renewals, address changes, payments, account information, advertising rates, sponsorship opportunities and inquires: Mail

Phone

84 Jakes Way

Customer Service &

Freeport, FL 32439

Subscriptions: 850-880-6714

Email

info@CherishedMagazine.com

Advertising

Adam@CherishedMagazine.com

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 5

Th e

e c r u so my happi ness of my

by Kristen Clark (Excerpt from Becoming Women of Worth: Stories of Trauma & Triumph)

I could feel the doorknob press against the small of my back as he stumbled toward me. With nowhere to go I wondered if his punch would land on my face this time.

Instead of anger, though, I felt shame in his voice as he mumbled, ?I can?t look at you anymore. I want out.?

It didn?t matter that he called me unspeakable names. Or spent money we didn't have, in spite of the endless collection calls and termination notices.

Or blamed me repeatedly for his poor judgment and immorality.

6 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

His leaving seemed worse than all that.

How dare he! I?m the best thing that?s ever happened to him! He doesn?t get to leave! This cannot be happening!

And yet it did happen and it left me devastated.

Above all, I felt lost.

Who am I if not his wife?

What will become without him?

of

me

I grieved the loss of my marriage while pretending to be okay for my friends and family.

Instead, I criticized, judged, and pointed my finger at his every fault.

The fairy tale ending I had once hoped for now seemed beyond reach, but I didn?t want people to know how tragic this all really was for me.

I kicked him when he was down and remembered his every mistake.

I would have done anything to protect our relationship (no matter how destructive).

I checked up on him, questioned him, and nagged him every single time he came home late.

I searched his wallet and pockets for the proof I needed to validate my suspicions.

No wonder I found myself 40 and divorced.

That was my psychologists codependence.

sickness call

? it

The truth is I only wanted to be someone?s wife and I forced a solution where there was none by marrying a man I had no business being with. I didn?t honor him as my husband or respect him as head of our household. I didn?t encourage him and lift up his spirit. I didn?t take pride in his undertakings.

D-I-V-O-R-C-E-D. The world was already well stocked with bitter divorcees and I certainly didn?t want to become one of ?them.?

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 7

I didn?t want to go through life holding on to grudges and resentments, envious of other people?s successful relationships.

I didn?t want to feel tossed aside like an old shoe no one else had use for.

I didn?t want a label that left people feeling sorry for me. I would have rather died.

But I didn?t die.

Instead, I found solace and comfort in a support group and the help of a professional therapist.

I sought the company of healthy women and I leaned on their strength and happiness.

I relied on the prayers of my church and fellowshipped with people willing to take responsibility for their actions.

I also surrounded myself with examples of whom I aspired to be ? as a woman and a wife.

All of this healing was incredibly

8 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

hard work and required super-human strength.

It meant I coul dn?t st ay in t he depression t hat comf ort ed me.

I couldn?t isolate myself and entertain those weekend pity parties.

I couldn?t stare at every insult and injury and point my finger elsewhere.

I couldn?t heartache.

wallow

in

my

I couldn?t allow my divorce to define me. Instead, I had to stay thankful and hopeful.

How does one stay thankful and hopeful through such devastation, such tragedy?

I listened to a woman share about her own divorce one evening, ?I?ve lived through everything I?ve been through, not because of man?s help but because of God?s help. Today, I?m happy, joyous, and free? thanks to God.?

Her comment sense!

made perfect

My gratitude and joy in life are not because of my relationship with any human being (male or female), but because of my relationship with God. People, places, and things aren?t the source of my joy; God is and I can experience great peace in knowing that with or without a man in my life, I can be content? even joyful because God is all I ever need.

As my peace and contentment grew, so did my confidence and I eventually attracted and married the man of my dreams.

Lawrence is everything I ever wanted in a man, and everything God knew I needed

in a husband. He is the gladness after the mourning, the joy instead of sorrow.

More importantly, Lawrence is my blessing, not my reason for being.

He adds to my quality of existence, but he does not define it.

He is my partner in life, not the center of it.

He brings happiness to my world, but he is not the source of it.

In healing from the devastation of my abusive marriage and divorce I discovered that men aren?t the source of my happiness, God is.

Kristen Clark, award-winning author, speaker, and coach, is a real-life example of someone who conquered low self-esteem by developing confidence as a spiritual mindset. Her articles have appeared in numerous journals and magazines, while her inspirational short stories have been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and other compilation books. A member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, Kristen coaches women in learning to see themselves as God sees them.

Please visit www.HisSideoftheLookingGlass.com more information.

for

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 9

You area women of worth!

10 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 11

Let's Connect . . .

Like Us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us on Pinterest

Add us to Google Plus

12 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

Let t ing Lif e be EASY!

By Cheryl Townsley, Naturopath and Wisdom Coach

Ever wondered why life seem so hard and challenging?

I began to question that belief as I read Matthew 11:28-30. I certainly understood the hard-working and weary part.

But, easy?

As I asked the Lord a simple question, He began to show me His way . . . that simple question was:

Is it possible that God?s way

can be ?EASY?and if so, what in the world would that look like?

My husband and I were both raised with strong work ethics.

We worked hard, had great discipline, so ?easy? was a total mystery. In fact we even argued over the concept.

Weren?t we supposed to train our daughter for hard work?

Didn?t we expect our employees to work hard at their jobs?

How did ?easy?fit into life ~ real life?

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 13

we truly are creating the life we were meant to live!

Def ine Easy

It St art s in Your Head!

EASY is a key perception for our brains.

The first response people have to the word EASY is it takes no effort and that it isn?t hard.

It took me years to discover a definition of EASY from God?s perspective. Once I did, it changed my entire understanding of Matthew 11:30.

Easy is the ?next most useful step!?

Since God orders our steps and makes our path straight, the ?next step? is the most important.

Once we let the ?next step? become simple enough that it looks EASY, our whole being aligns to get it done.

Then we take the next step and the next and before we know it, 14 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

One part of our brain ~ the Reticular Activating System (RAS), is programed to help us handle ?threats?.

The RAS is programmed primarily by the age of 7; it?s interesting to note that at best, a 7-year ol d runs our def aul t st ress syst em!

This means that when our RAS perceives a threat or that something is ?hard?, our stress hormones kick in and default reactions activate without our conscious thinking.

Imagine you are late for work (or an appointment), you can?t find your keys, and the phone is ringing (you get the picture).

REACTIONS kick in.

Those reactions are from the RAS and your body responds accordingly. We can?t find

anything, traffic is slow, we hit red lights, everything just gets harder and harder and we get more and more frustrated!

EASY seems a l ong way away!

When it comes to creating new health/ life strategies, we trigger that same response if we start with a step that the RAS considers to be hard. Learning to slow down and identify the ?next most useful step? allows the learning and creative part of the brain to kick in instead of the stress-responding part of our brain.

The EASY Quest ion Instead of asking ?what should I do?? (See July Issue of Cherish Magazine), ask a question that could change your life forever! ?What is the next most useful step to get me where I?m going??

This simple question connects us to our creativity, calms our breathing, helps us see options and lets our choices be simpler and smaller. It works!

I?ve watched people apply this simple question to weight loss, relational challenges, financial hurdles and even their time with the Lord. It produces FRUIT just like Matthew 11:28-30 promises!

No matter what is going on in your life, KNOW that God has an EASY way! Your brain likes ?EASY?ideas. You can open the door (any time) by asking this simple question. ?What is the next most useful step to get me where I?m going??

Try it and discover!

see

what

you

The journey of life is lined with EASY, useful steps. God does order those steps and He does make our path straight. We can live the life we were created to live and it can be EASY as ?hard? simply creates more stress.

Yes, it does take effort, but it is effort we have the capacity to give!!

Let your life be EASY! August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 15

Seek Wisd om

Ma tthew 11:28-30 Cheryl Townsley coaches women to have real breakthroughs in a real life, especially in the areas of weight loss, inflammation and lifestyle habits. As always, she helps the process be easy and practical!

Cheryl and her family live in The Colorado Springs, Colorado area.

Visit her on Face book at Cheryl Townsley and check out her FREE resources at www.CherylTownsley.com/ FREE.

16 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

We want to know what you would tell your coffee buddy or what you would love your coffee buddy to say to you!

Le t us k now !

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 17

Do you l ike t oday's cof f ee t al k message?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great! Click here and download the graphic!

Use it as a screensaver, print it out and stick it on your mirror or print it on card stock and use it as a card for someone!

18 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

The Beach Chair

by Crystal Tingle

I?m sad it?s almost over because I love summer!

The fact that I live on one the most beautiful white beaches around has nothing to do with it I am sure.

I love that I can pretty much hop in my car and be at the beach nestled in my beach chair within fifteen minutes of my home.

I love that as I sit and run my toes through the silky sugar white sand that I can watch schools of dolphins jumping and playing along the coast in the Emerald Green waters.

and friends that always want to come for a visit to catch up. That has nothing to do with our beautiful beaches either, I am sure. I love all of this ? but I love something more? .

I love something more than even my love of quite times when I can just sit in my chair and silence all the noise that life creates as I listen to the waves gently unfold onto the beach as if coming to say ?Hello! I ?m glad you?re here.?

What love could possibly beat this?

I also love that we have family August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 19

What do I love more than all of these things?? ? Going to the beach when it?s packed with tourist as well as locals? When you have to keep circling the public beach parking lot hoping someone came much earlier and is ready to leave.

I know? you didn?t expect that one did you?

I love it when the beach is so full you can hardly find a place to set your chair up. No, I?m not crazy. I promise. Keep reading cause I know this doesn?t sound like fun to you does it? But I love it! Why? Diversity!

To someone like me fascinated by human behavior regarding lifestyle health and fitness, the beach is a library of research!

It is so interesting to me to watch and observe people.

And that?s really all you can do because you can see them talking and walking by but you can?t really hear what?s being said. Or playing and laughing in the surf, hearing only an occasional scream as a wave 20 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

creeps up and catches them and their sunglasses off guard.

I love to imagine what their everyday lives are like.

What I love most is seeing everyone so vulnerable. I mean let?s face it. Other than the privacy of our home, the beach is probably the only other place where we are the most in our, uhhmm, more ?Garden of Eden? state, some a bit more than others.

But this is where it gets really interesting to me. Coming from someone who has struggled with body image most of my life, I am fascinated with trying to understand how and where true confidence and positive body image originates.

Yes, I know that who I am and am becoming is rooted in my Creator who has told me often that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and not only that but made in HIS image.

My heart knows that but I have to daily remind myself because very often my thoughts don?t agree.

But true health and fitness begins with wellness. And this encompasses body, mind AND spirit.

Thankfully, God has brought me to a place where I no longer compare myself to others but rather, I focus on becoming the best I can be. But what does that look like?

Jesus related to ALL people because He was the embodiment of all? He was ALL to everyone and this is the same fullness within us.

What measurement do I use to define who I am and what is my best?

Is it wholly based on outward appearance? I think God calls us to be healthy and keep our temples in a healthy place so that we will always be ready to say ?Yes Lord, send me.? when He asks, ?Whom shall I send??

But despite knowing what God says about us as women, we often let one dominant adjective solidly define us ? an adjective such as beautiful or fit? .or just the opposite, ugly or overweight.

That?s why I love observing people at the beach.

Why is it some women regardless of body type, shape and size are so comfortable in their skin while in a swimsuit while others find themselves extremely self-conscience?

So much of our society is focused on outward appearance.

It is truly the starting point of how most are measured or measure themselves? initially anyway, bad or good? and that is simply truth.

I have learned to embrace looking into the windows? you know sort of like a ?Peeping Tom?.

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 21

God says the eyes are the windows to the soul. People can tell us whatever they want and can dress to impress but the ?who? behind all of the ?what? and ?why? will eventually be what is truly seen and reflected on the outside.

My a-ha moment was reading over Genesis one day. I imagined that as Adam and Eve realized their nakedness or what they looked like on the outside, they were also acutely aware and realized what they looked like or who they were on the inside.

Their confidence was lost and they were ashamed of their outer appearance.

How they saw themselves on the outside was directly related to how they viewed themselves on the inside! And we are the same.

Without Jesus IN us, there is nothing beautiful in us OR ON us. We are so much more than one adjective with which we clothe our confidence.

22 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

It is obvious to me as I sit in my chair and watch that some have truly learned this? to live by many expressions of who they are, while others live still defined by one, the one that seeks to kill our true worth.

The only ONE that matters defines us as ?complete in His design? YOUnique.?

He says t hat you are so beaut if ul you radiat e.

Phil ippians 2:15 He says you are smart . 1 Corint hians 2:16 He says t hat you have purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 He says you are valuable.

Matthew 10:38-31 He says that you are fun to be around. Psalms 97:11 He says that you are wanted.

Jeremiah 1:5 He says that you are loved. 1 John 4:10

When we allow God to define us with His many attributes, we cannot help but to begin to see the beauty within that begins to radiate OUTside of us.

Yes? this is why I love sitting on a crowded beach in my chair and watching? I love how it forces each one to strip off external value and be exposed, exposed and vulnerable to see what lies within? The beach forces us to a place that says ?

?Here I am ?

All of me?

And I am so much more than what you see? My Potter knows and is still at work? Showing me all the wonderful things that I can be.?

Crystal Tingle, along with her husband of 19 years and 3 boys, has been living in the Destin area since 2005. She is Founder of www.TheFitandHealthyLife.com which is a resource website created to teach and empower women to become the best version of themselves at any age through healthy food and fitness. Her passion to help women grew from her own external as well as internal transformation from frumpy mom to fit mom when she finally learned to stop comparing herself to others and focus on being the best that God created her to be? competing only with herself and all of this happened after 40!

"As women, we tend to compare and compete everyday against one another. I educate and train to empower and encourage instead! It's about sharing our experiences and knowledge to help create an environment of teamwork...where women can learn from each other and begin to embrace and engage lasting changes that lead to becoming the best version of themselves? The FIt and Healthy Life way!"

She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Business Owner and Author.

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 23

Hey Lov el y Ladi es Gi v e a Gi f t Sub scri pti on to Ch eri sh ed M agazi ne Today!

24 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

3 Ideas for Your iCherish Cards: 1. Leave behind on the seats at airline waiting areas..

2. That could go for trains and bus as well.

3. Staying at a hotel? Leave one behind for the cleaning crew.

Subscribe Today HomemakersHut ch.com

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 25

Here's a few cards of encouragement to get you started.

Sponsored by GrowBloomInspire.com

Click the image above to download this month's free printable .pdf file.

We suggest printing on cardstock.

Enjoy!

26 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

JOURN AL

T S PA

YOUR PROBLEMS

By Sh er y l Ly n n Si l er

Writing in a journal can be a great way to figure things out in your mind and no? .I?m not t rying t o add one more t hing t o your ?To Do? l ist .

I have found that when I have a ?problem? I tend to replay it over and over in my mind.

I know I should be ?casting my cares upon Him? but yet I find that I cast it and then pick it right back up.

Yes, worry. Yes, as I said I know I shouldn't worry...at least I recognize it and take a step to stop it!

My secret weapon when I realize I have put myself in a state of worry? I take out my trusty journal.

When I take the time to journal, I notice an immediate relief of all those emotions, feelings & thoughts. Once they are written they stop rattling around in my thoughts.

The worry is gone.

When I write in my journal, they are letters to God. It starts out with some form of ?Dear God?.

T h er e i s s o met h i n g i n c r ed i b l y p er s o n a l abo u t w r it in g a n o t e t o y o u r daddy i n h ea v en .

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 27

I can pray (and I certainly do) but when I take those thoughts and feelings to God by writing them down something happens I can?t quite explain. I want to say it is sort of ?miraculous?.

Anyway, it brings about this totally incredible feeling in the fact that I have shared the good, the bad and the even the ugly with God and by doing so I am certain He understands.

I c a n n o w p ea c ef u l l y t u r n my b r a i n o f f ? t h e w o r r y i s g o n e!

28 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

Then when I pick up my journal a few days later, often I find myself looking at the situation or problem in a new light. I know very cool . . . right?

Perhaps you never have picked up a journal before because you thought it as something you had to do daily or another thing for your ?To Do? list. If that is you, pickup a journal and just write a letter to God about whatever and whenever Just try it. There is not right or wrong way.

Just start writing and j o u r n a l pa s t y o u r pr o bl ems .

M y M om' s Recip e Box Cont r ibut ed by Rebecca M clellan of M ar y and M ar t hasH ouse.com

It was just a plain beige, unadorned box. It didn?t look special at all. It sat on top of the microwave and didn?t attract any attention. You would?ve walked past it and not noticed.

But? ? ? ? .It was filled with vast treasures.

table could be heard. In my mind?s eye I could see the twinkle of the Waterford crystal bowl filled with colorful fruit, that was only used on Christmas morning, catching the light of the chandelier overhead. The sizzle of meat frying filled my ears.

The smells-oh the smells !!!!!

Sweet, cinnamon air rushed out.

And the rich scents of favorite meals seeped into the room.

This plain plastic box was my mother?s recipe box !!!!

When the lid was opened wonderful memories began to wharf out. The sounds of laughter and the murmurs of happy small talk around the

After my mother passed it was the only thing I asked my dad for as a keepsake. And imagine my wonderful surprise when I saw that some of the recipes were still written in my mom?s handwriting!!!

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 29

I knew my mom had purchased an old beat up typewriter at an auction. She brushed up on her 40-year-old typing skills from business class in High School and was in the process of typing out all her recipes. But she hadn?t finished and I was so glad!!!

H ow

p r ecious it

hold

t hose

old

is t o st ained

car d s and see my mom?s w r it ing.

30 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

My mom was a great cook and she had several prize recipes!!!!

Gourmet recipes they were not but when she brought them to family dinners she often had requests for the recipe.

Family members asked for these dishes at holiday dinners.

So today I?m sharing one of my mom?s recipes that is a family favorite.

I?ve put my mom?s precious recipe box on the shelf in the kitchen for now. But sometime soon I will open that plain beige box and let the wonderful memories fill my cooking space again !!!!!

Send Us Your Heartwarming Stories

YOU COULD BE PART OF CHERISHED M AGAZINE?S M ONTHLY COLUM N DESIGNED TO CELEBRATE THE STORIES AND THE M EM ORIES OF YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES M ADE BY THE PEOPLE YOU CHERISH IN YOUR LIFE. Many of us have a few recipes that take us down memory lane. Along with these cherished recipes there are also many heartwarming stories that go beyond the recipes ? please be part of Cherished Magazine.

Do you have a cherished family recipe passed down through Mom, Grandma, a Great Aunt or a friend that you?d like to share? If yes, we would love to hear from you.

Click her e t o shar e y our st or y !

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 31

Gr and ma Joy ce' s Sw eet Pot at o Biscuit s I think the first time I remember these biscuits was at a family gathering--I think it was an engagement party. I'm sure I probably had them a bunch of times when I was younger..but this time I was older with a family of my own and holding my own potlucks and gatherings.

I knew I wanted the recipe immediately. I wish I still had it in Grandma's handwriting but somehow a box got lost in a move. I did, however, retrieve it from another relative.

I love making these biscuits for showers especially and every time I make them I remember the smile on Grandma's face at that potluck supper when I asked for recipe. I really think she enjoyed passing it down to another generation.

Ingredient s: 2 packages (1/ 4 ounce each) active dry yeast 1/ 4 cup warm water (110째 - 115째) 2 cups warm buttermilk (110째 - 115째) 5 cups all-purpose flour 1/ 3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda1 cup shortening Melted butter 32 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

Direct ions In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

Let stand 5 minutes.

Stir in warm buttermilk; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in yeast mixture.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 3-4 times.

Roll out to 1/ 2-in. thickness; cut with a 2-1/ 2-in. round biscuit cutter.

Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets.

Cover with kitchen towels and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/ 2 hours.

Bake at 450° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Lightly brush tops with melted butter.

Makes about: 2-1/ 2 dozen.

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 33

Whenmakingmeatloaf, sausage, or meatballs, takea small chunk of your mixtureand fry it ina skillet and taste. Adjust seasoninglevelsinthemixture accordingly. That way youknowit isgreat before cookingthewholebatch. - Aunt Emma r t w o in o in k p a n a Put The absol ut e best way t o h y our t he b ag w it cl ean cast i r on pans i s il l last a w it d n a e c let t u scour i ng t hem wi t h used r e g n lo t lo e cof f ee gr ounds. Thi s wor ks h t y m S i t t a P equal l y wel l on st ai nl ess st eel ski l l et s/pot s.

Uncl e Geor ge

Have a great tip to share?

Drop us a note.

34 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

Email Us Your Tip

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 35

G et t h e a c c es s o r ies a t ;

36 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 37

38 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 39

ST OP FEA R FROM H O LDI NG YOU BA CK B y Sh er y l Ly n n Si l er

40 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

I heard a statement recently that went something like this:

Fear is fueled by a lack of knowledge of how much you are l oved and cherished

by God. The best way defuse fear is the let that statement sink in for a little while You are loved and cherished by God.

I once wrote a letter to my younger self for an article in a book.

The assignment was to write about how now that I was ?older? what would I like to tell my ?younger? self.

Great questions right?

Wha t w ou ld y ou t ell y ou r y ou n ger s elf n ow t ha t y ou a r e older ?

Got it? Good.

Now ask yourself this question:

If I kn ew a n d r ea lly believed w it h a ll my hea r t t ha t I a m c her is hed by God w ha t w ou ld I be a f r a id a n d f ea r f u l of ?

The essence of what I told myself in the letter to my younger self was to not be so shy, fearful and afraid!

My younger self was afraid of so many things--speaking to new people, making choices because I may make the wrong ones, and not doing or saying what I felt was right because I had a fear of August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 41

letting people down. A little disclosure: my younger self didn?t know God the way my older self does.

I know if I had the knowledge that I have now about how much I am cherished, I would have made some different choices that could have spared me some pain.

Without the fear of rejection looming over me I believe I would have tried more things and experienced life a bit bolder.

What choices would you have made differently or actions would have taken, if you really knew you were cherished by God?

42 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

Well, we can?t go back into the past and change anything, but we can make the choice that starting today, we are going to look at everything we do and the choices we make through a filter of

?I A M CHER ISHED?.

Let?s get rid of the filter of shame and guilt and worry.

Let?s put on the filter of I am cherished?

What choices are you facing right now?

Does being armed with the truth that God wants to hold and treat you as a dear treasure, that He feels great love for you and He wants to show His great tenderness toward you make a difference in your confidence?

just a little bit (or a lot bit) scary. I know He is holding me close.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.? ?

Jeremiah 31:3, NIV

I know for me that looking at things through that filter of being cherished helps me to step out and to do thing that are

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 43

M ak e a ch o i ce..

Tak e a 2 1 d ay j o u r n ey t o p o si t i v e t h i n k i n g a b et t er at t i t u d e an d a h ap p i er y o u

Click Here to Order 44 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

AN OLD FRI END I met an old friend at thebeach today.

For years I 'vethought shehad moved away.

I found her thereburied in thesand.

I helped her up, I gaveher my hand.

And as shearoseI could see That shenever thought shewould ever seeme.

Shewas covered with guilt and despair Therewas pain and frustration tangled in her hair.

Hateand anger wereholding her tight and in her eyes I saw worry and fright.

As thesun set I dropped to oneknee Prayed to God to set her free.

I heard thewaves break and I felt thewind I n that instanceshewas freeagain.

Theguilt and despair just flew away And likea child shestarted to play.

Pain and frustration could no longer hang around So her hair hung beautiful, shiny and brown.

Hateand anger they too flew away Taking worry and fright that wonderful day.

I smiled and took her hand Carol Blackburn is a freelance writer and poet. She says she Wewalke as one sand. never d aspired to through be a writer the but God chose her to write this book. She gives all the credit to God for the contents. This is When you open your heart to God, I t's true her first book but she hopes to write more. Carol was born in butbe lives in Santa You will Northern surely Kentucky find the st part of Rosa you Beach, !!! Florida, near the beach, where she has been inspired to write several of her poems.

Carol Blackburn copyright 2003 August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 45

Let 's have a quick chat about . . .

Becoming Women of Wort h: St ories of Hope & Fait h Aut hor - Krist en Clark

Buy from Amazon

Feat uring t rue st ories by amazing women, including Cherished Magazine's Edit or-in-Chief , Sheryl Lynn Siler, t his unique collect ion delves int o t he st ruggles of divorce, addict ion, adopt ion, weight loss, pornography, and ot her lif e challenges, while celebrat ing t he divine healing of God. This compilat ion of provocat ive st ories cut s across age, race, and experience, and speaks powerf ully t o women in search of t heir value as Daught ers of a King. Discover who you are ? and Whose you are ? in t he journeys present ed here and break f ree f rom every st rong-hold t hat t ries t o keep you down.

46 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

3 p o T Our 1. Then I f elt

more guilt when I had t hought s when I had t hought s of leaving. I would hear "you married f or bet t er or worse", t his is t he 'worse' you have t o st ay.

Sheryl Siler 2. I didn't like what I saw--gray hair, wrinkles and an ext ra chin -- weaknesses, mist akes and f ailures--not hing wort hwhile. Karen Jordan 3.. Only in t he coldest , most desolat e, dif f icult 'wint ers' of my lif e did I act ually what it means t o hope. Pat t i Tingen From Becoming Women of Wort h St ories of Hope and Fait h, AMERICAN MUTT PRESS; 1 EDITION (NOVEMBER 28, 2014)

What a lie! My misguided at t empt t o underst and God's word landed me in a minef ield of generat ional gunk. Bet h Pat ch August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 47

Click to order

Click to order

Click to order 48 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com

I amcaptivatedbymylife!

Everyt hing I do enriches my lif e. Each of my act ivit ies delight s me.

Being surrounded by people I love, who also love me, is f ulf illing and brings f eelings of deep satisf action. In t hese sit uat ions, I am once again capt ivat ed by my own lif e.

Today, I ref lect on my lif e and appreciat e how it cont inually brings me joy and delight , capt ivat ing me wit h it s t hrills.

What part s of my lif e bring joy, f ascinat ion and delight ?

What aspect s of my lif e bring me down?

August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com | 49

From July 2015 Issue - Click Here

50 | August 2015 - CherishedMagazine.com