Encouraging Words

ENCOURAGING WORDS

Good Night, Sleep Tight

The year 2020 will go down in history as one of the most tumultuous of all time. Pandemic, violence in our streets, political mudslinging, storms out of season, and personal and governmental upheaval in finances are some of the earmarks that will be remembered. New terms, like social distancing, were coined and enforced. Masks became a statement of compliance or rebellion. Speculations and theories were plausible in the most fantastic ways, and travel became a treacherous proposal.

Stress. It surrounded each one even when standing six feet away from another. Fear. It found a new thread of attack with each statistic reported. Financial insecurity. It rocked the core of our hardworking citizens as they fought to make it through the threat without losing everything.

Then, sleep evaded us. While we were worried about our health, we tossed and turned. While we fought for the basic necessities to maintain households, we counted sheep into the thousands. Fearing for our immune systems, we weakened them because our minds were full to overflow, and when the house got quiet those thoughts went on parade.

Quality self-care is all about the brisk walk, a swim on a hot day, reorgabasics. Clean air, quality food, regular nizing the garage or a closet can be the elimination, and enough sleep will keep ticket to keeping it moving. Avoid naps us in fighting condition. With the onduring the day, too. Save any shuteye for slaught of new worries and anxieties this overnight success. year, many weren’t capable of ensuring Medications can interrupt good sleep these crucial components of good living. as well. Let go of that morning coffee and Insomnia set in as we struggled with the limit your alcohol intake if sleep is your emotional roller coaster known as 2020. nemesis. Nicotine can also disrupt body

When the mind is active, it is difficult chemistry and cause unrest. Ask your to sleep. Stress burdens the already busy doctor if there is anything in your health brain by engaging thoughts of fancy. We routine that should be changed. If you imagine possible future catastrophes as have pain from arthritis or trauma, this is we swim in the ones we are dealing with a topic of discussion with your physician today. While dealing with job loss, lay-off, that must be addressed. Sometimes sleep unmet financial commitments, and future is disrupted because of treatable states. uncertainties, the tendency to worry Finally, watch what you eat and once the house is quiet is common. So, drink within three hours of going to what strategies can we employ to minibed. Digestion is a physical mechanism mize this tendency? that demands its own

Insomnia often “While dealing with responses. Don’t start comes from chaos in the mind. Because job loss, lay-off, the machinery before you shut down the facof that, structure and schedule play unmet financial tory. Time your meals and beverages responan important role in fighting the late-night commitments, and sibly, even if that’s never been a problem wandering brain. This is especially future uncertainties, for you before. This crazy calendar year true if your workload has been cut back the tendency to worry has brought with it pressure and stress or discontinued in response to the panonce the house is unlike any other time in your life. What used demic. Set a timetable for your days quiet is common.” to be okay may be a stumbling block to and stick to it. This dreamland now. will help at the end of the day. Crossing Insomnia can be a consequence of things off a to-do list makes a frenzied life’s ups and downs. If your body is mind find closure. Falling into bed after letting you know you’re on overload, take accomplishing assigned items can lead to precautions to alleviate distress. This better sleep. season will pass, but until

COVID-19 has caused some isolation, it does, take good care but it doesn’t have to cause inaction. A and sleep well.

Beth Walsh Stewart is Cofounder of BethWe, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing the stragglers lost in the shadows of the road of life. Best-known for her weekly blogs, regular articles in Vero’s Voice, and workshops aimed to help people live their priorities, Beth is a Biblical Counselor and Professor at New Covenant Bible College in Vero Beach, FL. You can find more of her work at BethWe.com.

ENCOURAGING WORDS CONTINUED

Peace

by Pastor Alex Pappas

Every one of us has a great desire to have peace. The dictionary defines peace as “freedom from disturbance.” I think we all have a desire to not have any disturbances and live a life free from stress.

The real difficult thing to deal with is having peace when we are in the middle of a storm. Can you imagine having peace when you are going through a financial crisis, or while struggling with one of your kids, or when you lose a loved one? Well … this is the peace that the Bible promises us.

The peace the Bible promises us and the peace that the world offers us are two different things. We normally only get peace in the world when things change and get better, whereas the peace that God gives us comes even when we are in the middle of a storm.

Jesus said… Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (NKJV) The peace that comes from God gives you an assurance that no matter what, everything will be okay, and that no matter what, God will get you through it! I have been amazed in my life how I can be in the midst of a crisis, and pray, and this unbelievable supernatural peace, totally abnormal, comes over me when God’s peace shows up and floods my soul.

The Bible teaches us that peace is a result of the kingdom of God. That explains why Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

We need to know God and have a relationship with Him. If we do this and we seek Him, we will see the hand of God in every situation. I’m not saying as Christians we don’t have problems and crises; we most definitely do, but we can have peace during these crises. So go ahead, seek the Lord and you will be amazed to find this wonderful peace that surpasses understanding.

Peace be with you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27 (NKJV)