Category Archives: Hurts Habits Hangups™

Stand Strong in the Face of Adversity

Stand Strong in the Face of Adversity 

Burdens into Blessings
Burdens into Blessings

Reflection Prayer 

In reading this list of five guiding principles, please reflect upon the Words of Satisfaction stated in Scripture found in Matthew 7:7; Ask, and It Will Be Given. Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek, and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matt. 7:7). 

As the Holy Spirit within each of us guides us through each day; If we listen we will hear, Jesus is waiting to hear our prayers asking Him for these good things that we want in life, including the strength to face adversity. – Pastor Michael Hanus, Spirit of Peace. 

Matt. 7:7.
Matt. 7:7.

Mental toughness 

Contrary to popular belief, mental toughness is not something you are born with. It is not a luck of the draw sort of thing. That means that everyone can work to improve their fortitude with a little practice and mindfulness when life starts going sideways. Research backs this up. Since the 1960’s, groups like the Beck Institute have pioneered Cognitive Therapy in the hopes of helping people stop negative “automatic thoughts” that impaired their views of themselves, the world, and the future. And the results are clear: everyone can change the way they think and develop mental toughness. 

Five tips for developing your mental toughness in a positive way. 

Set Your Expectations 

Mental toughness is not about avoiding conflict. While you can not control every aspect of your life, you can control how you will react. Act like you have everything under control, and no one will think otherwise. You might wind up even fooling yourself. Know that time is finite and there’s only so much you can do in a certain period of time. By setting realistic expectations for what you can achieve in a given amount of time, you are laying a groundwork for measurable performance and success. 

Strengthen SelfControl 

Do not let your emotions get the best of you. Whether things are going crazy at work or you feel the urge to find comfort in sweets after a trying day, take a moment to step back from the situation. By stepping out of the present, stressful moment and putting it in larger perspective, you can give every crisis its context and respond with a level-headed calmness. By delaying gratification, whether in the form of a cupcake or yelling at someone, you are helping yourself to see difficulty as a setback rather than an insurmountable problem. 

Focus on Yourself 

No matter what you do, you are never going to please everyone. Mentally tough people have mastered the art of focusing on impressing themselves. Love the ensemble you put on but maybe other people can not appreciate your sense of style? Well, those haters are going to hate. They do not matter. You should surround yourself with people who can appreciate you for who you are and the unique traits you have to offer, especially since these people are likely ones you can count on when you feel that your mental toughness is starting to get a little weak. Similarly, do not get down in the dumps by envying other people or being jealous of their success. If you see someone who is doing things with their life you want to achieve too, focus on how you can get there yourself, rather than how that other person reached their goals so easily. 

Silence the Negative Talk 

Whether it is expressing envy over someone else’s success or using negative words to describe yourself, your words have immense power to shape your worldview. Do not let that glass-half-empty viewpoint dominate your thoughts. When you make the effort to see the positive in everything, you will find it was there all along. When you find aspects of yourself or your life that you would like to change, focus on how you can do that and set measurable goals rather than sitting back and accepting your present as your life’s course. Become your biggest advocate and believe in yourself. Others will follow your lead and believe in you too! 

Taylor Swift Shake it Off

Let It Go 

Elsa in Frozen (Disney) had it right. Do not let the past bring you down or be deadweight on your path to success. Everyone has suffered failures and setbacks, but it is the people who learn from their mistakes or face adversity with a measured approach that come up on top. Do not let your past dictate what your present and future should look like. There is no point in lamenting something you can not possibly change. But the present and future is only what you choose to make of it. Make it something amazing! That commitment to the present will build mental toughness in no time.

Elsa Let It Go

Improving your mental toughness takes mindfulness and commitment. It is not easy, but the payoff and rewards are immense. Take charge of your life and withstand adversity like a pro!  – adapted from Paige Turner, theautismsite 

Peace and Joy! in Seeking the Greater Good Within You! 

Pastors Michael and Cathy Hanus, Spirit of Peace 

Sovereign Intervention

Sovereign Intervention in Our Lives

God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Exodus 2:25. 

Barbara grew up under the care of the British government in the 1960s, but when she turned sixteen, she and her newborn son, Simon, became homeless. The state was no longer obligated to provide for her at that age. Barbara wrote to the Queen of England for help and received a response! The Queen compassionately arranged for Barbara to be given a house of her own.

The Queen of England had the right resources to help Barbara, and her compassionate assistance can be seen as a small picture of God’s help. The King of heaven knows all of our needs and sovereignly works out His plans in our lives. As He does, however, He longs for us to come to Him, sharing our needs and other concerns, as part of our loving relationship with Him.

The Israelites brought their need for deliverance to God. They were suffering under the burden of Egyptian slavery and cried out for help. He heard them and remembered His promise: “God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” Exodus 2:25. He instructed Moses to bring liberty to His people and declared that He would once again release them “into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” Exodus 3:8. 

Our King loves it when we come to Him! He wisely provides what we need, not necessarily what we want. Let us rest in His sovereign, loving provision. – Ruth O’Reilly-Smith. Daily Bread. 

Discussion: 

Why is it important for us to bring our needs to God in prayer? 

Focus 

Connect with God 

How can you learn to rest in God’s provision, whatever that may be?

Acceptance 

Peace 

Serenity 

Serenity Prayer 

Serenity Prayer
Serenity Prayer

Reinhold Niebuhr (1934). 

God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. 

Sovereign  Burning Lights 

Chris Tomlin (2013). 

Sovereign

Closing Prayer: 

Loving God, thank You that I can bring my needs to You. Help me to be content in whatever paths and provisions You choose. Amen. 

May Your Spiritual Connectivity with Our Sovereign Lord Bring You Serenity and Acceptance.
Peace and Joy! Pastors Michael and Cathy Hanus

Suicide Prevention in the Missional Community

Spirit of Peace Supports the Community.

We see that a very important concern in the psychosocial health of the community is suicide prevention.

This evening we visited the interesting presentation about how “Talk Saves Lives.”

This is an excellent informative presentation that everyone engaging the community should be interested in

We hope to continue to make a difference in engaging our role in Suicide Prevention in the Missional Community.

Talk Ssves Lives
Talk Ssves Lives

 

Belonging

Belonging 

The Lord who made you and helps you says: “Do not be afraid, my chosen one.” Isaiah 44:2. 

Isaiah 44:1–5; Esther 9–10; Acts 7:1–21

I had been out late the night before, just as I was every Saturday night. Just twenty years old, I was running from God as fast as I could. But suddenly, strangely, I felt compelled to attend the church my dad pastored. I put on my faded jeans, well-worn T-shirt, and unlaced high-tops and drove across town.

I do not recall the sermon Dad preached that day, but I can not forget how delighted he was to see me. With his arm over my shoulder, he introduced me to everyone he saw. “This is my son!” he proudly declared. His joy became a picture of God’s love that has stuck with me all these decades.

You Belong Here
You Belong Here

The imagery of God as loving Father occurs throughout the Bible. In Isaiah 44, the prophet interrupts a series of warnings to proclaim God’s message of family love. “Dear Israel, my chosen one,” he said. “I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children” (vv. 2–3 nlt). Isaiah noted how the response of those descendants would demonstrate family pride. “Some will proudly claim, ‘I belong to the Lord,’” he wrote. “Some will write the Lord’s name on their hands” (v. 5 nlt).

Wayward Israel belonged to God, just as I belonged to my adoptive father. Nothing I could do would ever make him lose his love for me. He gave me a glimpse of our heavenly Father’s love for us. – Tim Gustafson. Daily Bread. 

Heavenly Father, we all come from families that are broken in one way or another. Thank You for loving us in that brokenness and for showing us what real love looks like.

God’s love for us offers us the sense of belonging and identity we all crave.

We Belong 

David Lowen 

Pat Benatar 

We belong to the light, we belong to the thunder 

We belong to the sound of the words we’ve both fallen under 

Whatever we deny or embrace for worse or for better 

We belong, we belong, we belong together…

Nine Signs

Nine Signs You are in an Emotionally Abusive Relationship
Similar to other types of abuse, emotional abusers tend to inflict harm over time. It can be easy to fall for an emotional abuser because, instead of being abusive right away, they will often present their most charming selves, then gradually become more abusive once trust has been built. Psychologist Leanne Donoghue-Tamplin tells The Cheat Sheet this process is referred to as grooming. – Cheat Sheet.

 

Know Eight Before Too Late
Know Eight Before Too Late

 

1. You Feel Bad about Yourself.
A loving, supportive relationship should make you feel good about yourself.

2. Your Partner Says Hurtful Things.
People who use words to wound may resort to outright verbal attacks.

3. Your Partner Lies Frequently.
Lying becomes second nature to emotional abusers. Their main concern is getting their way and staying in control.

4. Your Partner Controls the Relationship.
As the relationship progresses, you will feel like you have no say in what goes on (most likely because you do not). Your opinions are ignored or ridiculed. When it is time to make a major decision, you are not included.

5. Your Partner Screams at You.
An emotional abuser may try to assert authority through screaming. This is one of the ways he or she attempts to assume control. Once the relationship gets to this point, you may have become fearful of the abuse escalating.
Barrie Davenport, author of Signs of Emotional Abuse, says many survivors are so overcome by anxiety that they do nothing.

6. You are Criticized Constantly.
Those who verbally mistreat others may have been mistreated during their formative years. If they do not get professional help in timely manner, they often go on to communicate harshly with partners.

7. Your Partner Minimizes the Abusive Behavior.
If you get the courage to point out the bad behavior, your partner may offer excuses or minimize the severity of the behavior.

8. Your Partner is Manipulative.
An emotionally abusive partner will manipulate you in an attempt to get his or her way. You may be pressured to do things you do not want to do. The emotional abuser will try to make you feel guilty or get angry at you for resisting. He or she may also do or say things that cause you to question your perception of reality or your sanity. This is a technique called gas-lighting.

9. You Blame Yourself.
Donoghue-Tamplin says the self-blame is a result of being trained by the abuser to think they are bad or not valuable.

Risk factors for someone being emotionally abusive include: people who have difficulty identifying or communicating their feelings; people who have difficulty taking responsibility for their actions and tend to blame others for their problems; people with personality or mood disorders; people with a manipulative or sociopathic style; untreated victims of abuse; and people with addictions who are not getting help, seeking recovery, or addressing the consequences of their behavior. – Cheat Sheet. http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/signs-of-an-emotionally-abusive-relationship.html/

What Are Your Choices?
Pray for divine intervention. God wants you to have that which is best for you.
ALE™ Associate, Leave, Educate
Associate with a qualified independent competent mental health professional;
Leave the harmful relationship; or
Educate yourself about the harmful relationship you are in and what you may choose to do about it.
If you choose to stay in your relationship and feel that your issues can be worked out with the help of a mental health professional, one of the first things you will need to do is set boundaries for how you are treated by your partner.
If the behavior continues despite your best efforts, it is time to go.

Qui Tu Es ? Who Are You? Willy William (2016).