The news was a kick in the gut to Joseph.

The love of his life was pregnant.

What was he supposed to do now?

He didn’t want to disgrace or shame Mary, so he resolved to divorce her quietly.

But that was his plan, not God’s.

As he was considering his situation, an angel came to him in a dream and said, “Joseph do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit”.

The angel revealed God’s plan to him and nudged him to move forward based on truth not fear.

Don’t you wish an angel would show up in your dreams and nudge you in the right direction.

Well, you have something far better

The Holy Spirit lives in you

And he is constantly working in you to turn your fears to faith.

Categories: Emotions/Depression Hope Faith

We humans worry.

About everything.

Food, clothing, shelter, what others think about us, money.

And then we compound our worries with our fears about tomorrow.

Like today doesn’t have enough worries of its own.

Jesus told his followers not to worry or be anxious at all.

He gave a good reason.

Your heavenly Father knows what you need.

And he will care for you just as he cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.

Are you worried today, or anxious about what tomorrow might hold for you?

If so, let me encourage you to look to Jesus, to turn to him and his wonderful promises, and to give him thanks.

This will turn your worry and anxiety to faith and trust.

Categories: Emotions/Depression Faith Hope

The Suicide rate among teens is up 70% in the last several years.

This is a sad statistic.

One research group asked the question why?

The major factor this research group identified was the lack of religious connection among our teens.

They do not have a sense of purpose or meaning.

This tells me that we have lost sight of the relevance and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It’s time for us to engage our youth in the story of Jesus.

And to help them find their place in him where they can experience true meaning and purpose.

So let’s do what we can to help them make a connection, a connection to the love of Jesus Christ.

Categories: Parenting/Children Love Emotions/Depression

Do you know that your emotions can’t tell the difference between fact and fantasy?

It’s true.

Think about the last scary movie you saw. It frightened you didn’t it.

But why. The events you saw on the screen really didn’t happen. But your emotions didn’t know that.

They simply responded to all those scary images you took into your mind through your eyes and ears.

Here is the problem.

We can work ourselves up into an emotional frenzy today simply by thinking of all the bad stuff that may happen to us tomorrow.

But as Jesus said, why worry about tomorrow?

He has promised to take care of you today. And you can count on him to take care of you tomorrow.

That’s truth that will give you joy today.

Categories: Emotions/Depression

Here are four facts to know about your emotions.

They always follow thought.

They have no intellect

They cannot discern between fact and fantasy

They cannot tell the past from the present from the future.

If you think about a past event, your emotions respond as if that event is happening right now.

The same is true when you imagine what might happen in the future.

You think something right now, you feel something right now.

So what is the the solution to emotional problems?

A change in your thinking.

As the Bible says, “don’t be conformed to the pattern of this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Let God’s word change your thinking and your feelings will follow suit.

Categories: Emotions/Depression

Have you ever felt angry? Have you ever experienced jealousy? Do you know why?

Well, the answer is simple.

When you felt the emotion of anger, you were thinking angry thoughts. When you were jealous, you were thinking jealous thoughts.

You see, emotions flow from your thinking.

This is how God designed you. Now you know why the New Testament pays so much attention to your mind. Fill it with truth, and your emotions will follow suit.

And here is the good news. You have the Spirit of God.

Jesus described him as the Spirit of truth and he sent him to live in you to guide you into all truth.

If you want to change the way you feel, trust the Spirt of God to renew your mind with truth, truth that will set you free.

Categories: Emotions/Depression Jesus Christ Holy Spirit

One Sabbath when Jesus was in Nazareth, he went to the Synagogue to read the Scriptures. He read from Isaiah…

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.”

When he finished reading, he sat down and said, today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.

This is Jesus’ work.

He mends broken hearts. He sets captives free. And opens spiritual eyes to see his love and grace.

Is your heart broken today? Do you feel trapped. Are you walking in darkness.

If so, let this Scripture be fulfilled in your life today.

Turn to Jesus and he will mend your broken heart and set you free.

Categories: Hope Identity/Self Image Emotions/Depression

Have you ever wondered why you feel the way that you do?

Where that anger or fear or anxiety came from?

None of us like those emotions.

When they hit us we will do almost anything to feel better.

The real issue is not your feelings. It’s your thinking.

You see, feelings follow thought.

If you’ve ever felt the emotion of jealousy, you did so because you were thinking jealous thoughts.

And your emotions followed suit.

If you want to change how you feel, start by changing your thinking.

And that’s where truth comes in.

Think about those things that are true like God’s never ending love for you, the forgiveness and new life you have in Christ.

When you do your feelings will start to change for the better.

Categories: Emotions/Depression Hope Jesus Christ

In the movie, Bridge of Spies, Tom Hanks played the American lawyer, James Donovan.

Donovan was assigned to represent the Russian spy, Rudolph Abel, during the U-2 spy exchange in the 1960’s.

Abel was in real trouble for his role as a spy. And each time Donovan explained the possible consequences, Abel seemed unfazed by the news.

This seemed odd to Donovan. So he would ask, “Aren’t you worried?”

And each time, Abel answered, “Would it help?’

You and I know the answer. Worry never helps, yet in trying times, it’s seems to be the appropriate response. But it doesn’t help.

But here’s what does — casting all your cares on him, for he cares for you.

Categories: Christian Living Hope Emotions/Depression

Life doesn’t always work out the way we want it to. And when it doesn’t, we start to feel sorry for ourselves.

Disappointment, fear and even anger start to bubble up inside of us.

And If left unchecked, these can afflict us with the “woe is me” syndrome, and soon the pity party begins.

And that’s a dangerous place to be.

Self pity makes all those temptations of the world start looking really good.

And that’s a recipe for disaster. But you don’t have to let self-pity take you there.

Even when life isn’t working out the way you want it to, you have everything you really need in Jesus, the one who loves you and gave himself for you.

Turn your eyes to him and let his joy flood you heart.

Categories: Identity/Self Image Emotions/Depression Jesus Christ