My Heart to Yours

II Corinthians 1: 3-4 blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the source of every comfort. Who comforts us in every trouble so that we may also be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

I have had Christians ask me why; when we are living for Christ, do we have so many troubles and sorrows. There have been books written on the subject of why bad things happen to good people. If we look through our Bible we will see, just because you are serving God, doesn’t give you a free ticket out of trouble. The advantage we have, as opposed to someone who does not know Christ is, He is right by our side, giving us the necessary tools we need to get to the other side in peace.

You can stand on the shore of a large lake and see the other shore on the far side and all seems peaceful between the two shorelines. You can get in your boat and start across the lake and unexpectedly, a storm hits, and you are tossed with the waves that threaten to send you to the bottom. Life is like that, but Christ told the disciples, “Let us go to the other side”. That very statement tells you that He will make sure that you arrive at your destination in spite of the storms that you may encounter along the way.

Many times in our walk with the Lord, we find our selves in a mess. We can sit down in defeat and quit, or we can learn in the midst of the problem, allowing God to bring glory, turning our mess it into a message of hope and encouragement for someone else. As I counsel, I find that people do not care what I think, but when I tell them that I have been where they are and I truly understand what they are feeling, they are willing and eager to listen to what I have to say. Someone with the experience has power. A person who has read a book about the subject has knowledge. Living through a problem gives you the knowledge you need to help because you have the benefit of the experience. Knowledge without the experience cannot have the same impact on a person’s life, as sharing your experience and God’s comfort as He brought you through it.

God allows us to experience many things in our lives so that we can have the power and the knowledge to help someone who is in the midst of their mess and ready to give up. When you speak out of the experience and combine it with good sound Biblical principals, guided by the Holy Spirit, you have a one – two punch that disarms the enemy from assignments of destruction.

The next time you are in the middle of a mess and you are tempted to ask God why, just remind yourself that you can have two outcomes. First choice - You can choose to go through it and learn from it, trusting that God knows what is best and will bring you to the other side. The second choice - you can get mad, frustrated, and quit. The second choice helps no one and more than likely you will have to go around that mountain again until you learn what God is trying to show you. The first choice allows you to arm yourself with the knowledge and power so God can use you to help a desperate soul in need of your message of hope. Glory to God!!!!

• If you don’t make it a priority, it won’t happen
• A formal invitation makes any date more special
• Couples need to date on a regular basis
• Spending large sums of money is not necessary
• The husband needs to take the lead in dating
• Creativity is crucial

With the dark days of winter upon us, it’s not unusual to feel blue from time to time. Decreased exposure to sunlight can make it difficult to wake up in the morning, think creatively or even perform easy or enjoyable tasks.

Add to that an increase in sluggishness, lingering anxiety, and an insatiable craving for carbohydrates, it’s easy to see why many people dread these shorter, colder days of the year.

For some, cabin fever can lead to a case of the winter blahs. For others, the effects characterize a type of depressive disorder.

Research shows that the winter blues and its more severe counterpart, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), affect some 15 million people in the U.S. alone. Symptoms often begin in October or November, climax in January or February, and subside in March or April.

Although the winter blues are not as severe as long-term depression, they can impact the way a person thinks, reacts and handles everyday challenges. Someone with a more serious case may feel hopeless, helpless and even ponder suicide. What’s more, SAD weakens the immune system, increasing vulnerability to infections and other illnesses.

Additional symptoms include:

Desire to avoid social contact
Inability to tolerate stress
Decreased interest in sex and physical contact
Loss of self-esteem
Headaches, body aches and abdominal pains
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
The medical community recognized SAD in 1985, and research on causes and treatments hasn’t let up since. Of course, if you have a history of depression, you are high risk. But what else do doctors say about this sometimes-debilitating disorder?

Unstable levels of melatonin and serotonin. During the day, our body produces serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood, hunger and sleep. The pineal gland produces melatonin, a hormone responsible for our drowsiness at night. But on those dark winter days, there isn’t always enough sunlight to trigger the production of serotonin.
Short days, long nights. The body’s internal clock is disrupted; it doesn’t know when to sleep or wake up if the sun sets at 4 p.m.
Location, location, location. If you live in a northern state where a string of cloudy days and months is commonplace, your chances of feeling SAD increase.
Gender differences. Women are four times more likely to suffer from the condition than men, yet experts suspect that men may simply underreport or cover up their symptoms.
Young adulthood. It is proven that nearly 25 percent of college students across the country suffer the effects of winter blues. While SAD is relatively uncommon in those younger than 20, it does affect some children and teens.
Beating the Winter Blues
There is no cure for SAD or the winter blues. But, like depression, you can learn to manage it. Current treatments include psychotherapy, medication, and light therapy, which involves exposure to a special type of light box.

Many preventative measures can also help curb the symptoms. Exercise, a well-balanced diet, stress reduction, and an increase in the exposure to natural light are all effective self-help methods.

Still, don’t be afraid to consult a professional to discuss the condition and its symptoms. After all, physical and emotional well-being is definitely worth the effort.

Symptoms of a need for spiritual rebirth…

• Deep unmet longing for intimacy
• A “What’s in it for me?” Mind-set
• A tendency to count - and bemoan - the cost
• An attitude of entitlement
• A general dullness toward God
• A sex life lacking the spiritual dimension
• An avoidance of spiritual disciplines

Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love in sending Jesus Christ to come among us, to be born of a human mother, and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life.

We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and woman in his Name.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundance of your blessing upon this man and this woman.
Defend them from every enemy.
Lead them into all peace.
Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads.
Bless them in their work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death.
Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that table where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

source: Book of Common Prayer (1979)

Married couples interested in strengthen the bonds of their Marriage!

Are my spouse and I candidates for this course?
· We have a strong marriage but want to make it even better.
· We would categorize our marriage as “mediocre”.
· We are struggling on our marriage, considering divorce or separation.
· We are not married yet, but engaged.

What will this class do for us?

If you acknowledged any of the above, you and your spouse qualify for
this class. If your marriage is great, this class takes you both to a
more intimate level. If your marriage is mediocre, don’t settle for less
than falling in love all over again. If your marriage is in crisis,
allow yourself to hope. Couples across the nation repeatedly testify that
our approach works. Why? We create a dynamic, unique, environment
through which God works His miracles.

Give Us 8 Weeks and We Will Give You a Dynamic Marriage!

In the Dynamic Marriage class, married couples learn how to make their
marriage a full time priority. These couples not only put out the
effort, they put effort in the right places. The Dynamic Marriage class
challenges and empowers couples to transform every aspect of their
marriage. This powerful program helps committed couples sustain a happy,
fulfilling relationship that grows stronger each year.

Do you want marital intimacy and ecstasy? If you do, enroll in this
dynamic class. There is a limit to 12 couples and the fee is $110.00 per
couple which is equal to one hour of marriage counseling. The fee simply
covers all of your materials. The class will begin on Feb. 18 (Sunday
evenings)and will meet at the church. Childcare is available. Class time
is from 5:45- 8:15. To enroll either reply to ljk_lpc2000@yahoo.com
or call Brian or Laura Kuester at 251-1896
or stop by our booth in the mall this coming Sunday to sign up. Hurry
though, the class is limited and will fill up quickly.

My dad is leaving with Marvin Phillips, Mitch Wilburn, and Don Knowles to South Africa on a mission trip. My dad will be there for 17 days and Marvin will be there for a month. What an exciting adventure. They have a very full agenda with lots of opportunities to make big differences in many peoples lives.

I am so proud of my dad. He has grown and changed so much. He is even teaching a third grade class with my mom at church. Leaving their old church was probably the best thing that ever happened to him. He has been to Pascagoula to do mission work three times in the last year and is going again in March. He loves it and we are all so proud of him.

Although, leaving our old church was very hard and painful I can see God’s hand in it. All of my friends from that old church are all spread at at different churches across Tulsa and flourishing. It is neat to see how so many of our friends have gotten to work for the Lord and have grown spiritually since then.

I have more to say about the old church later but for now please keep these men in your prayers.