Monday, July 22, 2013

Prayer changes Your Brain

This was a great NPR story. Prayer really works - it connects our brains to God and helps us to be better people. You don't have to use special words or have any special abilities to pray. Just spend 5-10 minutes a day in a quiet place where you won't be interrupted. If you have an Upper Room or other devotional you can spend 5 minutes reading the devotion and picking out a thought or phrase that speaks to you. If you don't have a devo then just reflect for a moment on the the verse "Be still and know that I am God". Say it to your self several times taking slow, deep breathes. Praise God, give thanks for all the blessings in your life. Pray for others, where do you want God to be at work in the world around you. Listen. Where can you be a better person? What mistakes have you made? Ask for forgiveness and ask God to help you be better. Keep taking deep breathes. For 2 minutes just pray for peace and joy for the world. . . .for your community. . . . for those you love. . . . for someone you don't like. Its hard at first, but it does get easier and become more natural. If you want more help -- call me!!

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Godly Parenting

The Influence of Godly Parenting! from David Hobbs, LDM for Camps & Christian Education for the Iowa Annual Conference Have you ever thought about the influence you have had on others over the years. I am certain if you’re like me, you can think of so many past experiences that have happened through your interaction with others, many good and many not so good. It’s kind of sad, but what seems to resonate to most of us are those times that we didn’t speak as appropriate as we should of, or maybe didn’t take the time for someone else’s needs like we should have. I think it’s easy to pick out these times that we neglected being a positive influence on someone else, but I am certain that each of us can look back and see the joy in those times that someone found some hope and healing through something you went out of your way to do, or say. As I thought about this it made me think of the observations I’ve had with the youth that I’ve been able to watch over the years through the different ministries I’ve been involved with. It has struck me about how different each youth is, and also how you can see their lives being lived out as they interact with others. Like adults, some are smiling and joy filled and some are uplifting to others, and sometimes a bit more talkative than others. At the same time, some may be more reserved and are learning more about their own selves and how they socialize with others. Neither type of behavior is necessarily good nor bad, it’s most likely just style differences. Maybe what concerns me most are those who through their interactions are critical of others and sometimes seem to never to say a nice thing http://www.iaumc.org/console/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/2013July8David_DZP42SQG.pdf

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