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Encouragement of Hope! Why All the Sad Faces if this is the Happiest Time of the Year?

Encouragement of Hope! Why All the Sad Faces if this is the Happiest Time of the Year?

Discover Encouragement Affirmations to Live with Hope for Tomorrow!

Holiday Blues Discouragement and DepressionEncouragement to face the light and…

live with hope for tomorrow is –

much needed during the holiday season.

The music, movies, commercials, etc…

all shout that the holidays are the happiest time of the year.

If this is the case, why are there so many sad,

discouraged, and depressed people walking around?

In the USA alone, the suicide rate back in 2007 was stated at Suicidology.org to be 34,598, or about 95 suicides per day. That is about one fatal outcome every 15 minutes. What a terrible tragedy to have so much self-destruction when life is so precious.

The Discouragement Factor

Why do so many people take their own lives? The primary reason is overwhelming discouragement. Discouragement is a destructive force that changes a person’s mindset and outlook to become dark, negative, and hopeless. They lose their courage and find it replaced with fear.

Holiday seasons come with the expectation that happiness is required. However, the fact is, holidays tend to have added stressors on top of the rest of life’s challenges, including financial trouble, illness, loss of loved ones, and more. And unfortunately, many people find themselves discouraged and depressed during this season.

Victims of discouragement can quickly end up with hindered decision making skills and in no condition to do things effectively. Their whole mentality is placed at a disadvantage as their mind becomes depressed. Discouragement darkens the mind and can cause a person to make fatally wrong decisions.

The Encouragement Treatment

Discouragement stems from a feeling of separateness from God and this causes a consciousness of weakness and a feeling of standing alone. Treat this disease by conquering those mental enemies with positive affirmations. Drive out fear, anxiety, worry, and the “blues” by affirming your connection with God.

“We are all ‘under fire’ all our lives, and the real hero is the one who keeps straight on in spite of discouragements and disappointments, never losing one jot of heart or courage, never giving way to despair, trusting always in the Divine Power that will lead him to his goal.” 
— Orison Swett Marden

Begin to eliminate those negative things that stand between you and your Maker and allow free access to the flow of God’s Divine Power by regularly affirming His truths.

Encouragement Affirmations:

Holiday Encouragement Affirmations of HopeSay to yourself:

‘I am a child of the King of kings and there is something inside of me that is bigger than my circumstances. I am a co-heir with Christ and all that He has.’

‘I am strong, courageous, confident, and hopeful for the future. My mind is serene and I sleep peacefully knowing my destiny is in the hands of Him who controls everything and who does all things well.’

‘I declare my power to conquer difficulty and overcome. I trust in God and forge ahead. I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. His truth is my shield and protector.’

The truth is: We can allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by discouragement, OR we can rise above it. Overcome by speaking positive, encouraging, success affirmations. Strengthen your mind by using positive thoughts to drive out negative thoughts.

Choose to encourage yourself and others regularly, so that you keep a heart of courage, thoughts of hope, and trust always in the Divine Power of God in your life.

May you be encouraged, keep your face toward God’s light, and live a life of growing prosperity!

 God bless you always,
Brenda

P.S. This article is inspired by Marden’s book “How to Get What You Want” and specifically the chapter “Discouragement – How to Cure It”

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Dave Ramsey on Holiday Shopping – 4 Tips to Celebrate Debt Free

Dave Ramsey on Holiday Shopping – 4 Tips to Celebrate Debt Free

Why Go Into Debt to Celebrate?

Debt Free Holiday Budgeting TipsHappy Holidays.

If the holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year, why does it often seem like the most stressful time of the year?

Financial stress is at the top of many people’s list this time of year.

Many folks just don’t have extra money available to do all the celebrating and shopping they desire. Yet the world puts the pressure on to buy more and keep up with Joneses; even if it means going into debt. Throwing it all on the credit card seems to be the solution.

Although after the New Year, the bills start coming in and the struggle just to pay the minimum payments begin. The struggle to get the debt paid off can go on late into the year or longer. And that only adds to the stress the following holiday season. So instead of planning and enjoying the new season, there still remains the hassle of left-over debt and the stress that goes with it.

Are you ready to end the cycle and say no more debt, no more credit? Then it is time to make a plan early in the year and stick to it so you can avoid piling up mounds of debt on credit cards.

Dave Ramsey provides the following holiday shopping ideas and tips for celebrating debt free this year:

1. RESEARCH

Look for deals online before heading to the stores. Find out what the prices are at the stores you plan to visit and don’t waste your time shopping at one if you know another store down the street has a better deal.

2. MAKE A BUDGET

It’s common sense stuff, but amazing how many people have no financial plan for their spending. And when they go shopping they are like kids in a toy store buying the first flashy toy that catches their eye.

If you plan to work your way out of debt, it requires becoming disciplined during the holiday season. If you must buy for many, keep it simple and stay within your means. Don’t get caught up in the mindset that bigger is better or it will just come back to bite you when the bills start coming in after the new year.

3. USE CASH

As Dave always says, you spend less when you use cash. So stop by the bank or ATM to get your pre-planned amount of shopping cash before you hit the stores. And when it’s gone it’s time to stop shopping.

If you’ve planned ahead and followed the previous two steps then using cash should be easy. You will know what you need to buy and how much it will cost before you start. Planning time well spent!

4. START NOW – PLAN EARLY

If you haven’t made a plan this holiday season, then stop now and take some time to evaluate your situation and make a budget. Look at the big picture and consider the outcome of your choices this holiday season. Shop smart and keep it within your means.

And if this holiday season caught you off guard once again, well remember, it is never too late to try again. Next year you can make better decisions and do things differently.

Happy Holidays to All & a Very Merry Christmas!

God bless you,
Brenda

P.S. Check out www.daveramsey.com for a wealth of information on finances and budgeting. Dave Ramsey also provides a tool that allows you to create a budget online in 60 seconds.

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Johnny and Chachi’s Christmas Medley Video

Johnny and Chachi’s Christmas Medley Video

Enjoy some holiday cheer today!

Johnny and Chachi attempt to spread some jam-packed Christmas cheer in this video by singing 25 popular Christmas songs in under two minutes…

Merry Christmas and God bless you!

Cheers,
Brenda

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