peace
Top 5 Proven Techniques for Living a Truly Happy and Joyful Life Inside and Out!
Top 5 Proven Techniques for Living a Truly Happy and Joyful Life Inside and Out!
Learn to Be Happy by Adjusting Your Thinking and Living Habits!
True happiness can be experienced by all who apply ‘happiness habits’ to their day. There are some who are simply born with a happy disposition. But the truth is; most people have to learn to be happy by thinking and living in a particular way.
Often people are happy in life when everything is going just right. Yet those who have learned how to be truly happy aren’t always the ones who ‘have it all.’ External circumstances do not control their level of happiness. They have discovered the secret of being able to experience an underlying peace and well-being; which is the essence of true happiness.
Happy people live their lives differently. And when acquiring any new skill, it pays to learn from the pro.
“We can think of happiness as a skill no different from learning to play a musical instrument…it is possible to train our minds to be happy.” – Richard Davidson, Ph.D. UW-Madison
So if you are ready to let some joy shine through you from the inside out, then take a look at these five key skills.
Top 5 Proven Techniques for True Happiness
1) Notice and Give Thanks for the Happy Things in Your Life
Learn to take note of everything good and positive in your life, regardless of how small. What are the things that you see, feel, taste, hear, or smell that bring pleasure?
Intention activates a part of the brain, the reticular activating system (RAS), which is responsible for turning on our memory and allowing it to bring anything important to our attention. When you decide to look for the positive, your RAS makes sure that is what you see.
We tend to feed the unhappy, negative side of life. Make it a game to see how many good things you notice during the day. Take a few moments to savor the positive things and make it a habit to feed your happiness.
2) Do Not Believe Everything You Think
Do not believe everything you think. Our thoughts are not always true.
For example, you may give a presentation and focus in on the one person with a frown on their face, and think you’re doing a terrible job. Yet the fact is you are really doing a great job, but you do not notice the rest of the group that is smiling and nodding.
It is said that we average one thought per second during our waking hours and the vast majority are habitual, negative thoughts. This whirlwind of automatic negative thoughts can stimulate parts of the brain that involve depression and anxiety.
Learn not to believe every negative thought that wants to hijack your happiness, and instead focus in on the positive compliments. It is important to break the natural tendency to register the negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences more deeply than the positive happy ones.
3) Exchange the Bad Thought for the Happy Thought
When challenged with negative, unhappy thoughts and feelings in a situation, learn to exchange them for equally true, positive, happy thoughts.
For example, have you ever faced a deadline and thought it was going to be impossible to finish on time? Why not exchange that self-defeating thought by searching your mind for an equally true positive thought such as: I regularly manage to get things done on time and I can ask for help.
Learn to be more optimistic and see the glass half full. Pay more attention to the positive part of the truth in a given situation and lean into those thoughts. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength.
4) Appreciate the People in Your Life
People with good social relationships tend to be happy. Under times of stress we need the support of friends and family. And the best way to keep relationships happy and healthy is through appreciation.
“One of the most important things a person can do to raise his or her happiness level is to acknowledge those around them.” – Judith W. Umlas (author of The Power of Acknowledgement)
By showing appreciation to others for the support they give us, we reinforce that behavior; which in turn deepens our relationship with them. Engaging and communicating with others during times of stress has a calming effect and keeps us on the road to happiness.
5) Live with a Passion and a Purpose
Bringing a sense of purpose and passion to your routine activities will boost your happiness. Think about the activities in your life that you are passionate about. What is it about those things that make you happy?
One person may feel like an underpaid janitor, but another may passionately do their job the best they can with a purpose to make the building a beautiful place for others.
Learn to incorporate purpose and passion in your daily life at work and at home. Do all things gladly from the heart as unto the Lord.
The truth is: You do not have to let life just toss you around in unhappy waters. You can choose to learn new skills, live your life differently, and raise your level of happiness. 🙂
May your happiness increase daily and your life be filled with growing prosperity!
God bless you –
Cheers,
Brenda
Help Me! How on Earth Do I Know What God’s Purpose and Will is for My Life?
Help Me! How on Earth Do I Know What God’s Purpose and Will is for My Life?
Knowing God’s Will and God’s Purpose for Your Life
Who, at some point, hasn’t asked:
“What is God’s plan and purpose for my life?”
We sooner or later reach a time in life when we find our self questioning why we are here. We come to a point of knowing, deep inside, that there must be something more God would have for us to do with our lives.
Well, how can you know the will of God and what you should do with your life? Good question. And it all starts with the Word of God, since God’s Word is God’s will.
Knowing God’s General Will
The Bible teaches us how to live our lives. It is filled with instructions and directions and it reveals God’s general will for all of us. So, first and foremost, we need to get into God’s Word so that we can know what He wants from us. His Word is very powerful and will guide us.
Here are just a couple examples:
“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” — Romans 12:1-2
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
God’s will for man is not a hidden mystery. Anyone can open the Book and quickly see many things that God wants them to do (and not do). The chief aim and purpose of our lives should be to live according to His revealed will.
Knowing God’s Specific Will
Now you might be asking, “How do I know God’s specific plan for my life?” People often want God to tell them specifically what to do; like where to live, where to work, where to go to school, who to marry, etcetera.
Well, God can show us in many different ways. A loud, audible voice from heaven is not required, but listening to that still, small voice is. God has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance. The Spirit of truth is here to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13)
God can also direct us, through the events happening around us. And if we are already living daily according to God’s revealed will, decisions will be much clearer and easier to make. There is a peace that comes when we are pleasing God with our lives.
To get answers, we also need to pray and ask for God’s help and direction. When deciding between two options, the one that brings a greater peace is usually God’s will. Emotions sometimes create a false peace, but true peace will remain even after emotions fall.
Keep in mind: God allows us to make choices, but He is ultimately in control. We should trust Him always in faith that He will accomplish His will in our lives.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6
Plus, questions we should be asking are, “Am I doing this for me or for God? Is this what I want or what God wants?” The key is to desire to make choices that agree with God’s will. If a decision does not go against the Word of God, then we can follow our heart.
“It was the Lord who put it into my mind… I could feel His hand upon me… There is no question the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures… No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service.”
— Christopher Columbus (from his diary, in reference to his discovery of ‘the New World’)
Created with a Purpose
God does have great plans for your life! You were created by God, in His image, for a purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11) We have all been given unique gifts and talents. And just like our physical body is made up of many different parts, all unique, and all important to having a fully functioning body; so it is with the body of Christ.
Your gifts and talents have been given to you so you can be a blessing to the kingdom of God and make a positive contribution in life. So step out and act on the revealed knowledge you have already been given and use the talents you already have.
Then trust God to reveal more to you after you are faithful first in the little. Be confident that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. (Philippians 1:6) God’s purpose for all is that He is glorified and the gospel and kingdom of God be advanced.
In Conclusion: The wise king Solomon tells us the conclusion of the whole matter and duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) He also encourages us to enjoy life and be happy with our work. Keep the Word of God your foundation and watch His great plan revealed before your very eyes. God is for you and He will help you.
May you seek first the kingdom of God and live a life full of growing prosperity!
God bless you,
Brenda
I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me – Christian Music Video
I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me – Christian Music Video
“I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me
“I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side.
I can only imagine what my eyes will see, when Your face is before me.
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel?
I can only imagine… when that day comes…”
This is not a new song, but does help us keep our heavenly eternal home in perspective. In a world that is increasingly trying to steal our peace, it is important to keep our focus on the source of true peace.
“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.”
— 2 Thessalonians 3:16
“He that is righteous, let him be righteous still:
and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
And, behold, I come quickly;
and My reward is with Me,
to give every man according as his work shall be.
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do His commandments,
that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city.
…The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen.”
— Revelation 22:11-14,21
God bless you,
Brenda
P.S. You can find a large selection of Mercy Me music at amazon.
God of This City – Bluetree – Music Video
God of This City – Bluetree – Music Video
“God of This City” Acoustic Version
Aaron Boyd of Bluetree plays an acoustic version of “God of This City”.
You’re the God of this City. You’re the King of these people. You’re the Lord of this nation. You are…
You’re the Light in this darkness. You’re the Hope to the hopeless. You’re the Peace to the restless. You are…
There is no one like our God. There is none like you God!
For greater things have yet to come – And greater things are still to be done in this City.
And greater things are still to be done here…
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin
and heal their land.”
— 2 Chronicles 7:14
Enjoy this song and music video – and invite God to be Lord of your city!
God bless you –
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. You can find the album or singles from “God of This City” by Bluetree on Amazon.
Prayer of Hope! Free Christian Meditation Download
Prayer of Hope! Free Christian Meditation Download
Prayer of Hope Through the Power of the Holy Spirit
LORD, Your Word says:
The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
I pray that You would help me Lord, to serve Christ in these things, so that
I may remain acceptable to You God, and approved of men.
Thank you, that through patience and comfort of the scriptures, I have hope.
And now thank You Lord, the God of Hope, for filling me with all joy and peace in believing,
that I may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I thank you for these things In Jesus Name, Amen.
— Romans 14:17-18, 15:4,13
Download a FREE JPG image copy by right-clicking here and saving to your computer:
Prayer of Hope Through the Power of the Holy Spirit
God bless you,
Brenda
P.S. Make the Word of God your daily prayer and confession. Fill yourself up with the Word of God until it spills out of you like rivers of living water and overflows into the lives of others. 🙂
Future Hope – Top 10 Inspiring Reasons to Believe Your Future Is Bright!
Future Hope – Top 10 Inspiring Reasons to Believe Your Future Is Bright!
A Future Filled with Hope and Success
Hope for the future is available…
but it can sometimes seem hard to come by.
It is often said we have our whole life ahead of us.
Yet, many people go through difficult seasons in life and question what there is to look forward to.
No matter where you are, hope for the future is available for you to grab onto.
10 Inspiring Reasons to Believe Your Future is Bright:
1. Mistakes in Life Do Not Have the Final Say
If you make mistakes, you can start over. Mistakes are a part of the growing process and learning curve of life. As we start putting our mistakes in the past, our future begins to look bright.
2. You are a Work in Progress
God has promised to keep on working in you and with you. Growing and developing takes time and we should expect continued personal growth in our future.
3. Never Too Young or Old
You are never too young or old to fill your days with meaning and purpose. Consider Moses: He was 80 years old when God called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt!
4. Every Day is a New Day
Each day is new and fresh. You can make the most of each one. If we’ve fallen short today, we can look forward to a new day tomorrow. Thank God that His grace and mercy is new every day. (Lamentations 3:21-23)
5. You are Never Alone
God said He would never leave you or abandon you. (Hebrews 13:5) People may leave us, but God will not. The future is bright knowing God is in it.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13
6. God Loves You
God loves you unconditionally! God loves you just the way you are. But like the saying goes, He also loves you too much to leave you the way you are.
7. You Have a Purpose in Life
God created you with a purpose and you can discover it. We have all been given unique gifts and talents that help us fulfill our purpose. Discovering our purpose and living it makes the future bright not only for us, but also those around us.
8. God Shall Supply All Your Needs
God will take care of your needs as you seek and obey His Word. (Philippians 4:19) “The Lord is my portion, says my soul: therefore will I hope in Him.” – Lamentations 3:24
9. Mansions in Heaven
God has created a wondrous place in heaven for His children. We have hope that after our life on earth we graduate to eternal life in heaven. “In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you.” – John 14:2
10. Guidance from the Most High God
If we trust, rely on, and acknowledge God, He will direct our life. The God that created the universe is available to help guide our life. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:6
Hope for the future may have faded for you. You may feel like you are in a prison and have no future. But no matter where you are, God has promised to bless you with a future filled with hope and success, not suffering. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Do yourself a favor: Have hope and believe your future is bright. Let the truth of God’s love set you free. God is a miracle-working God. He does not punish us all our life for our mistakes. He wants us to look forward and not backward. Put your hope and trust in God and allow Him to be an active part of your life.
May your hope be strong, your future bright, and your life full of growing prosperity!
Be blessed to be a blessing –
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. Feel free to share your thoughts… and thanks to Billy Alexander for this fun image – you can view more of his creative images here.
Abundant Prosperity – If You Want True Riches Hear What God Has to Say About Your Money!
Abundant Prosperity – If You Want True Riches Hear What God Has to Say About Your Money!
Want to Manifest True Riches?
Abundant prosperity is available in all areas of your life.
It is important that you don’t limit prosperity only to finances.
True riches equals much more than money or things: it also includes spiritual blessings like wisdom and peace.
If you want true riches in your life, you need to listen to what God has to say about the matter.
God has plenty to say about your money. He actually talks more about money in the Bible than even prayer. Yet it is a subject that most believers don’t want to talk about. Or at least they don’t want to hear what the Lord has to say about money.
Let’s look at a couple key areas you should pay attention to.
YOUR HEART FOLLOWS YOUR TREASURE
If you want to know what someone loves, look at what they spend their money on. What you invest your finances on is a reflection of what you love.
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
— Luke 12:34
Where and what you spend your money on does more than reflect the condition of your heart. Your spending also decides the direction that your heart will go. This is good news. You can choose where your heart will go, by choosing what you invest your finances on.
Where do you want your heart to be?
If you want it to be with your spouse, then spend money on your spouse. If you want it to be with your house, vehicles, toys, and possessions, then spend your money on those things. Do you want your heart to be with God? Then tithe and invest your finances in the things of God. Investing in Him brings great returns.
FAITHFULNESS WITH YOUR MONEY OPENS THE DOOR TO TRUE RICHES
Another key step you must learn is how to be faithful with your finances. If you are not dependable, reliable, generous, and faithful with your finances, God will not commit to you true riches.
“If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”
— Luke 16:11
Money is not really true riches. True riches are revelation, wisdom, favor, and other spiritual blessings of the Lord.
Are you getting this? God is saying if you are a faithful and generous giver, then you open the door for Him to do things in your life that money can’t do.
Unfortunately, Christians often don’t want to be talked to about how they handle their money; instead only about spiritual things. Yet, God is trying to tell you that He’s not going to entrust you with spiritual things if you’re not first faithful when it comes to your finances. They go hand-in-hand and you need to prove you are able to handle the money you now have in order to be entrusted with more and also the true riches of spiritual blessings.
Do yourself a favor and begin to listen to what God has to say about how you should handle your money. Then trust and follow His directions. Believe He will take care of you financially and know that following His plan will open the door to true riches and abundant prosperity in your life.
May your faithfulness result in spiritual blessings and continued growing prosperity!
Be blessed to be a blessing –
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. Feel free to share your thoughts and comments with others…
Merry Christmas! What is Christmas All About Anyway?
Merry Christmas! What is Christmas All About Anyway?
Without Christ There Would Be No Christmas!
In this video Linus helps out Charlie Brown and explains what Christmas is all about.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”
— Luke 2:17-20
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
God bless,
Brenda