How to Overcome Worry

How to overcome Worry

Beginning in the late 1920,s, a character called the “Worry Wart,” drawn by J.R. Williams, appeared in Dell comics. This tyke was not a worrier at all with his actions he caused others to worry.  In other words, calling someone a “worrywart” is accusing them of being over stressed.   Can Christians become worrywarts whereby their worries cause others to worry? 

As Covid 19 panic alarm sounds, our worry seems inevitable: questions about our jobs our health our children’s safety and our financial security.  We be an example to our children by showing our confidence over our worry  “Worry is like a good rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” Another way to think of the futility of worry is to imagine someone carrying around a suitcase of old junk that he does not use. If he complained to you about his aching back, wouldn’t you suggest he drop the suitcase?

  “A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work”.                                                

“We tend to do the same thing, feeling troubled, tired, and pulled off-balance. We hang on to our burden because (we think) something bad might happen if we let it go. But the answer is so easy. If we simply let go—if we trust in the Lord—we suddenly feel lighter”.   (David Roth New Church Issue 5)

 Here is what the bible says “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.... Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Luke 12:22–24).

 Worry can be contagious too !

We are so worried about getting covid 19, we wear masks and gloves, we are careful when we go out and who we come in contact, social distancing is constantly on our minds.    As we practice health and safety practices to avoid contagious people, we should also practice a spiritual strategy and avoid contagious people.   In other words, 1) watch what we say 2) Avoid the language of worry to others, which can affect our children, family and friends 3) Avoid people who are critical and cause worry which can be spiritual contagious.   

 

 “Worry, doubt, fear, and despair are the enemies which slowly bring us down to the ground.”    

Philippians 4:6 says Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made unto God.   The apostles Paul says we should turn our anxiety into prayer.  For those things you worry, turn them into prayer (make your worry list into a prayer list). 

 

Store this verse in your heart: Psalms 94:19   When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.      

If you would like to talk contact me Pastor Al supreme1955@yahoo.com

Devotional "With a Heavy Heart" May 19, 2020

Devotional “With a Heavy Heart”           May 19, 2020

It is with a heavy heart that we remember the life of Jane Hughes.   Jane was a faithful and compassionate witness; her soft voice and endearing smile drew all of us to her.  

It is not length of life, but depth of life. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jane Hughes went to be with the Lord on Monday morning around 3:30 am.  We were blessed to have known her and during her illness, we prayed for her every Sunday for the past three years   Jane told her son Tye that she loved her little church (Wingard Lutheran) because she felt close to the Lord every time she went.  We see life as fleeting, and it fills our minds with many questions. The question always resonates within us, Why God! would you take this beautiful woman?  What is life that should be reduced to an obituary, a casket, a headstone, a cemetery, and flowers.  There is more to life and death than memorials we have an everlasting promise from God of life and an eternal promise of heaven. Life is a process of living to love and loving to care. I thought of the lyrics of George Harrison song “What is my life”

What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you, any time of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed

Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side?

What I know, I can do
If I give my love now to everyone like you
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed

Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side?

The video to this song What is my Life has a beautiful young ballerina pirouetting and spinning in the forest and then in the next scene the ballerina is in a cemetery continuing her ballet in front of rows and rows of white graveyard headstones.   Looking at the video, I could only think how Jane in her youth, had never given a second thought to getting old yet alone of dying.   Life can be a dance of love and memories or a bitter short cut to death.  The choice is yours.

Jane was a woman filled with love and life, willing to share her love with anyone who needed it.  Jane had a heart of compassion and was willing to help and teach others along the way.

 Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity. Mother Teresa

 

How do we approach death, how do we explain it to our Loved ones?

 

 We look at the Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, he makes me to lie down in green pasture He leads me beside still waters.    He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me your rod and your staff, they comfort me.   Notice those words “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me.

Death is only a shadow; A shadow needs a light source.  And our light source is Jesus Christ.  If we follow Jesus as the light, the shadow of death will never overwhelm us.   In him was life,^[a] and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it  John 5

Death held no fear for Jane at all. Jane had her death all worked out when she first got cancer, she spiritually prepared her heart and life for this moment.  She knew her final resting place was not of this earth where there is pain, suffering and tears.  Jane was real about her salvation she knew she was going to a better place, a place prepared for her. She did not want people to grieve and feel this was the end, but only the beginning.   

 

John 14:1-6 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many Mansions . If it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you?and if I go to prepare a place for you,  I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?  Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life no one comes to the Father except by me.

 Jane was a brave independent woman who fulfilled her mission, raising her children Tye, Tripp and Hope, loving her husband David, building her own business International Mortgage and sharing her beautiful outlook on life.     To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord.  We love you Jane and we will miss you    

Country Church Devotional 5 -19-2020

As a young boy I loved to fly kites, to see the power and wonder of the wind. The wind is a beautiful part of nature and many of us have sit outside enjoying its power as it rushes through the trees. A sense of wonder comes over us as we think of the winds power in nature. I hear the wind among the trees Playing the celestial symphonies; I see the branches downward bent, Like keys of some great instrument. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

One of the many symbols for the Holy Spirit is the WIND. It is a powerful symbol that we need to recognize and accept. Let the wind blow and be blessed. The study of the Holy Spirit is called pneumatology comes from two Greek words, namely, pneuma meaning “WIND” or “spirit” and logos meaning the study of.
In Genesis. 2:7 says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”. In the Greek, it is the word Pneuma "breathed" = like the wind, or divine inspiration. In the beginning, the Holy Spirit was present at the creation of man. So little is known by the average Christian about the power and influence the Holy Spirit has in our everyday life. When Nicodemus confronted Jesus by night, searching for the meaning of life and Salvation. Jesus gave him an illustration about the Holy Spirit when he said. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So, it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
The wind speaks of the Power of the Holy Spirit and it speaks of CHANGE. When the Holy Spirit breathes/blows, something is going to change. Salvation changes us in soul and spirit, we become a new creation in Christ. (Craig Benner S.C. 11/2012)

Elijah ran from God and Queen Jezebel, fearful for his life he hid in a cave. God spoke to him through the wind, a fire, and an earthquake. The wind God sent was not just a gentle breeze. It was something to be reckoned with. The Holy Spirit is Sovereign you cannot and you will not govern Him. Such is the wind, there is no way to capture it or control it, conquer it, or command it to do what you want. The only One who was able to do that is Christ. When He said, "Peace be still", the winds immediately calmed down.

Finally, notice the energy that came from the rushing wind of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As we struggle to find our spiritual energy in this time of crisis The Holy Spirit can generate power in our lives at the time, we need Him most.

The Holy Spirit illuminates the minds of people, makes us yearn for God, and takes spiritual truth and makes it understandable to us.” – Billy Graham

Welcome to the Country Church Chronicles

to Clyo Lutheran Parish 

Country Church Chronicles

Joint Council has concluded that church services will be returning on May 17th.  Wingard will have service at 9am, followed by a 10:15 service at Laurel Hill.  We have set some guidelines on how service will be conducted so that we keep everyone safe.  There will be no Sunday School until further notice. 

Guidelines for Church services:

-No communion until June at the earliest.

-Offering Plates will be in the back of the church, offering will not be part of the service.

-No children sermon until further notice.

-No choir until further notice.

We are thankful to be returning to having church services.  With that said, we want to keep the health of our members top of mind.  Please remember to follow social distancing.  We expect members to sit in family groups and keep plenty of spacing in pew's.  We ask anyone feeling under the weather to please stay home.  Do not feel obligated to come to church services.  We will continue to stream services on our online platforms, so if you dont feel comfortable coming in person, you will still have an opportunity to worship.  Any concerns should be directed toward one of the council members.  We will continue to meet and make changes as we go.