Distracted!

“Stay focused!!!”  Ever yell that at yourself?  I certainly have!  My brain can scatter in 50 different directions.  In the time it takes to blink, I can chastise myself for not doing the laundry, applaud my efforts in helping my daughter get organized, agonize over that thank you card I’ve yet to get out, and remind myself of several tasks I still have to tackle at work.  In a world of constant motion and change, perhaps one of my greatest challenges is learning to simply be still.

The irony is when I’m distracted, I get very little accomplished.  I start and stop tasks like a mouse in a cheese shop that doesn’t know where to start.  I’ll throw bursts of energy in all sorts of directions, but all I’m left with is partially completed tasks and more guilt over what didn’t get done.

When my distractions were big, like how was I going to put food on the table, or how could I get past the dread and fear that kept reaching for my soul, staying focused was even harder.  I’ve found when I’m hurting, or when the people I love hurt, my mind can run wild and I can start to feel emotionally paralyzed, too overwhelmed to even start. 

In those moments, I’ve learned the importance of taking the 5-10 minutes I’m convinced I don’t have, and make space for God.  I almost always start by taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, reminding myself that God is in control—and I’m not.  I apologize for running ahead of Him, and I thank Him I don’t have to do this life alone.  No matter how challenging the circumstances, He is right there with me.  If I need to cry in that moment with God, I let it out.  If I need to spend time in gratitude for all He has done for me, I’ll do it, reminding myself in the process that God has always been faithful.  I can offer up to Him my stress, my fear, my lack of focus—whatever it is, I let it go into His capable hands.

It always amazes me how quickly God shows up when I make time to be still before Him.  My shoulders relax.  I feel comforted, redirected or more focused, depending on what I need in the moment.  Tasks get prioritized; reminders of the light at the end of my tunnel come to the forefront.  So don’t be afraid to take a quick time out with God.  It can be in your cubical, on the couch, in the shower, or even in the bathroom at a restaurant or your work.  Taking that moment to get centered with your Creator will give you the space you need to step back and let Him take control of your path again. 

For Further Thought:  The Bible tells us, “Be still, be calm and know that I am God,” (Psalm 46:10) and “In quietness and trust is your strength,” (Isaiah 30:15).  This week, make a decision to stop yourself whenever you start mentally running ahead, and check in with God.  I would love to have you post how it went when you do! 

Renewed!

I am excited to announce the next offering of "Renewed: How to Find a Window When Life Has Closed the Door." Class starts on Saturday, February 4th at the Healing Center at 9:30 am. This is a nine week series followed with an optional 10th week on Parenting through Trials. The cost is $15 for materials.


If you've never taken the class before, make this the time! You will find encouragement and practical tools to help you move forward on your journey, and have the chance to build relationships with others who are doing the same. It will help you to get moving forward again! REGISTER HERE.


Class graduates are invited to retake the class for free. Simply REGISTER, and you are on your way to solidifying all that you've learned. Want to drop in just for a class you may have missed? Email us the week you are coming and we will do our best to accommodate you.


As always, please forward this to anyone who may benefit from Renewed. There are so many ways we can get stuck in life. This class is all about helping you to move forward again in a way that is transformative and healing.


Praise for Renewed:
"This is so VALUABLE and NEEDED!"
"This is real life stuff. It's hard-hitting."
"I think Barb is a great messenger--honest, personable, relatable and inspiring."
"I am excited to come each week."
"Truly Amazing! It helped me go from dwelling in the sadness of my life's tunnel to rejoicing."
"The class went beyond my expectations."
"Reaffirming"
"Everyone needs it."
"It is practical and spiritual."


​We hope you or someone you care about will come and join us for this next session of Renewed!​


Blessings,
Barb Lownsbury and the Ennoia Ministries team

For more details, visit our website at: www.thedentedfender.weebly.com 

A Lasting Resolution

Do you know how long the average New Year’s resolution lasts?  Thirty-six hours according to one study.  That’s it!  Yet every year millions of people set goals they will reach toward and never really achieve.  

I have found the only way to make permanent, lasting change in my life is to look beyond the surface.  So if I decide to make my New Year’s resolution to lose some extra weight, conventional wisdom would tell me to grab the latest diet book, maybe consult with a friend who just lost some weight, and dive in!  You would hear me say things like, “This is the year!  I’m gonna do it this time!”  I’d probably join a gym (their membership is highest in January and tapers off by mid-February) and have a weekly menu planned.  I may even lose some weight! But in a few days, weeks or months I’d find the pounds had crept right back on, and I’d feel defeated yet again.  

I think we’ve all done the drill.  I know I have!  I’ve set that goal, tried to overcome my fear of failing at it yet again, only to reinforce my fears by—you guessed it—failing!  I’m so glad God has taught me a different, better way.  The key to true change lies in dealing with what’s beyond the surface and digging into the heart.  

There’s a interesting scripture in Proverbs 4:23 that says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  And when God says, “above all else,” I sit up a little straighter and pay close attention because I know it’s important!  When I think of my heart, I think of my emotions, my passions, even my thoughts.  Some versions of the Bible, in fact, translate this verse as, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.”  God is saying it’s of first importance to be aware of and to protect these things.

Even the word “guard” has implications.  If I need to guard something, it’s because it’s likely to be attacked.  How many times have you felt attacked emotionally and mentally, oftentimes by yourself?!  Guarding myself against my own attacks is probably the biggest challenge I face on a day-to-day basis.  It’s amazing how quickly I can go from confidence and peace to mentally berating myself and feeling crappy about who I am.  Fortunately, I’ve learned how to consistently fight back with God’s positive truths about me.  I’ve learned how to protect my heart.

So now when I make a goal, I take the time to look well beyond the surface.  Instead of focusing on the pounds I need to lose, I look instead to a much bigger picture.  Do I value my health—really?  Why or why not?  Do I believe I deserve to be healthy, not just in my head but deep down?  Why do I consistently turn to food for comfort?  Is there an issue from my past that’s keeping its hooks in me and needs to be dealt with?  If I self-sabotage, why?  It’s in the asking of these types of questions I begin to see my true heart about health, weight and eating.  And learning to combat these with God on my side is the beginning of true, lasting change.  

For Further Thought:  As you enter the New Year, think of the one goal you most want to achieve.  Above and beyond your action list for this goal, think of any thoughts or emotions that could block your progress.  Once you’ve identified them, start tackling them with God through scripture and prayer.  Get professional help if you need to.  Remember: you deserve blessing because you are a child of God!  Fight back against anyone who tells you differently—including yourself!

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Making Dreams Come True

“All hard work brings profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty,” (Proverbs 14:23).  Goals are interesting things.  We can talk about many ideas, many things we want to do, but only when we take concrete action steps do we find our work profitable.

I remember sitting at a bar with a guy I worked with years ago.  It had been a long night at the restaurant we both worked at. I felt like I had run my feet off waitressing, we were so busy.  To complicate matters, our corporate headquarters had sent down a new edict on how steak should be prepared and as a consequence, the kitchen had run behind all night.  There were several unhappy customers.  Since this guy was one of the lead chefs, he had borne the brunt of it. 

As I sat down to join him, he unloaded on me, venting all of his frustration about what he viewed as a very ineffective leadership team steering the fate of the restaurant.  But after he was through, his demeanor began to change.  His eyes light up and his face, previously angry and hard, began to soften, and the corners of his mouth started to lift.  Even his tone changed as he told me about what he would do differently if he were completely in charge.  He then launched into his life’s dream of someday opening up his own restaurant, sharing with me how he would run it and what he would do.  The transformation in him as he talked was remarkable.  He was one of those cranky guys who always seemed upset at something or someone.  To see his face light up with joy and hope was amazing.

Yet something else struck me as well.  His "someday" would probably never come.  There was no specific opening date, no idea of how he might get started, no savings goals in place, and no relationships being built to make those things happen.  He had no real plan.  He was a talented chef.  He had some great insights.  But even at that young age, I knew as I listened to him unless something changed, his dream would remain just that—a dream.  It would be a place he could retreat to as a young man to feel better, or a regret he would stare at longingly as an older man, chastising himself about what could have been, but nothing more.

A hospice nurse who worked with the dying said she observed the biggest regret people had in their lives wasn’t about time they wished they had spent with their family, though that was certainly high on the list at #2.  The biggest regret was not doing anything about their dreams.  They just plowed forward, getting caught up in the day-to-day, never making intentional decisions to leave certain things behind and reach toward their passion.  As they lay dying, it was the regret of not making more intentional choices that haunted them most.    

One beautiful thing I have discovered about life is it’s never too late to start reaching for your dreams and learning how to make them a reality. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself with God.  I’ve also learned the value of being willing to take that very first step, no matter how scary, even if I’m not entirely sure what comes next (click HERE for more on leaps of faith).  And the more I lean into God during this process, the more He spurs me on and helps me overcome my fears of both failing … and succeeding.  He reminds me that He isn’t just a god of second chances, He’s the God of the 77x7 chances the Bible talks about in Matthew 18:22.  I find the hard work starts paying off, not always quickly and not always in the straight-forward fashion I would prefer, but consistently for the good as I let God steer me on. 

God never quits believing in you, never stops wanting to help you find the best version of who He’s made you to be.  Think of yourself as a ship.  Ships can be steered, but they have to be moving to be able to do so.  What can you do to get moving?  You don’t need to have all the answers yet.  You don’t need to understand how it’s all going to work out.  Even if you have an amazing plan, God has a way of altering it as you go anyway.  So just keep reaching toward Him, prayerfully deciding to take one step, and then another, and then another toward a better, richer life.  Dream, yes, but listen to God’s wisdom and accompany that dream with specific action.  And remember—doing so comes with a promise: your life will profit richly from the process. 

For Further Thought:  We are told in Proverbs 13:4, “The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.”  What do you desire?  Pray about it with God.  Come up with a plan together.  Trust in the direction He’s leading you in, even if it’s counterintuitive.  As you start taking those specific, concrete steps toward your dream, remember it’s not about executing each step perfectly; it’s about keeping yourself consistently moving.  If you allow Him to, God will do the rest. 

Need help with CONSISTENCY?  Click HERE.
LOST your DREAMS?  Click HERE.  
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