Beauty will heal and save you.

That’s the hope and message woven into the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter. God’s balance of beauty through love, goodness and redemption are His divine antidote to vandalization and brokenness in and around us.

Protesting Brokenness with Beauty

A dear friend of mine who admires pottery came across a large bowl that particularly caught her eye at a recent art show. It was in an amazing shape of waves and the beauty captured her heart. But, it was expensive. So she focused on the joy of another potters three small pots formed together, symbolic of a three-fold cord unbroken.

The next day however, she just couldn’t get the beauty of the wave bowl off her mind. She had to go back. Admire it once more. Maybe the artist would be willing to give her a discount. She had saved some Christmas money – for such a time as this.

The potter was flattered at her admiration of his work. They had a great conversation. As she turned to approach him about the beautiful wave bowl, her bag knocked a large vase behind her, and it fell to the ground, shattering in small pieces.

She was in shock. How could this happen? She came to pursue and acquire beauty, and now she was faced with brokenness – that was very expensive!  Right then and there, something in her also shattered. She broke down crying, sobbing.

It wasn’t just about feeling bad for the loss of the art, or the huge cost.  It was much more, much deeper.

The Balance of Beauty

You see most of her life is about dealing with or paying for brokenness. She has lived with cancer for over 20 years, consistently for the last 12 years. The 5^th round of chemo and treatment she is on now costs thousands.  Her life revolves around the damaging consequences of her broken body and other shattered things around her.

But it just couldn’t end this way. She couldn’t just pay for more brokenness and walk away with no beauty. God has always provided a balance of beauty and goodness in her life. She exemplifies beautiful fruitfulness. Each fresh new day she embraces answered prayers, deep relationship connections, pilgrimages and daily ‘love and kisses from God’.  Just the other day, the Lord assured her of His love in Zephaniah 3: 16, 17 through three different sources.

So, once again, the spirit of God gave her the gift of being released to keep pursuing and embracing the gift of beauty. The potter offered for her to pay wholesale for the broken vase and the wave bowl.  She left with a bag of shattered vase pieces and a beautiful wave bowl: the balance of beauty to protest against the brokenness.

Beauty Matters

That’s how life can be. Keeping the balance of beauty.

We teeter on the edge of freedom and fear.

Dealing only with broken pieces keeps us deprived, holds us bache beauty is too extravagant. I can’t justify it. It’s unrealistic, unreachable. I can’t enjoy it because it’s overshadowed by the darkness and brokenness.

That’s why Jesus came. His love and beauty set us free.

He brings light into our darkness. He makes beauty from ashes.

And only the Spirit of God can release us, open our eyes and hearts to see all that Christ is, what He provides for us through the Cross. What He promises to do in us, in the new Heaven and the new earth – is goodness and beauty. Images of fresh flowing rivers, life-giving fruitful trees, no more pain and tears – instead peace, love and laughter.

Beauty matters. The beauty of Christ’s transforming life in us matters.

We can’t escape the pain, darkness, brokenness and vandalizing.

Through the 40 days of lent we acknowledge this, in us and around us.

But then we open our lives to the Holy Spirit, holding on to our visions of God paying the price, transforming and empowering us now and finally making the whole of creation anew – with love, joy, peace, hope – and beauty.

Live out the beauty

You can protest the darkness and brokenness by balancing with beauty.

Embrace God’s kingdom, His Shalom, His resurrection in you, living in harmony with nature and others each day.

The Spirit of God challenges us to protest the languishing and brokenness. Anticipate and embrace the beauty God provides and promises.

Make this vision come true by living out love and beauty each fresh new day.

It is this vision that enables us to live fully alive, right where we are.

Love matters. A cup of water matters. Creating beauty matters.

A beautiful wave pottery bowl matters.

Henri Nouwen reminds us that “every time we show compassion to a suffering person, every time we arrange a bouquet of flowers, offer care to tame or wild animals, prevent pollution, create beauty in our homes and gardens … we are making the vision come true…Whenever it comes alive in us we will find new energy to live it out, right where we are….this beautiful vision gets us involved.”

That’s the reason why I am coming alive while watching the daffodils I planted in my window boxes slowly open their happy faces to brighten my day.

• Why I feed the wild birds around my home.
• Why I finally painted my kitchen cabinets.
• Why I lead a spiritual formation group.
• Why I write this blog.
• Because living out the vision of God’s love and beauty matters.

QUESTION: What beauty matters to you right now?

Listen to this beautiful song Why It Matters, by Sara Groves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK1KkqNMunk

Download Lent Reflections

One formula goes something like this. Life circumstances influence our happiness 10% and our given DNA accounts for about 50%. But then there is the other 40%, which we have control over in order to become happier and cultivate joy. This includes our attitude, perspective, choices, gratitude and lifestyle.

Even if you are blessed with a more cheerful temperament, happier people are still intentional about their life choices and lifestyle habits to sustain genuine joy. This goes beyond just being happy due to ‘feel good’ experiences or ‘living the good life’ situations.

Cultivate ‘Daily Joy’

Another formula is that in order to have a healthier, happier and flourishing life, the tipping point is experiencing positive emotions in a 3 to 1 ratio with negative ones. It doesn’t have to be all good, all smiles, all the time. Life can be hard. You will have stress and challenges. However research has proven that it is possible to have daily joy and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of your circumstances.

Here are a few ways to start.

1.       Love God and practice your faith

Those who practice their faith daily with an active spiritual life will have stronger immune systems, be more resilient in difficult times, feel more hopeful and even live longer.

Learn to live in awe and wonder. Be mindful of the present moment, of God’s amazing goodness to you in the here and now. Experience the mystery of God’s divine joy.

“You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11 NLT).

Having a quiet time with God allows you to get to know God and enjoy God. This is the secret to true joy.

Share your heart with Him. Listen for His voice and loving heart towards you. Meditate on the Word. Look for the verses about ‘joy’, those who are ‘blessed’ and ‘happy’. Daily consider how you can apply these to your life.

2.       Love People and stay connected

In the end, love is all that really matters. Research is very clear on this one. The happiest people have the strongest, healthiest relationship connections. They are surrounded with a close network of meaningful relationships that they nurture regularly.

Daily connect with someone close to you.  Who do you do life with? Who are your top 5 connections? Who needs your love?

3.       Live fully alive in ‘Eucharisteo’

Daily recognize all God’s blessings.

The Glory of God is (a person) fully alive - St. Irenaeus.

In all circumstances, live fully alive in the daily pursuit of grace and joy, recognizing all that is beauty eternal.  This is vibrant living.

God is always good and I am always loved and Eucharisteo renames all God’s children their truest name: Loved One.  Ann Voskamp.

4.       Be a grateful joy spreader

Gratitude leads to psychological and physical well-being and a joy that spreads like the flu. Grateful people have more positive emotion, report higher life satisfaction and less depression and stress.

Throughout the day, think of what you can be grateful for. Actually feel appreciation in your heart. Before going to bed at night, write down at least three things you were grateful for that day.

5.       Don’t worry, think great thoughts

What are the joy busters in your life? Often it is stress, fear and worry. If you want to keep daily joy, don’t believe everything you think or dwell on or what you can’t control. Worry for about 10 minutes, then give it to God in prayer, and let it go. Focus on what you can control and what you are grateful for. Think great thoughts and on making good choices in the here and now.

6.       Set goals with passion and purpose

When you have a sense of purpose and a specific goal to move towards – short and long term – you will have more joy. The brain needs to daily get organized and focused around a timeline. When you know where you are going, have direction, some purpose and hope to get up for in the morning – it brings joy.  What is your heart’s desire and purpose?

7.       Automate intentional daily living

What is the healthiest, most productive way to live fully alive each day? For the most part, we know the basics. It doesn’t have to be perfect. But the challenge is to ‘Just Do It’ – consistently. So, create new habits. Establish daily rhythms that result in the fruit of holiness, well-being and joy.

8.       Boost natural daily joy

Live fully alive in each moment – recognizing God’s blessings. Be open to receive divine joy. Reach out and make a difference by giving, serving, volunteering. Listen to enjoyable music. Sing. Eat well. Exercise. Go for a walk outside. Get 10 minutes of sunlight. Spend some time in the beauty of nature. Meditate. Breathe deeply. Laugh a lot. Journal. Forgive – yourself and others. Let God love you. Do something creative. Be enthusiastic about something. Spend time with a ‘joy spreader’. Reminisce on good memories. Discover your strengths – and use them daily. Give a card and small gift to someone. Spend time with a pet. Buy some fresh flowers.

Okay, have a little dark chocolate too.

Question: How do you naturally discover daily joy and vibrant living? You can leave a comment below.

I look over my goals and aspirations for the New Year – my prayers and longings during this 21 day Daniel Fast.

It doesn’t have to be so complicated.

Live in the moment. Take it one day at a time.

By day 13, loved ones face job loss, flaring cancer, major change of plans.

Fear, stress, anxiety and doubt flood in, clouding over the present.

How? Why?

Live in the moment. Take it one day at a time.

We don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.

These are the affirmations I am telling myself.

Live fully alive and present to the moment

The moment and the day is all we have, so we must make the most of it.

Ancient Christian writers warn us against ‘morning demons’ and ‘dragons’ -yesterday’s grievances and worries of tomorrow that poison the new day.

Don’t fret about the past, or worry about the future.

The Lord’s love, mercies, faithfulness, joy are renewed to us every morning

These are the promises of the Word I am reminding myself.

Daily Renewal for Vibrant Living

Habits, good practices and mature faith are formed by the right thoughts, intentions and choices – one decision, one moment, one action, one day at a time. I think I can do that. How about you?

Here is the list of daily rhythms I am aiming towards.

• A quieting time
• Scripture reading
• Read for soul nourishment
• Journal one sentence
• Pray and meditate
• Take one photo
• Connect with some people I love
• Be attuned to God’s presence throughout the day
• Be available for God to use me throughout the day
• Exercise about one hour (most days)
• Take vitamins once a day
• Drink one cup of decaf green tea
• Eat clean – for wellness and nourishment
• Use face regimen every day and night
• End each day with forgiveness and gratitude
• Focus on the Love of God – for Me – in Me – all day
• Be in a continual attitude of gratitude

Joy is always a function of gratitude and gratitude is always a function of perspective. If we are going to change our lives, what we’re going to have to change is the way we see.  Ann Voskamp

Make the most of the day you have

If you’re still trying to figure out your ‘resolutions’ and ‘rhythm’ for the new year, don’t worry.

Psychologists say the best time to thoughtfully and finally get this all sorted out is February. And the best way to make this happen is to automate our lifestyle.

More on that next week.

Use January to:

• Recover and recuperate
• Clean up and sort out
• Gather and glean
• Prepare and plan

Question: What daily rhythms are you choosing to move you towards a holier, healthier, happier New Year?

Fasting is one of the most powerful ways to get breakthrough, healing, restoration and spiritual renewal. Fasting can help re-energize you, clarify direction for your life and get your passion back.

Fasting brings breakthrough and blessing

What do I need and long for from God?

As we get into the New Year, here is some of what I am hearing from my own heart and those I counsel and coach.

Healing. Renewal. Reawakening. Guidance.  Reconciliation. Healthy relationships. Change. Accomplish goals. Good attitude. Love more.

I long for more – to live up to my full potential.

I don’t want goals and resolutions to seem overwhelming. I want results!

Renewed hope for a new way to finally get change.

De-hoarding, re-focusing and consistently living out what is right – in all areas of my life.

I want renewal from the daily routines of life that wear me down.

I need an awakening – fresh zeal and desire where I seem to be dull and languishing.

I long to be more effective in my calling and God’s purposes for me.

More of Him, more of my ‘true self’ and Love in Him.

At times like this, it seems appropriate and necessary to be honest, vulnerable and desperate before God with our needs, desires and longings – in prayer and fasting.

If this resonates with you, consider joining thousands of others who are starting the New Year with a spiritual fast.

Fasting in January is much like praying in the morning to establish the will of God for your entire day. If we will pray and seek God and give Him our first and best at the beginning of the year, He will honor that sacrifice and bless our ENTIRE year!  Jentezen Franklin

To help you prepare for the fast, if you chose to participate, I have prepared a brief Daniel Fast Reflection guide that has been helpful for my personal use and to many others, along with a New Year Reflection and Spiritual Rhythms Calendar.

You can download these resources from www.howtoflourish.com.

Whatever way you sense the Lord leading you, may you begin the New Year with surrender and solidarity of body, mind and heart, seeking the will of the Lord for continued restoration, transformation and divine revelation.

A blessed New Year to you !

Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.  Andrew Murray

Recommended Resources for more on The Daniel Fast

• The Daniel Fast. Susan Gregory – http://daniel-fast.com/
• Jentezen Franklin. Fast 2012. Reclaim your edge – http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/fasting/danielfast.php
• The Daniel Fast For Spiritual Breakthrough. Elmer Towns
• The Ultimate Guide to The Daniel Fast. Kristen Feola

For a few days now we have been surrounded by celebrations reflecting on the past year with gratitude and welcoming in the New Year with hope and anticipation.

The atmosphere around me is also filled with fragrance. The Rose Parade Floats are parked in Pasadena, California, a few streets away from where I live. What amazing aromas and wonderful images of Flourishing. The theme this year is “Just Imagine”. So, lets ‘imagine’ together.

“Just Imagine” – what you can look forward to this Year.

New beginnings. Renewal. Going deeper. Getting stronger. Thriving.

For many, yet another chance at familiar annual intentions – getting thinner, being happier, more organized, closer to God – reading the bible and praying more. Renewed hope to finally get healing, get breakthrough, get it right. Reawakening stagnant desires. A fresh anointing for new assignments.

Why do we look forward to this opportunity of ‘imagining’ every New Year?  Because God has hardwired us with a longing and vision for more – to keep growing, overcoming, fulfilling our heart desires.

God wants us to keep imagining the vision of abundant life He has for us – more of Him, more freedom, more fruitfulness, love, joy, peace and hope for the future.

Imagine God’s plans for your New Year

All these things we are longing for in this New Year, how are they going to be accomplished?

Our part in fulfilling His will and our hearts desires rests in the moment-by-moment choices we make.

How we spend our time. Daily lifestyle. What we put in our mouth. What we allow to come out of our mouth. What we read. How often we move our body. The people we spend time with. The love and kindness we show. Habits of the mind and heart. Sacred rhythms and spiritual practices.

Will it be a ‘happy’ new year? Will we accomplish our goals?

We don’t really know what the future holds, although we can imagine and aim for our intentions, hopes and desires.

Whatever happens, what we know for sure is that we know Who holds the future. And regardless of circumstances and outcome, it is a future for our goodness and hope.

All things are in God’s loving hand of providence, and He promises;

I know the plans I have for you … plans to take care of you … plans for your good… plans to prosper you … to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you … Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.  Jeremiah 29:11-14.

Imagine a New Year full of goodness and hope

How will we accomplish our calling, goals and assignments?  How will we face our intentions, cope with ongoing struggles and unexpected adversity?

Keep longing for and seeking more of God’s care, goodness, grace, guidance and presence of the Holy Spirit.

We won’t make it on the journey alone.

So, ‘Just Imagine’ God loving you, taking good care of you, prospering you, listening to you, being with you in all things at all times.

Imagine God giving you renewed hope for your desires and intentions.

Imagine God fulfilling the ‘word’ or ‘theme’ that you sense He has for you in the New Year.

Reawakening. Breakthrough. Discovery. Breaking new ground.

‘Just Imagine’ with me – a New Year full of God’s love, goodness and hope.

Question: What desires are you hoping for and imagining this the New Year?

What am I most grateful for during the past year?

• Go back over your ‘gratitude’ journal, adding what you are currently grateful for, especially as you reflect over the past year.
  • How has the last year been?  What were some of the challenges?
• Go back through your journals and notes from the year to remember your experiences, what you were learning and how the Lord was speaking to you. Notice themes and any highlights you want to continue into the New Year.
  • How did God bring me through?  What did I learn?  Am I closer to God now than I was a year ago? What is still left unfinished or undone?

• Ask the Lord what He would like to you reflect on. Any particular events or relationships where He was teaching you, where He still wants you to learn and grow.
  • Where am I on my life journey at this time?
  • What would I like to strengthen – what would I like to change – in all areas of my life?
• Take some time to be quiet with the Lord, listening and allowing the Spirit to speak to you. This might include powerful questions, honest evaluations and bringing before Him your disappointments, discontent, hurts, confusion and longings. (Quizzes under the Resources section on www.howtoflourish.com are designed to help you reflect.)

What is my vision for the New Year – what do I sense the Lord calling me to?

• Be attuned to your heart’s desires, how the Lord is clarifying your focus, direction, specific goals, assignments and priority for your growth in vocation, character and relationships.Who will I include on my journey to ‘do life with’ in the New Year?

Who will be your coach, counselor, director or mentor? Who will you invite to be friends and companions, to enjoy life with you, providing strength for the journey?

After spending time reflecting over the past year, where you are on your journey now and direction for the New Year, be attuned to a ‘word’ or theme that you sense the Lord has for you in the New Year.

And because Christmas is about receiving and giving – also consider what gift you would like to give Jesus this Christmas. From what I’ve heard, He loves gifts from the heart.

Question: What ‘Word’ or ‘Theme’ do you sense the Lord calling you to in the New Year?

Piles of palm fauns, stacks of severed tree limbs, mounds of leaves and debris line the streets. Large trees that withstood years of droughts and gales were toppled, falling in the roads, on homes and cars.  Most of the leaves on the shrubs around my yard are gone. Just sticks.

As I write this blog, it is day 6 and we still don’t have electricity. The nights are dark and very cold. You would laugh if you saw what I’ve been wearing to bed!  There are large chunks off the roof, and the chimney is falling down. But we are safe, the lights will eventually come on again and damage to the home is repairable.

People are like trees

The impact for me has been the upheaval to the birds (I have 8 bird feeders), the injury to plant life and the loss of limbs and the life of trees that appeared secure and stable for years. I heard birds chirp again today, so they are finding their way back to the new terrain. It has changed the skyline looking down over the city and the familiar enfolding of surrounding nature.

Why did some trees and palms topple, and others are still standing? One news article suggests that the fallen were ‘top heavy’. Some trees were so heavy they were able to lift chunks of concrete sidewalk up as they fell. Speculation is that the root systems weren’t deep and strong enough. Sprinkler watering kept the roots shallow, from having to go deep. They weren’t balanced.

Be balanced with roots and fruits

In the Bible, trees are symbolic for people.

Roots going deep in the ground represent our inner, soul and spirit life in Christ, His love, Word and Spirit.

Metaphorically, I identify with the trees.

We can also become shallow in our inner soul and spirit life and too ‘top heavy’ with going – going, doing – doing. On the outside we can appear to have a lot going on, but inside, we don’t have the depth that comes from going deep in the things of God – where we ultimately get our nourishment and strength.

The Lord always calls us back to a balance of serving and solitude – of contemplation and action.

Be rooted and grounded in trusting Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

When the storms of life strike and batter us around, we are going to loose limbs, leaves and suffer losses that can’t be avoided. But this recent crisis is a reminder that we must stay balanced with what we do and how we live on the outside, with becoming deeper and more mature and stable on the inside so we can better withstand the hardships in life.

It’s during the difficult times that we pray our most heartfelt prayers and we grow deeper in our character and relationship with Christ.

Be rooted and grounded in God’s Love

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love …that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

Believe in God’s absolute unconditional love for you, so that it transforms your attitudes – your whole approach to life. Think constantly about the Father’s incredible love for you. Set time aside each day to deliberately affirm God’s love for you. Feel His love present in your entire being – here and now.

Be deeply rooted in God’s Word

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8

At a Joni Eareckson Tada event recently Joni shared that during some of her hardest times as a quadriplegic and being bedridden, what got her through was – “Being in the Word”.  Let your inner being – heart and soul (roots) go down deep into the word of God and His loving Spirit.

Be deeply rooted in community

Those that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:13

I have heard it said of the giant redwood trees that the real secret to their beauty and strength is their root system. They go down deep and intermingle and connect with other strong roots around them. This forms a network that strengthens their life source.

When you are connecting on a deep heart and soul level with other Spiritual friends in community, you will be strengthened during hard times.

The lights will be back on soon, and life will be as usual. In the meantime, I’m pondering this profound teaching opportunity about depth and balance from the fallen trees.

What helps you be a ‘deep person’, becoming strong to make it through the storms of life?

As you prepare for the upcoming holidays (which can unfortunately be tainted by stress, struggles and ‘the blues’) consider a new countdown tradition of celebrating The 12 Days of Thanksgiving.  Include your friends and family in sharing some of these practices. It will change your life!

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving

1.       Count your blessings

What are you grateful for today that you already have in your life?

Thank God for everything. Make a list of the the people, provisions, situations, opportunities and His presence in your life.

Keep a gratitude Journal

Before going to bed at night, consider at least three things about your day that you are grateful for and the reasons why.  Jot these down in a journal.

Fill a gratitude blessing bowl

Use a special bowl to place notes of paper that express gratitude. Put marbles or stones in a bowl, representing each heartfelt appreciation.

Create a thankful tree

Write what you are grateful for on tags and hung them on a large branch or small tree.

2.       Be aware and remind yourself

In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you. (1 Thes. 5:18)

Savor the moments and events you can be thankful for. Enjoy the taste of a good meal. Be attentive to good times with people. Take a mental picture of the beauty of your surroundings. Use all your senses to heighten your experience and create memories you can recall and relive later. Use photos, DVD’s, journals, images – because it’s easy to forget the goodness and kindness shown to us by God, how we have made it through hard times.

3.       Write thank you notes

Send handwritten thank you notes or letters of appreciation and affirmation whenever possible. These are becoming a lost art, one of our most cherished treasures. I save every hand written card.

4.       Give gestures of gratitude

Think of the people in your life you would like to express gratitude to with a meaningful gift or a ‘heart gift’. What would be a significant gift to them from you?

Unconditional love.  Patience. Hope. Encouragement. Appreciation. Affirmation. Forgiveness. Happiness and joy. Compassion. Freedom. Time. Your presence. Talents. Skill.

5.       Express intentional appreciation

Intentionally be aware of what others do to be helpful, kind and considerate. Say thank you. Show genuine appreciation. It improves your relationships. We all like to feel loved, valued and appreciated. Out of a grateful heart, pass on goodness and kindness to those close to you, who serve you, who are kind to you, who touch your life in some way.

6.       Experience the presence of God through gratitude 

According to Jonathan Edwards (1746/1959) the “affection” of gratitude is one of the most accurate ways of finding the presence of God in your life. Love, praise and gratitude are the most experienced emotion acknowledging God’s generosity to us. Instead of just a simple a sentimental feeling, Christian gratitude is a virtue that shapes our emotions, thoughts and actions.

7.       Let go and forgive with a grateful perspective

Gratitude is the cure for excessive materialism, envy, resentment, disappointment, bitterness – and other states that hinder our happiness. A woman once shared that she had been a victim of a racial crime and was so filled with anger and hatred that is was destroying her life. “Just the one shift in my perspective to be grateful and focus on the good in my life changed my heart and set me free from all the cords of bitterness and hatred.”

8.       Reword your inner story

Hundreds of automatic negative thoughts go through our mind each day, distorting the narrative of our life story, our beliefs, our emotions and our behaviors. When you ruminate on these lies, negative events or un-forgiveness, you feed your stress response and increase negative emotions. You hinder thriving in your intended destiny. However, disputing these by shifting your thoughts and words to focus on the truth, what you appreciate and are grateful for, creates a calming effect and increases positive emotions like joy and peace.

9.       Flow Gratitude forward

When you are aware of the goodness and blessings you are grateful for, it naturally overflows to others with a desire to ‘flow forward’. This may be expressed by putting money in expired parking meters, volunteering with the poor, making meals for those in need, buying Christmas gifts for those who wouldn’t get one or just ‘being there’ when you can make a difference.

10      Feel appreciation in your heart

According to the ‘gratitude doctors’, feeling genuine gratitude and appreciation in your heart – literally – changes the state of your body and the neurons of your brain. The benefits are less stress, a healthier body, higher energy level, vitality, optimism, better memory and positive emotions like hope and happiness.

11.     Make a gratitude visit

Write a ‘Gratitude Letter’ to someone who has had a positive influence on your life and you would like to thank. Describe the benefits you received in detail, how that made you feel. If possible, pay a visit and read your letter in person, expressing an exchange of gratitude emotions. Both of you will benefit.

12.     Being grateful helps you deal with hard times

Gratitude brings alive what is good in life and may be even more valuable in difficult times.  The challenges and stresses of the holiday season tend to override the brain to focus on fears, pain and other negative emotions.

However, cultivating positive emotions like love and gratitude – along with the reality of stress and challenges – can change your attitude and provide necessary vitality to make the most of the season.

Question: What are you most grateful for today?

How much do you remember of the last reading, sermon, teaching or speech you heard? What do you remember from all the bits and pieces of digital information you are constantly bombarded with each day?

Forgetting is normal

A famous study verifies that we don’t remember very much, especially from reading a textbook.

• After 1 day 54% was remembered.
• After 63 days, about two months, only 17% was remembered.

Another study on recall after listening to a seminar found that students forgot more than 90% of the points from the lecture after 14 days! Can you relate?

Besides stories, analogies, illustrations and even color, we usually only remember a key sentence.

Learn to be a one-sentence listener

My mom, Kathleen Hart, has become well known for being a ‘one sentence’ listener. She says it has helped her hear the Lord speak to her, remember better and live more intentionally.

Using once sentences has also helped those she has taught and mentored over the years as a Chaplain to Pastor’s wives inspiring others to make many changes in their character and daily living (even as a mom and grandma).

Here are some of her most memorable ‘one liners’ that either come from others she has heard, or from her own experience that she has learned to live. As you ponder on these I hope at least one sentence will impact your life for the better.

One Sentences That Inspire

• Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser.
• Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, living moment-by-moment depending on Him.
• Learn to take control of your actions and attitudes.
• You leave a bit of yourself behind wherever you have been.
• In dialogue your thinking is clarified.
• One uncontrolled wrong choice or decision could mean a lifetime of regret.
• God says: Do good, bless, pray for, love and forgive others.
• What we love we will grow to resemble.
• You can be your best friend, or your worst enemy.
• What changes would you make if it were your last day here on earth?
• Our disappointments could be God’s appointments.
• Where God guides – God provides.
• In acceptance lies peace.
• Pray everywhere, about everything, always and continually.
• No Christian is greater than their prayer life.
• Your spouse and family should receive more of your smiles than anyone else – even if they don’t deserve it.
• Make a bit of heaven for your husband and family while here on earth.
• Stay on your side of the street and mind your own business.
• Surprise a difficult person in your life with the love of Jesus.
• Put a muzzle on your mouth because you can never take your words back.

Question: What one sentence inspires you?

My father Dr. Archibald Hart received the 25^th Anniversary award for contribution in the field of Christian psychology last week at the AACC conference. www.aacc.net. Dad was honored along with several other outstanding Christian Counseling leaders. It was great to see some of you at the conference and connect briefly. For those who don’t know my father, you can learn more about him at this link for Dr. Archibald Hart. http://www.howtoflourish.com/archibald-d-hart-ph-d-fppr/

How desperately we need ‘true elders’, mature teachers, guides and accurate mirrors of who we really are.  We rightfully should show appreciation honor and respect to those who impact our lives – our parents, wise teachers, mentors, those who have lived a lot of life and contributed to making this world a better place.

My father has taught and mentored many great leaders, psychologists and pastors, especially having significant impact on emphasizing the importance of emotional health in Christian leadership.

As his eldest daughter, I am so grateful to have been privileged to benefit from his vast influential wisdom personally and professionally while writing and teaching along side him.

Here a few classic phrases of wisdom from dad’s legacy that I hope enrich your life.

• Wear your role loosely
• Woundedness is the prerequisite for serving in the ministry
• Caring for yourself is not a luxury, but a necessity
• Resign as the leader of the universe
• No time in the wilderness is ever wasted
• Give yourself and others the privilege of being imperfect
• God is not in the success business, but in the refining business
• God can achieve more in your life through your failures than through your successes
• Failure breeds more character than success
• Success is a bonus that God gives to those who are faithful
• The usefulness of my life is God’s concern not mine
• It is not our responsibility to make sense of our lives
• It is not self esteem, but self-acceptance we must pursue. God has made you who you are – learn to live with it.
• Live ‘inside the box’ – within the limits of God’s created design
• Avoid compartmentalizing the parts of your being and your life
• It is essential to be fully integrated as whole persons. You cannot separate out your spiritual, physical and emotional life without serious consequences
• Happiness is a choice. Unhappy people invariably have neglected to make the right choices
• The happiest people I know are those who have learned to be content with who they are and what they’ve got – even if it is hardly anything

Question: Which ‘one sentence’ quote has the most impact for you at this time in your life?