Choosing to Overcome Adversity

The Choice Begins with Me

Choosing to change begins with you.

An attractive young adult walked confidently into the courtroom.  She turned to face the 57 year old vagrant who kidnapped and tormented her for nine months.  Taking a deep breath, she said "I don’t have very much to say to you.  I know exactly what you did and I know that you know what you did was wrong. You did it with a full knowledge. I want you to know that I have a wonderful life now, that no matter what you do, it will not affect me again. You took away nine months of my life that can never be returned. But in this life and in the next, you will have to be held responsible for those actions and I hope you are ready when the time comes."  Taken from the Healer's Choice by Roger Allen

Pedophile Brian Mitchell kidnapped 14 year old Elizabeth Smart from her bedroom.  He spent nine months brainwashing, raping, and hiding young Elizabeth before getting caught.  Elizabeth had a choice.  She could let those traumatic nine months define her as a victim and live defeated.  Or, she could see the personal crisis as an opportunity to move forward and use it as a mission to help others. Today, Elizabeth Smart is an advocate for other young kidnapped children and their families.

Losing a job, financial hardship, addiction, a terminal illness, relational strife, an automobile wreck, death of a loved one are all examples of a personal crisis.  Experiencing a crisis changes the day's normal routine and brings adversity.  
How do you handle a personal crisis?  
Are you taken off guard?  
Is there space in your day for the unexpected?  
Are you a rigid or a flexible person?  

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. 

Proverbs 24:1

How you respond to a crisis will determine your future.  
"It is not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you." Motivational Speaker Zig Ziglar 

Everyone will experience a personal crisis if not today - one day.  No one is immune from life's trials.  Your personal crisis may not make the news.  When you are in a crisis, examine your thinking and ask yourself, Am I allowing this crisis to defeat me?  What can I learn from this crisis? 

Another victim of abuse states, "to truly move beyond my past pain began with a very intentional choice. I remember the day, more than 15 years ago, that I made the decision to choose a different path. I stenciled a small poster with a simple message that still hangs on my wall today. It says “I choose hope. I choose healing. I choose joy. I choose LIFE!'"

Written by Susan Buck, MA, LADC
susan@stages2change.com

www.stages2change.com

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I Went to Church Today . . .

God Loves Me . . . I Will Choose to Love You

Country church in Iowa, USA

I went to church today.  Attending church is important to me.  I have not always wanted to go to church.  One day, I read a book by Phillip Yancey "Church Why Bother."  He explained in the book that church is the vehicle Christ left for us to gather, use our spiritual gifts and have a safe community to share His love.  

Today in church, I sat obediently in my chair - we don't have a pew in the 10:10 service.  I stood and sang and sat and sang.  Our family gave our tithe.  We prayed we listened.  We gathered with others and ate donuts and drank coffee.  I participated in my church duty.

This evening I took my Vespa for a ride in the country.  I had a chat with God.  I told him that I don't always like to be around people.  When I am around people I feel all these expectations.   I cannot live up to these expectations. I feel pushed and swayed by others opinions and needs.  I find myself lost and I forget who I am.  At times, I lose hope.  God reminded me that after Jesus spent a lot of time with people He would spend time alone.

When I am alone talking to God I feel love.  I feel strong.  I feel special.  I realize that God designed me with a purpose.  I believe I have unique gifts and talents.  

When I am around others - I start to feel inferior.  There is always someone prettier.  There is always someone more capable.  There is always someone who has more possessions.  Instead of celebrating my uniqueness and beauty.  I start to berate myself and fault find.  

I feel safe when I am with God - all alone.  No one watching. Just me and God.  God loving on me and me loving on God.  Why oh why is it so hard for people to love each other?

It occurs to me that loving is a choice not just a feeling.  I can love others whether they love me or not.  I can reach out in kindness and compassion and be the inspiration to spread love - oh how we need it today.

The greatest commandment is to Love God and Love Others.   Loving others begins with me and it begins with you.  Today find one person you can encourage with love.  Help them to feel special and to know they have a purpose.  Be the church to someone who needs to experience God's love and community.

www.stages2change.com