by Dina Deleasa-Gonsar “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45 Have you ever looked in the mirror and didn’t see yourself? At first you may think that is impossible. Mirrors are made to show reflections. If you think about […]
By Dina Gonsar Have you ever found yourself feeling exhausted from “doing good?” That may be a hard question to ask ourselves or maybe our answer is hard for us to face. In a world that is often aggressive and ready for a fight, we can grow weary from turning the other cheek. We may […]
by Dina Gonsar You may have heard the popular phrase “If you do not stand for something, you will fall for everything.” As of late I have become acutely aware of my beliefs and perhaps even areas of unbelief. We live within an ever-changing world while we know God is unchanging. But that does not […]
by Dina Gonsar Recent events have no doubt overwhelmed us with many feelings. Feelings of grief, anger, frustration, fear, and general overwhelm. It may even seem like our world is falling apart, with one tragic event rolling in on the heels of another. We may be starting to feel ourselves start to lose sight of […]
With so much to prepare for we must not forget to prepare our hearts. Fostering tradition, family gatherings, and observing holidays are all important. However, I do not want Jesus to have to call my name twice. If we do not take the time to sit with Jesus during this Easter season we will be missing out on what he has for us.
The cross is a constant reminder of God’s love for us. Jesus died for us taking the weight of the world’s sin on His shoulders. He rose again so we could have hope and be encouraged in His everlasting promises to us. In spite of knowing we would forsake Him, mock Him, and deny Him at times, His love for us is greater than we can comprehend. However, there are times we forget and retreat into our own destructive habits.
Recently I’ve found myself specifically praying, “Lord please help me to not be an Israelite.” Yes, they were His chosen people, however they had a distinct pattern. God would consistently deliver them, give them victory, and provide for them, yet their memories were short. As soon as challenges arose again, they panicked. In their panic, they would build other gods to serve, wail and complain that they had been abandoned, or give up in fear at the sight of the enemy.
With a new year is supposed to come new beginnings. People set new goals and are motivated by the hope that they can start fresh. Or that the can essentially, “hit the ground running” on whatever new project lies ahead. However, as the new year came about I felt a growing sense that I needed to stop running. It had become apparent I was running so fast and so hard that I didn’t realize I no longer knew where I was going. My heart was filled with bitterness and frustration, not motivation with determination. I had no more energy, there was a fork in the road and I could not make myself go in any direction. I now know the problem had become that all I was focused too much on what “I” could or could not do. Instead of what the Lord was calling me to do. Which was to stop right there.
My parents made the holidays so incredibly festive and memorable. They worked hard to create and foster family traditions. They found great joy in large gatherings, Christmas dinners, and plenty of surprises under the tree. We have lots of great memories and home movies to prove it. However, it is not lost on me that the greatest gift my parents ever gave me was raising me in a Christian home.
In this chapter of Colossians Paul is urging believers to be rooted in Christ so they are not deceived by false teachers. Not to get caught up in the way society tells you to live, or respond to “peer pressure.” He warns them not to be deceived by arguments that seem “reasonable.” We are inundated daily with so many opinions, often unsure of the facts. The messages are loud and conflicting; however, they cause us to question our own beliefs. We can fall into constantly assessing and reassessing where we stand. It makes our spirit restless, causes us to strive for things maybe we shouldn’t, get angry about things that we don’t have to be angry about. Then comes the spirit of grumbling. I have been caught there many times. Once you are on that train it can be one way ticket to never ending discontentment.
Entering parenthood changes just about everything. This is common knowledge. However, the level of “tired” is something no one can prepare you for. The thought of true rest seems to becomes somewhat of a joke or fond memory. Then come the barrage of “self-care” messages and images. Instead of finding rest in the everyday small moments we are now wanting to make sure we get the rest “we deserve.”
I do believe that we should be cautious of the “self-care” trend that has become popular in recent years. If we are not careful, to be honest, it can become a new obsession.