Hey ladies! … ssssshhhhh!

One of the challenges in Christendom is that often people, churches, organizations and sometimes denominations build belief systems and even entire doctrines from a single verse or a handful of verses. Often these verses or passages are isolated and/or removed from their greater context, or understood through the lens of a pre-determined paradigm.

It is true that there are verses and passages that are sometimes difficult to understand and subsequently apply, especially some 2000 years later and in a culture far removed from the original writings. Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain what the original intent of the writer was. Just one hurdle is the fact that the scriptures were written in Hebrew or Greek, with a few verses/passages in Aramaic. Even if we spoke those languages today, all languages evolve over time. The end result is that even well respected scholars and commentators often have differing opinions about words, translations, interpretations, meanings, and applications.

One such passage that has literally divided entire groups of people of faith is:

“The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church” (1 Corinthians 14:34-35).

I am certainly no scholar, but, I think that if we look closely at this passage, especially within the context of the entire letter, we will see some important things. Let me share a couple observations I have:

(1) Paul spoke of women praying AND prophesying in chapter 11; verse 5 in particular. Let me state the obvious: praying and prophesying are both the opposite of “keep silent” and “not speak.” I think it’s important to note that the acknowledgement that women are allowed to prophesy is not by another author in the Bible. Nor is it by the same author but in a different letter, which might indicate he may have changed his mind or had a more enlightened view at a different point of time. No, both statements are by Paul, and both are within the context of the exact same letter that he had written to the church at Corinth. This is important because we tend to isolate verses when trying to ascertain meaning, but – we cannot do that here. Unless we determine that Paul is a schizophrenic, we must conclude that Paul had some other meaning in mind rather when he wrote “women are to be silent” than a strict prohibition on women ever having a voice when the ekklesia gathered.

(2) To accommodate this seeming disparity many scholars determined that Paul was okay with women praying, or singing, and sometimes even prophesying, but never teaching as that would somehow indicate “having authority over a man.” However, in this instance, that is pure speculation, or rather – a fabrication, and not consistent with the passage in question as praying, singing, and prophesying are all forms of “speaking” and not at all congruent with “keeping silent.” So, to parse these verses in this manner is a huge stretch, to say the least.

(3) Paul dedicates a significant amount of content within the letter for his readers to understand the purpose and functioning of spiritual gifts within the ekklesia. In chapter 12 he writes, “now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.”

Though we probably shouldn’t build a doctrine on what the scriptures do NOT say, I think it’s important to note that Paul made no gender distinctions when listing out these gifts. Notice that he did not say, “God has appointed in the church first Apostles (that are men), second prophets (that are men or women – see 11:5), third teachers (that are definitely only men), then all the other gifts (that can be both men and women).” No, Paul made no distinction whatsoever. I think I am safe in saying that most churches have no problem with women having an administrative gift or a gift of helps, or even as a prophetess, but the hair stands up on the back of their necks if one were to suggest that a woman could be an apostle or a teacher. But, you will not find that distinction here, not by Paul. Now, it is possible that Paul’s intention was to make the distinctive gender roles within the community of faith clear in other passages. But again I must say – that is a stretch and requires a predetermined interpretative paradigm to insist on that understanding here.

(4) To further elaborate on the previous observation: within the immediate context (i.e. the verses surrounding the one in question) Paul utilizes the word “all” when referring to people speaking in tongues and people prophesying (vs 23-24). He says that “each one” has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation when the assembly gathers (34). And further that if “anyone” speaks in a tongue, there should be an interpreter. In all of these verses he utilizes all-inclusive language. One has to ask, is it to men only that he is writing? That would be a difficult conclusion to come to. If he is not writing to men only, then we must acknowledge that Paul makes no effort to differentiate between men and women speaking, sharing, or operating their spiritual gifts in the gathering up to this point in the letter. All of the speaking gifts can be viewed as carrying some authority over others within the gathering.

(5) In this passage Paul also gave instructions and instances in which someone who speaks in tongues “must keep silent” (14:28 NASB), and even times when a prophet “must keep silent” (14:29). The word translated “keep silent” is exactly the same in all 3 instances within these few verses. All 3 instances are in the imperative mood, which means they are commands. But, we do not take these first two instances to mean the one who speaks in tongues and the one who prophesies should be forbidden to speak … ever. We understand that they must “keep silent” in specific situation and specific circumstances. Paul’s seeming directive about women “keeping silent” is within this immediate context. Though Paul has more to say about the role of women and speaking than he does the other two, and he does not qualify it like he does the other two, in light of 11:5 about women prophesying and the expression of the gifts of chapter 12 previously discussed, it seems consistent to understand this injunction in at least a similar fashion as the first two.

(6) If all that is correct, (and I think it is) then rather than a simple, over-arching statement that “women cannot speak in church,” we must consider an alternate understanding of what Paul meant in this passage. Before we tackle a possible alternate understanding (another day), we should note that Paul’s primary concern in this passage, and in fact this entire letter, is with order and unity in the community of faith – not gender roles. So, rather than build a doctrine about authority structure and gender roles within the church based on 2 verses, we should consider the larger message and point. The fact that divisions verses unity is an over-arching theme throughout the letter should impact how we interpret and understand these two verses. But until then – be blessed.

Eyes on the Prize

From my view, a great short-coming with a large portion of the teaching/preaching in the much of the western church is – an over-emphasis on the temporal.

What I mean is that many believers are so focused on perceived rewards and/or benefits of following God is this life that they have unintentionally misplaced their hope. Many have placed their hope and their faith in the “Cosmic-vending Machine” version of God. They say their prayers, they ask with intensity, and they try to stir up faith over temporary issues. And then they get disappointed or disillusioned with God and the church if things don’t pan out the way they had hoped. Many have even walked away from their faith and their relationship with God because when they put their quarter (their prayers) in the vending machine (God) they did not receive the item they had selected. And as a result they conclude that God doesn’t care about them or that maybe He doesn’t even exist.

Whereas what motivated the New Testament writers, what kept the early church on mission regardless of their circumstances or consequences, was a focus on eternity rather than a focus on things that are temporary. As the Hebrew writer said concerning the saints, “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises … But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb 11:13,16).

Read the Book of Acts and you will find that what kept Paul motivated throughout beatings, stonings, prison, shipwrecks, snake bites, persecutions, rejections, and false accusations was not a misplaced belief in rescue from his temporary circumstances. Rather, his hope, his faith, and his ministry; the times he was miraculously delivered – and the times that he was not, were all a result of the hope of an eternal reward.

That is not to saythat what is happening right now, right in front of us is not important to God. Nor is that to say that God never intervenes or that He has an agenda to leave us hanging without any hope for things in this life. Indeed He has intervened when we ask, and He continues to do so.

It is merely to say that our judgement of the goodness of God should not be based on these things.

Shifting our eyes and our focus to the eternal changes our priorities. It realigns our purpose. It gives us peace.

Listen: God loved you and I so much that He gave His only son, to stand in our place, to take upon Himself the punishment that was due us, to repair the breach so that we could be reconciled with God Himself – for eternity. There is nothing more He could do that tops this tremendous gift. Nothing. Everything else pales in comparison.

Think about this: Imagine that I built a mansion constructed completely with you in mind and then I simply gave you, free and clear. But, sometime later you asked me for a framed photo to use as decor. If, for some reason, I did not give that photo to you when you asked for it, would you deem me as unkind, unloving, or not giving? Would you conclude that I must not care about you? And yet – this is what many so often do with God.

What more does God have to do to be deserving of our faith, our love, our devotion and our allegiance? God has a completely different view, a different perspective, than we do. He sees things, He knows things, that we simply do not. He is infinite, we are finite. Our brains and our cognitive ability is limited. His is not. And, He is not obligated to explain Himself all the time.

This is not because He is uncaring. Actually, quite the opposite. My feeling is that God trying to explain to us why He did or did not do certain things would be much like a parent trying to explain to a 2 year old why they can’t have every piece of candy in the check-out line. Even if they understand it – they aren’t gonna accept it. And the tantrum and fit are soon to follow.

Look, I don’t know why God didn’t give you the photo that you asked for. I am not sure why you weren’t allowed the extra toy or the piece of candy. I wish I did. I really do. I wish I understood it and I wish that I could explain it to you. But honestly, I don’t understand it and I can’t explain it. In fact, I will keep asking along with you because I know how much my Father loves to give to His children.

This is where trust comes in. It’s not that because He has already given me the mansion that He now refuses to give me anything else. Rather, the mansion is PROOF that He loves me and therefore, I can trust He will give what He deems best and He will withhold what He deems best.

What He has given, and what He has withheld, are all because He is madly in love with you; because He cares so much for you that He is willing to allow you to be a little angry with Him when you do not understand. He is always looking out for your best interests, and mine; and He is good, at all times, and in all circumstances.

(Postscript: I promise I am not minimizing. I am only illustrating. I know some of you have real and desperate needs. I know you are in a lot of pain. And … I am standing with you. Peace.)

What is God up to?

The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11 is one of the most fascinating and exciting stories in all of the gospels.

But, buried within it are some of the most difficult glimpses of truth and Jesus’ purpose and interaction with His chosen that I think many people, especially in certain camps, tend to overlook.

We all know the story, right? Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary & Martha sent messengers to Jesus telling him that Lazarus is sick. Immediately after Jesus proclaims a purpose statement that we should probably pause and ponder. he says, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (vs.4 NKJV).

Well, first of all, we know it WAS unto death. At least temporarily. But, the end result would not be death. This entire story reveals that the people wanted things to go a certain way. They even sent messengers to Jesus, which can be equated with prayer. But Jesus had completely different plans.

Listen folks – sometimes things have to DIE. Sometimes, things we LOVE have to die. Not because it is fun, or pleasant, or even for our (natural) benefit. Rather, so that the Glory of God can be revealed.

Here is a tough verse that relates to a post I made last week: “So when He [Jesus] heard he [Lazarus] was sick – He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (vs 6).

Wait – WHAT??!! – Let me make sure I understand: Jesus heard their “prayers” and …. waited? Yep – He waited. I’m convinced that sometimes He hears our cries and He … waits. Why would He do that? Well, I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. He is up to something BIGGER.

Here’s another one: “I am glad for your sakes that I was NOT there” Why Jesus! Why would you be glad you WEREN’T there!? He goes on to say, “so that you may believe.”

Okay, here we go again. They already believed. That’s why they sent for Him in the first place. They knew he could heal. They were His close friends. They had seen it and probably even participated in it. So, what could He possibly have meant by, “so that you may believe?’

Here’s what I think. I think we need to move from believing God merely for the miraculous to TRUSTING Him as sovereign when we don’t see the miraculous. We have to learn to embrace the idea that He is God and He has a plan we may or may not be aware of. That plan may include our miracle, it may not. His plan is ALWAYS bigger than us and it will always work for our good. We CANNOT allow the reality of circumstances in the present to dictate our trust and faith for the future.

So, after a season of virtually tormenting His friends, of intentionally NOT showing up in the scene when they wanted Him to, Jesus calls for Lazarus to come out of the grave. Then He says, “did I not say to you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”

None of them, not one of them, could have dreamed of the bigger, the better plan. The only thing they had at this moment was disappointment. Often when we believe for the miraculous our viewpoint, our perspective is still focused on …. us. But, Jesus had a different perspective. His perspective was a heavenly one and it involved something completely beyond their comprehension.

Here’s the deal: Jesus did NOT do one miracle because He had a better one in mind. He did NOT show up when they wanted Him to, or even when they felt like He needed to, because He had a plan that far surpassed anything … an-y-thing … they could conceive of.

God’s plan always and continually points to Jesus as God, as sovereign over circumstances, over your life, over eternity. His proof is … RESURRECTION. His is the ultimate victory. Everything else is …. temporary.

I’m going to pause right here and say – I believe God wants to resurrect some things in your life. But, YOU have to let them die first. Death ALWAYS precedes resurrection. Death is always painful. Death brings …sorrow. But not sorrow as if we have no hope. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24). Sometimes you have to get to the place where there seems to be no hope so that God can do what ONLY HE can do. Resurrection is always by God’s hand alone. When He resurrects something then only He can receive the glory. Until you embrace this concept and settle it in your mind you will continually struggle in your faith and with trust, you will frequently find yourself questioning the goodness of God.

For all my friends living in the valley of disappointment, in the land of doubt and fear: I believe bigger things are headed your way, better things, things you could not have conceived of. Hang on to hope, my friends.

His ultimate goal in your life and mine is that the glory of God would be revealed. And, He will use whatever means to accomplish that.

Stuck

Why do people feel stuck?

Could it be due to false or unrealistic expectations?

Could it be because things did not turn out the way we thought they would?

Could it be because we didn’t anticipate all the speed bumps, detours, and wrong turns?

For the believer, could it be because we “thought” we knew what the Lord was going to do but it didn’t work out quite that way?

Is it because we get an intuition, an inkling, a prophetic word, an insight, about what the Lord wants to do in our lives but then we fill in the blanks for ourselves about how it will come to pass or play out? Is it because we think we know what it will look like at different stages, various milestones, or at the end of the journey?

Consider this- Is it possible that our ideas were based on our singular piece of the jigsaw puzzle? Maybe our perceptions are based solely on our view from our side of the room, our one view of the proverbial elephant?

Is it possible that even though our perceptions contain truth, they are extremely limited and are actually nothing like what God intended or plans?

Reality Check: We can have a revelation but not have understanding.

“Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!” (I Cor 13:9).

Here’s the truth: even though you may be struggling with disappointment because things didn’t play out the way you had hoped – God’s plans are far more involved than your limited perspectives, and they are always for good!

The truth is that God is doing things behind the scenes for your good that you are not aware of.

Let me explain.

Bad decisions, mistakes, failures haunt many. And often folks feel like they have not attained the place they thought they would because of them. And then they look back on their lives with regret. And as a result people feel …. stuck.

However, let me suggest something: Maybe we’ve misunderstood what God’s intention was for us to begin with. Maybe that glimpse we got, maybe that inclination, was only a small piece of a much bigger picture.

I would go so far as to say, many times we feel stuck or disappointed with where life has brought us because we have misunderstood the true purpose of why we’re there.

Some of you thought your mistakes disqualified you when really God’s plan is to rescue you. You thought your mistakes positioned you for punishment, when really they might have positioned you to more fully experience and understand the compassion, mercy, and grace of God.

It might be that instead of your foolishness positioning you for failure, it has positioned you to experience more of His fullness.

God’s ultimate design is for you to recognize His goodness. It is for you to realize that you still need a savior. It is for you to receive His comfort. How can you do that unless you fall down a few times?

So here is what I think: I think when we are young, even if we don’t have a “5 year, 10 year, 25 year plan” we formulate an idea of how things are going to play out. We think we have an idea of where we will end up. And, I think I can say with confidence – it NEVER works out that way.

So here’s what I say. Maybe you’re not actually “stuck.” Maybe, if you took a few moments to look around and see all the ways in which you are growing, changing, learning, and maturing you would realize, you are right where God wanted and needed you to be. Maybe if you would think about the people you have the opportunity to impact that you never would have had things gone according to “plan” you would understand that God was leading all along.

Maybe, maybe … you are simply at a place on the journey you did not anticipate.

Being stuck and being somewhere you did not anticipate are two different things. So I say, embrace the moment. Look for the good. Trust in the faithfulness of God to lead in and through every single step. If you can realign your perspective you may just find you are not stuck at all. You may just find passion and purpose instead of pain.

“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” 1 Cor 13:12

Love is in the Air.

Love Is In The Air!

Jesus was hanging out in the temple one day sharing stories as he was prone to do. Pharisees, Sadducees, Priests and elders were systematically grilling him with difficult questions in an attempt to trip him up and catch him saying or teaching something wrong. Jesus handily deflected the verbal arsenal as each inquiry was launched at him. Finally, one particular Pharisee, who happened to be a lawyer, scrutinized him with yet one more question.

“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law?” he asked.

Jesus gave the standard answer that was often repeated by the religious leaders. Quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, He replied, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This was the answer the hearers would have accepted and expected. But, did anyone really expect Jesus to just give a simple answer? As was typical with Jesus, He didn’t stop with just answering the question. He added a statement that struck at the heart. He followed up his first response by adding,

“And the second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt 22:36-40).

This was a difficult thing for the religious crowd of His day. They prided themselves on the outward appearance of their great loyalty to God and adherence to His commands. In a single sentence Jesus challenged their devotion by adding this second component.

It has always struck me as odd that Jesus was asked one question but gave two answers. Why did He do that? I suspect that the reason He gave two answers was because in His mind, in the mind of God, you cannot really separate the two concepts. The result of loving God is loving people. Also, you cannot really love people unless you first love God. You cannot separate the two. If that is the case then His two answers are really just two parts of a single answer.

What that means is that church attendance, Bible reading, or even singing along with your favorite worship songs are not the truest measure of showing your love for God. In fact, you might say that the best way to show God you love Him is … to love people. A better translation would have been “the second commandment is JUST LIKE the first one.” In this passage it’s almost as if God was saying,

“If you really love God, you will love people.”

Gary Smalley one time said “Life is relationships; the rest is just details.” Many times we mistakenly lead our lives thinking life is about our jobs, our finances, our position, our achievements or our notoriety. We strive and contend. We chase and pursue. We are busy. And there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with much of that. But, at the end of the day, everything we do revolves around the people we do it with and the relationships we build along the way. In fact, many times when we build relationships first, the success we desire will follow naturally.

What does it mean to “love” people? Jesus actually gave some fairly clear instructions within the context of His response. He said we are to love our neighbor the same way we love ourselves. In another context He said, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them” (Mt. 7:12 ESV). When I jump to conclusions, make mistakes, have an angry response and say things I regret, I want others to give me grace, forgiveness, and understanding. Sometimes I want them to overlook my shortcomings and give me the benefit of the doubt. Mostly, I want people to treat me with value and respect. If I’m going to treat others the way I want to be treated, if I’m going to love my neighbor as myself, then I should give them the same. Maybe that means is lending a listening ear the next time my teenager does something wrong instead of yelling. Maybe that means giving grace when the cashier makes a mistake or the customer service employee treats me rudely. Maybe it means not getting an attitude or shaking my fist when I’m cut off in traffic. Maybe it means seeking understanding when my boss is acting like a jerk.

With Valentine’s Day on the 14th and the National Marriage Week leading up to it, people are focused on their love relationships in the month of February, and rightly so. Couples are intentional in February. They make a “date” to spend time together, they give each other gifts, they treat each other kindly, and they see the best in each other.

But, everywhere around us are people who need many of the same aspects that we bring to our closest relationships: time spent together, a listening ear, understanding, compassion and care. Any relationship can be strengthened, enhanced, or healed when we are intentional and put into practice many of the same things that lead to a strong marriage. Our kids need it, our parents need it, our neighbors need it, our employees need it, and our pastors need it. The cashier needs it, the waitress needs it, and the homeless guy on the corner needs it. And all of them are made in the image of God. If we love God, we will love people.

It’s February so love truly is in the air. “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:35).

A Profound Mystery

A Profound Mystery

Many have used Ephesians 5:23-31 to expound on the roles and guidelines of marriages, and rightly so, but the Apostle Paul was actually pointing to something much deeper. He said, Husbands, love your wives … and the wife must respect her husband. He then concludes the passage with a surprising statement, This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church” (Eph 5:32).

Though he was talking about marriage, he was actually illustrating Christ’s relationship with the church. I believe that a healthy marriage can reveal the nature of Christ to the world in three distinct ways.

One of the amazing things about a healthy marriage is that someone can know and love the REAL you. Not the “all-together” you that you want everyone else to see. I’m talking about the real you, that is sometimes selfish, maybe a little pig-headed, or rude, and whose breath sometimes stinks. Yes, they know your strengths and successes, but they also know your challenges, your weaknesses, your shortcomings, your mistakes, your issues, your fears, and even your failures. Yet through it all, they inexplicably love you anyways. In fact, some of those very things actually cause them to love you even more. They love the REAL you. The best marriages are built on UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!

This is the beauty of the love of God. Somehow, Christ knows everything about us, including our innermost thoughts, and LOVES us regardless. We can’t hide anything from Him. He knows everything about us – yet loves us unconditionally!

Also, anyone married for any length of time knows that marriage has a way providing a lot of opportunities to practice UNRESTRICTED FORGIVENESS. A wise person once said, “Marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” Couples in strong marriages will find themselves forgiving over and over and over again. In fact, it’s required. Otherwise, those same couples would end up critical, bitter, and unhappy. Forgiveness is the very essence of Christ’s message. And because of His amazing grace He forgives us over, and over, and over again. He grants us UNRESTRICTED FORGIVENESS.

Finally, healthy marriages are built on the foundation of UNWAVERING COMMITMENT. My wife knows that regardless what happens, I am not leaving. I’m not walking out. It doesn’t matter what she says. It doesn’t matter what she does. I am completely committed to her! Unwavering commitment provides security and confidence. Couples will feel comfortable to be themselves. This is why marriage is intended to be “until death do us part,” because it represents God’s unwavering commitment to us as eternal. Jesus said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

Understanding and practicing these three principles will lead to the happiest, healthiest and strongest marriages. More importantly, it reveals the nature of Christ to our friends, our families, and the world. People will ask you, “How can you love him when he acts like that? How can you keep forgiving? Why do you stay with her?” The answer: “Because Christ loves me when I act like that. He forgives me when I mess up and He never leaves me no matter what I’ve done. I still see the value, the good, and the reflection of God in that person, just like Christ does with me.”

Healthy marriages reveal Christ to the world by displaying unconditional love, unrestricted forgiveness, and unwavering commitment. It is a profound mystery.

Do’s & Don’ts When Life Hits You Hard.

Here is a quick list of some Do’s and Don’ts for you when multiple things hit you all at once like they just did a for “a friend”:

(1) Don’t fuss and complain. It helps nothing. In fact, it usually just raises your level of anxiety, frustration, pain, or whatever (BTW – sharing with a trusted friend or loved one who can encourage, guide, pray, etc. is different to me than fussing and complaining).

(2) Don’t play the victim. Everybody has junk that happens. Look around. Sure there are folks a lot better off but, there are tons of folks worse off. Both issues are irrelevant. They’re not running your race. You are. And, you’re not running their race. Let it go.

(3) Don’t compare and especially don’t use Facebook as the measure of people’s lives or happiness. Neither should you use their social media produced life to measure your own happiness. It should more appropriately be called “faux-book” because it’s not real life. You only see what others want you to see. Some folks only put positive out there. Some folks do nothing but point fingers, gripe and complain. IN either case – it’s fake, folks. It’s only one small part of the story. Doesn’t matter – what they have and do has nothing to do with you. [#2 & #3 really go together].

(4) Don’t overreact.

(5) Don’t get overwhelmed. Slow down – look at your situation. Break it down into bite sized pieces if needed. Handle what you can. Look and ask for help if needed.

(6) Do pick yourself up, brush yourself off and face reality. Yes,I know it can be overwhelming at times, especially when it all comes at once but, all you can do is … deal with it.

(Click for some Good News When You Fall)

(7) Do – learn from your mistakes. You have to evaluate. How did I get here? What part did I play that brought me to this current situation – or all of these situations? Sometimes you did nothing. But, you can still learn from your current situation by asking questions like: how do I avoid landing here again?

(8) Do make the necessary adjustments to handle your junk – maybe focus on one issue and challenge at a time.

(9) Move on with life. Your life wasn’t all sunshine and roses before, and it probably wasn’t all misery either (hopefully). Nor will it be either of those things going forward. Some things will get better and you’ll have reasons to rejoice. Other junk will happen and you’ll have reasons to be frustrated, discouraged, whatever. welcome to ….life. Deal with it. Embrace it. Live it. Love it.

(10) Embrace the positive! It is there. You might have to look for it but, it’s worth it. This is what brings life, hope, and joy.

I just starting writing and it came out as 10 nicely packaged points off the top of my head. So, there it is. This is how my “friend” deals with it when multiple “life” things hit all at once.

Finally, you all should know that for me, trusting, believing and praying to God is my greatest asset, source of strength, and peace.

Hope this helps.

(Check out why Falling might be Good News)