Thursday, July 24, 2025

your life satisfaction

Daily Reminders to Increase Your Life Satisfaction. 


There are many ups and downs in life… and life itself is a mystery to everyone. No one is without flaws. That is why we all need daily reminders to remind us of our uniqueness, purpose, and self-worth.

Sometimes, you might wonder what life has in store for you when you get up every morning and join the chaotic adventures. But hacking into a life of happiness and satisfaction requires just a few things from you.


¹ First, it’s essential to understand and believe in oneself. 

² Stay optimistic about the challenges you face daily and embrace your experiences, whether good or bad. 

³ Even amid the worst storms, keep your head high and be resilient.


After all, they say experience is the perfect teacher. When you feel like giving up, remember that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel!


Questions.

Are you feeling in despair?


Thinking about giving up?


Before you throw your hands up and call it quits… read these powerful positive affirmations to lift your spirits and give you the courage you need to face life.


1. “I won’t give up.” 

I know life can push you to your limits, but don’t lose hope. Make all the mistakes you can, but in the end, you’ll get what your heart desires.


2. “I can do this.”

Quit telling yourself that you can’t do anything. Instead, start getting significant results by replacing your negative beliefs with an “I can do this” attitude. Exercises can also help you prevent negative thoughts.


3. “Am I good enough? Yes, I am.” 

You may ask yourself this question, especially when doing something you’ve never done before. Can I win a hill running race? Can I beat the top student in our class? 

The answer is yes! Be courageous because you have the power in you to do anything and be victorious. Do not treasure material things. But with love, friendship, kindness, and trust, you have everything that matters.


4. “I am born a winner.” 

I tell myself I am a winner whenever I feel like I can’t accomplish anything or feel overwhelmed by negative thoughts. I’d also affirm that I’m unstoppable and undefeatable.


5. “I am healthy this morning.” 

Have a morning routine where you focus on your health. I often and repeatedly tell myself that I’m healthy. It doesn’t matter whether I feel sick because I know there’s power in my words. So should you if you want to live happily.


6. “Nothing can dull the inner light.”

Let no one dictate to you what is right or wrong. Instead, take charge of your emotions, feelings, and dreams. Follow your heart and instincts.


7. “You are loved.” 

I’m sure we’ll all need to hear this at some point. Love will always see you through, no matter how tough the situation. So make sure you’re surrounded by those that love and care for you.


8. “If you set your mind to it, you can accomplish what you want.”

You can do anything; just put in enough effort. Let nothing discourage you from attaining what you want.


9. “You are a result of your own words.” 

What you prophesy with your own words can come to pass. So be careful with what you think or say.


10. “Quitters never win, and winners never quit.” 

Keep pushing until something happens. If you don't keep trying, then don't anticipate good results. It's as simple as that. 


11. “No Human is Limited!” 

Set your goals, break your barriers, and work towards achieving them. 

Most people struggle to attain their goals because they lack proper planning. 

There are many resources, including books and goal-setting planners, that can teach you how to set smart goals and achieve them.


12. “Be you.”

Don’t change to win people’s love; be you. True love has no expectations. It comes naturally.

As long as you're doing the right thing, the right loving people will come to you.


13. “God, help me accept the things I cannot change.” 

I know that the road to success is full of bumps. If anything goes haywire, I’ll learn to accept, change what I can and leave what is unchangeable.


14. When I do good, I do it to myself; when I do wrong, I do it to myself. That’s my religion.” 

Learn to do good deeds for others, since they will always come back to you, whether good or bad.


15. “I’ll spend the first four hours of a six-hour tree-chopping activity sharpening my ax.” 

To be successful, I spend more time planning than doing the task. Remember, the process is very important. Don't go for instant gratification. Work on it!


16. “You know your friends when hard times hit.”

True friends reveal themselves when you face challenging times in life and fake friends leave. So stick with the real ones and do away with the pretenders.



17. “I choose what to believe.” 

Let nobody tell you what to believe and what not to. In the end, it’s your choices that make you who you are. Just make sure you make the right ones.


18. “Stop overthinking.” 

Overthinking can lead to fear and anxiety. So stop over-thinking and let things unfold themselves because anxiety comes from wanting to control the future.


19. Each day’s growth builds up to great outcomes.

Never let a small step forward discourage you from working hard. Imagine how long it takes ants to build anthills. Just keep taking the small steps, and soon you’ll reach your desired destination.


20. The perfect moment is now.

Now is the most excellent time to take action. If you want to see a change in your life, start new things today. You should also try this – change begins with you. If you have built bad habits, you can change that and start building new ones as soon as NOW!


21. “I’m grateful.” 

Be content with whatever comes your way. Know that it’s just for a season, and things will get better someday.


22. “Start believing in yourself, work hard and let it happen.” 

You are good enough, and you are the best that there can be. So, work towards fulfilling your dreams.


23.“Mistakes prove you are trying.”

Don’t worry about messing up; it only shows that you’re doing something. After all, you’ll learn from the mistakes you make.


24. “If not now, when?” 

Now is the perfect time to start something you’ve always desired to do. You can achieve nothing if you don’t take a risk. Things will fall into place by just taking the first step.


25. “Tomorrow, every fault is to be amended; but that tomorrow never comes.” 

We all don’t know about tomorrow, but today is here with us. So you should stop procrastinating and do what you should do today.


26. “Trust the process.” 

Never worry about how things start or how long you take to achieve your goals. The outcome will be fantastic. For example, if you’re training for a marathon, you’ll face hardships and injuries, but you’ll surprise yourself when you eventually break the record.

Most people realize better results when they focus on the process rather than the outcome.


27. Never put your trust in your fears; they do not know what you’re capable of.

Fear does not know how powerful you are, and if you let it in, you’ll never realize your full potential.


28. It’s okay not to be okay.

It’s okay to express that you’re not feeling well because our emotions vary. Also, if you don’t feel comfortable doing anything, don’t be afraid to say so.


29. Let go, let God.

When I’m feeling overwhelmed, disappointed, or know I can’t control things, I just let go. Let God take the wheel, assist you in relaxing and guide you in the right direction.


30. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth the effort.

In this life, nothing is easy. The road to success is difficult, but I know it’s worth all the chances I take. So should you. In the end, there is always victory.


31. Nothing lasts forever.

Nothing lasts forever under the sun. I’m sure your suffering will pass, and you won’t suffer forever. Keep believing, and the difficult times will pass. 


32. That which doesn’t kill me strengthens me.

Believe that any adversity you go through and emerge victorious gives you the strength to face each day with courage. This way, you’ll never fear any challenge.


33. Don’t trust someone else with the key to your happiness.

No one but you knows what makes you happy. As a result, don’t let others define who you are or what you’ll do in this life.


34. Don’t quit when you get tired. Learn to rest.

In the breath of success, there’s no quitting. So, if things get rough, take a break and rest your mind and body. When you've recovered, you'll come in with new energy that will push you to achieve your goals.  

Remember, rest is not something you want, but something you need.


35. I’m doing this for me.

Do the activities you enjoy. I always use this positive reminder when I’m doing something difficult or facing a problem. It serves as a reminder that, in the end, it will be my success, not anybody else’s.


36. Time changes everything, but first, change yourself.

To experience change, do things differently from how you are doing them now.

After some time, you’ll start noticing changes.


37. One day at a time.

Worry about today and live your life as if there is no tomorrow, because no one knows what tomorrow will bring. However, today's actions will definitely influence your tomorrow. So, act positively as you wait for tomorrow.

¹ 活在当下,过好每一天。Huó zài dāngxià,guò hǎo měi yītiān.

² 只顾今天,像没有明天一样生活,因为没人知道明天会发生什么。Zhǐgù jīntiān, xiàng méiyǒu míngtiān yīyàng shēnghuó, yīnwèi méi rén zhīdào míngtiān huì fāshēng shénme.

³ 然而,你今天的行动必将影响你的明天。Rán'ér, nǐ jīntiān de xíngdòng bì jiāng yǐngxiǎng nǐ de míngtiān.

⁴ 所以,在等待明天的同时,积极行动吧。Suǒyǐ, zài děngdài míngtiān de tóngshí, jījí xíngdòng ba.


¹ Satu hari pada satu masa.

² Risaukan hari ini dan jalani hidupmu seolah-olah tidak ada hari esok, kerana tiada siapa yang tahu apa yang akan datang esok.   

³ Namun, tindakan hari ini pasti akan mempengaruhi hari esok anda.  

⁴ Jadi, bertindak positif sambil menunggu hari esok.

¹ Un jour à la fois.

² Préoccupez-vous du présent et vivez votre vie comme s'il n'y avait pas de lendemain, car personne ne sait de quoi demain sera fait.

³ Cependant, les actions que vous entreprenez aujourd'hui auront certainement un impact sur votre avenir.

⁴ Alors, agissez positivement en attendant demain.


¹ Oru nāḷukku oru nāḷ.

² Iṉṟaiya tiṉattaip paṟṟi kavalaippaṭuṅkaḷ, nāḷai eṉpatu illai eṉpatu pōl uṅkaḷ vāḻkkaiyai vāḻuṅkaḷ, ēṉeṉṟāl nāḷai eṉṉa koṇṭu varum eṉṟu yārukkum teriyātu. 

³ Iruppiṉum, iṉṟu nīṅkaḷ eṭukkum ceyalkaḷ niccayamāka uṅkaḷ nāḷaiyaip pātikkum. 

⁴ Eṉavē, nāḷaikkākak kāttirukkumpōtu nērmaṟaiyākac ceyalpaṭuṅkaḷ.


¹ ஒரு நாளுக்கு ஒரு நாள்.


² இன்றைய தினத்தைப் பற்றி கவலைப்படுங்கள், நாளை என்பது இல்லை என்பது போல் உங்கள் வாழ்க்கையை வாழுங்கள், ஏனென்றால் நாளை என்ன கொண்டு வரும் என்று யாருக்கும் தெரியாது. 


³ இருப்பினும், இன்று நீங்கள் எடுக்கும் செயல்கள் நிச்சயமாக உங்கள் நாளையைப் பாதிக்கும். 


⁴ எனவே, நாளைக்காகக் காத்திருக்கும்போது நேர்மறையாகச் செயல்படுங்கள்.


38. You only fail after you give up.

Failure is an important element of the success process. I can’t say I’ve failed if I’m still trying, but I’m a failure the moment I stop trying.


39. Yes, I can.

Never limit yourself to what you can accomplish in life. You don't know your power yet. Instead of thinking about what you can't do and why you can't do it, focus on how to be able to do it. This is the “Yes. I can spirit”.


40. You are what you do now, not what you say you will do.

People look at what you’ve already done rather than what you’ll do to define yourself. So, strive hard to achieve your goals in life.


41. Every day is a fresh start; don’t measure yourself by the mistakes you made yesterday.

Don’t measure your success by mistakes you’ve made in the past. Every day comes with the possibility of a new beginning.


42. “Do you; I’ll do me.” 

Always follow what you believe is best to make you happy. Following others will leave you empty and misguided. Let them do them, and let you do yourself and live your life as you see fit.


43. “I’m a conqueror.” 

I will rise after every fall because I know I am a fighter and will eventually win. You can also develop this attitude and face life without fear. I am a warrior, not just another survivor.


44. For others to believe in you, you must first believe in yourself.

Have confidence in your abilities, and don’t be afraid to showcase them to others. 

However, people need to see you trust yourself for them to believe in you.


45. Don’t worry, be happy.

Don’t let your worries dampen your spirit, but find ways to be happy. When you look content, you bring happiness to others.


46. “Smile always.” 

Do you know that simply smiling at someone can make their day better? Smiling also boosts your mental health. So keep smiling. 😊 


47. “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will fend for itself.” 

Don’t worry about what you’ll do tomorrow; your troubles today are plenty. So, see and live each day as if it were the last, for no one knows when tomorrow will come.


48. “Great things take time.” 

Be patient and trust the process, for nothing great comes easily. Put more effort into whatever you do, and you’ll reap the benefits.


49. “Your health, your wealth.” 

You can’t work when you’re sick, but you can accomplish anything if you’re healthy. If your body is fit, you are healthy and wealthy. Good health is more valuable than all the riches in the world.

My health is my wealth. The latter cannot replace the former. 


50. Yesterday is gone, today is a miracle, and tomorrow is a mystery.

You can’t change what happened yesterday, so don’t dwell on it. Don’t be concerned about tomorrow; no one knows what will happen. However, live today as if it were your last, since you will never see this day again.


51. “Good things will happen in my life.” Anonymous


Don’t let negative thoughts take you down. Instead, have faith that only the good things will come your way. 


52. “I am blessed beyond measure.” The Bible


You may go through a challenging moment in your life, and your life may seem like a rollercoaster right now. But believe it’s only for a short period because you’re highly favored.


53. “I am proud of who I am.” Anonymous


You may not be perfect, but accept your flaws and look forward to a better day. Always be proud of your achievements.


54. “To err is human.” Alexander Pope


Anyone can make mistakes, so don’t be too hard on yourself or others. Therefore, please forgive yourself and others in the hopes of a better tomorrow.


55. “Nobody should expect me to prove myself.” Anonymous


Life needs no competition, so I don’t have to compare or prove myself to others. Instead, I trust my abilities and will work towards my success.


56. “Forward ever, backward never.” Kwame Nkrumah


This is one of the best positive reminders that helps me focus on the future rather than the past. For example, you’ll walk slowly if you keep looking back while walking. If you focus on moving forward, you’ll arrive at your destination on time.


57. “I deserve to be happy.” Anonymous.


When facing too much suffering, we can forget how to be happy. Research shows that we deserve happiness. Happiness is a natural cure for sadness.


So, the happier I am, the healthier I become. As a result, I’ll let go of any negative emotions since I am worthy of happiness.


58. “Today is my day.” Anonymous


I wake up to these positive reminders every day, especially if I didn’t do what I set out to do the day before. But, it’s a new day and a fresh day full of opportunities.


59. “I am capable.” Anonymous


Nothing is impossible for me to accomplish. “I’m going to win because I’ve got it in me.” That is the attitude that will take you places.


60. “I’ll focus on what makes me happy.” Barry Schwartz


No one is going to define my happiness. I’m going to cherish every moment of my life. I will concentrate on what makes me happy and let go of what makes me sad. 


Positive Reminders - “I’ll focus on what makes me happy.” Barry Schwartz | positive self reminders | positive morning reminders | positive simple reminders

61. “Life is not a competition.” Anonymous


It’s good to work hard, but I don’t overdo things to prove to others that I can. I won’t make any hasty decisions. So, I’ll take one step at a time, because my life is not a competition.


62. “Forgive and forget.” Anonymous


Living with a burden on your heart is harmful to your health. So learn to forgive and forget those who wrong you. Do this for your peace of mind and good health.


63. “You only live once.” Frank Sinatra 


This is once-in-a-lifetime advice. Truly, you only have one life, and you have to live it to the fullest and in the best way. Don't make choices that make your life miserable, but rather fulfilled.


64. “Be you, truly and unapologetically you.” Anonymous


Being yourself is one of the best things in the world. You can do better than anyone else and there is no need to apologize as long as you are not hurting anyone else.


65. “Take care of that soul.” Anonymous


You only get one soul in this lifetime. Give it the best you can in everything. After all, it is your most awesome friend.


66. “Don't think about it, just do it.” Anonymous


You can spend so much time thinking about doing something that you either talk yourself out of it or the opportunity disappears. Go for what you want.


67. “Be you. There's none better you can be.” Anonymous


You are just as special as anyone else and trying to be someone you aren't takes away the special qualities you have to offer the world.


68. “Bad vibes don't go with my personality!” Anonymous


Walk away from anything that doesn't cause you peace and happiness. Let the world know you won't accept negativity in any form.


69. “You need no filters.” Anonymous


Living without filters allows you to be your best self. You don't need to spend energy trying to figure out what parts of you to show the world. Show them your all.


70. “When things go wrong, don't go with them.” Elvis Presley


Things are going to happen that are against what you want. The trick is to let them go and find a better way to do what you seek. You don't need to let the bad energy bring you down.


71. “Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.” Jackson Brown Jr.


We all want to experience big, powerful events, but if you let all the focus go to these, you miss out on the hundreds of small pleasures that occur every day.


72. “I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes.” Barbara Elaine Smith


You may face many rejections, but as long as you keep trying, you will rise above those rejections and find success.


73. “The best way out is always through.” Robert Frost


You have already forged a path to where you are. If you want to reach the wonder of what lies ahead, it is easier to keep forging your path through rather than turning around and going back.


74. “More is lost by indecision than wrong decision.” Marcus Julius Cicero


When you hesitate to make a choice, one of two things happens, you either lose the opportunity or someone else makes the choice for you. Even wrong decisions can get you closer to where you want to be.


75. “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagen


The world is full of unknowns. The way to find them is to keep striving for knowledge.


76. “Success is stumbling from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill


Rarely do we succeed on our first attempt. The trick is to keep moving forward through the disappointments and not let them stop you.


77. “The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it.” Epicurus


When things come to us easily, we often fail to appreciate them as much as we do the things we have put a lot of time and energy into achieving.


78. “Make sure your worst enemy doesn't live between your own two ears.”

So many people fail because they believe they can't do something, or that they don't deserve to win. Don't let your own thoughts cause you to fail.


79. “Don't look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance.” 

When we concentrate on the how, we often hesitate and stumble. Don't worry if you are doing things as others do them. Just enjoy your own journey.


80. “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” 

Just because you didn't get exactly what you hoped for, isn't a reason to feel down. At least you achieved something. And that is better than doing nothing at all.


81. “If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.” 

Something beautiful can only be achieved by going through the hard work to make it happen. Nothing occurs in a vacuum.


82. “If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.” 

Sometimes we need to create our own opportunities. This includes opening up your heart and mind to be willing to accept the opportunity when it arrives.


83. “See the beauty in everyday moments.”

When we take the time to be present in the now, we get the opportunity to see all the miracles that are happening around us on a regular basis.


84. “You have a unique perspective.” 

Everyone sees things in a different way based on who they are and where they've been in life. Don't allow anyone to convince you your perspective is wrong. They don't see with your eyes.


85. “Strive for progress, not perfection.” 

If you only want what's perfect, you will always fail. If you concentrate on progress, however, you have many reasons to celebrate.


86. “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” 

The universe knows what we need and sometimes you want things that work against you. Be glad that there is always something better waiting when you don't get your wish.


87. “Stop waiting for Friday.” 

So many people of waiting for the perfect time, whether it is Friday, when I'm settled, or whatever. If you spend all that time waiting, you miss what is right in front of you.


88. “Take the risk or lose the chance.”

Anything worth doing or having includes some sort of risk. If you spend too much time worrying about that risk, you may lose out on the chance to reap the benefits.


89. “If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.”

The thing you are searching for may be just around the next corner, but if you give up now, you won't ever know that. Keep moving forward.


90. “A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow.” 


91. “Life's a dance, you learn as you go.” 

Life does not come with an instruction manual. Every one of us is making our moves one step at a time, without knowing if it is the right or wrong one. Just enjoy life.


92. “Whatever you are, be a good one.”

You don't have to be important to the world or do great things. All you need to do is be the best at doing what you do. Compete only against yourself.


93. “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” 

Rain brings cleansing, growth, and freshness, yet so many people complain about it making them wet that they don't see the benefits. The same is true of adversity.


94. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing it with everything you have. Put in all your effort and that way you can truly say you tried.


95. “Every moment is a fresh beginning.” 

What has already happened can't be undone, but you always have the chance to make a new start. We often think of trying again tomorrow, but every minute of every day is a clean slate.


96. “Decide how badly you want it and proceed accordingly.” 

Your chances of success depend a great deal on how much effort you are willing to put into the pursuit. Decide before you start if the goal is worth your effort. 


97. “When you fail, you also learn how not to fail.” 

Failing is not the end. You have achieved something if you can take what you learned and use it toward not making the same errors the next time.


98. “Laughter is the language of the soul.”

We need to feed our souls as well as our bodies. One of the greatest ways to elevate your soul is to find laughter in your life.


99. “I will not be triumphed over.” 

The first way to win is to refuse to lose. You may not win immediately, but with determination, you will eventually prevail in your quest.


100. “You were not born to be a second-hander.” 

If you are willing to accept being second best, that is all you will achieve. You were born to win!


101. “You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”

You aren't going to get anywhere by standing still. Your dreams aren't going to come to you and you won't magically be transported to them. You need to put in the effort.


102. “One raindrop raises the sea.”

Every little thing you do matters. You may not see a big difference, at first, but it is there. You are part of this wondrous universe, and what you do changes it one thing at a time.


103. Mastering yourself is true power. 

You can't control others, nor should you try. This does not indicate power. Being able to say you mastered your emotions and your actions, now that is where you are truly able to show your strength.


Final Thoughts

Happiness is a personal choice, and no one else can guarantee your happiness except you.

So stand firm in what you believe and let go of the past that haunts you. Enjoy every moment by choosing to be happy… and live each day as if you will never live again!

This is one way to increase your life satisfaction. 


103

s'il t'appelle ;

 Mais nous pouvons éviter de nous mettre intentionnellement dans des situations tentantes. Et il y a certaines personnes et certaines conditions qui font ressortir le pire en nous. En fin de compte, nous devons valoriser notre relation avec Dieu plutôt que notre confort. Nous devons valoriser notre santé spirituelle plutôt que notre satisfaction terrestre. Plus nous restons connectés à quelque chose, plus nous en devenons dépendants. Nous ne devrions jamais compter complètement sur une seule personne ou activité pour nous rendre heureux. Les gens changent, les circonstances changent. Mais la Bible dit que Jésus-Christ est le même hier, aujourd'hui et pour toujours. S'il vous appelle à couper les liens avec quelque chose ou quelqu'un que vous appréciez, alors faites-le. Rien ni personne ne devrait être placé au-dessus de Jésus-Christ dans votre vie. Peut-être vous montre-t-il que votre cœur n'est pas à la bonne place. Perdre ces relations n'est pas la punition de Dieu. C'est sa miséricorde. C'est sa façon de vous montrer qu'il vous suffit. Couper les liens ne signifie pas que vous abandonnez. Cela ne signifie pas que vous ne vous en souciez pas. Cela signifie simplement que vous choisissez sagement de vous éloigner avant d'être encore plus blessé. Et si vous attendez le bon moment, vous attendrez pour toujours. Il est souvent plus facile d'en finir, afin de pouvoir commencer à guérir. Couper les ponts sera probablement difficile. Cela pourrait causer des douleurs de croissance pendant que vous vous habituez à vivre sans cette personne ou cette chose dans votre vie. Vous pourriez vous sentir impuissant et effrayé au début. Cela pourrait faire mal de perdre quelque chose ou de perdre cette amitié, mais avec le temps, vous pouvez avoir confiance que Dieu vous aidera à respirer par vous-même. Avec le temps, Dieu vous montrera que tout cela contribuait à votre bien. Il peut être facile de tomber dans le piège de penser que Dieu ne peut pas vous utiliser. Vous pouvez ne pas vous sentir assez bien parce que vous êtes déjà tombé dans le péché. Peut-être que vos antécédents, votre passé et votre éducation vous font sentir que vous êtes trop mauvais, trop endommagé, pour être utilisé par le Seigneur. Cependant, Dieu n'utilise pas les dignes. S'il le faisait, personne ne serait qualifié pour figurer sur cette liste. Nous sommes tous des pécheurs brisés qui ont désespérément besoin d'être sauvés par Dieu. Et chers amis, la bonne nouvelle est que Dieu peut et doit changer les choses. Il peut changer un cœur froid et endurci et le remplir d'amour et de compassion. Il peut changer celui qui est en colère et haineux, et le rendre indulgent et humble. Maintenant, pendant un moment, je veux souligner trois personnages bibliques qui ont été utilisés par Dieu. Mais selon les normes d'aujourd'hui, de nombreux chrétiens auraient rejeté ces hommes et peut-être même les auraient ridiculisés à cause de leurs péchés. Mais c'est le point que j'aimerais vous faire comprendre. Dieu utilise ceux que nous considérons comme brisés. Dieu utilise ceux que nous considérons comme faibles parce qu'en lui ce qui est brisé est rendu entier et en lui ce qui est faible est rendu fort. Considérez Moïse. Dieu est intervenu dans la vie de Moïse d'une manière très puissante. Alors que tous les autres bébés mâles de son âge étaient tués par le Pharaon, Dieu lui a épargné la vie. Moïse a été jeté dans une rivière sur un bateau de la taille d'un bébé et tiré hors de la rivière par la fille du Pharaon. On pourrait penser que quelqu'un sauvé d'une manière aussi miraculeuse vivrait une vie entièrement pour Dieu. Cependant, Moïse a commis le péché le plus odieux qu'un humain puisse commettre. Il était un meurtrier. Bien qu'il n'ait pas grandi dans l'esclavage en vivant avec la fille du Pharaon, le reste des Israélites l'a fait. À l'âge adulte, Moïse a vu un Égyptien battre un Israélite. Cela l'a rendu furieux. Il est allé voir l'Égyptien et l'a battu à mort. Au lieu d'admettre son péché, il a caché le corps sans vie et s'est enfui. Non seulement Moïse était un meurtrier, mais aussi un lâche. De nombreuses années plus tard, Dieu a dit à Moïse d'aller parler à Pharaon pour libérer le peuple d'Israël de l'esclavage. Et malgré son hésitation, malgré son passé, Dieu a quand même utilisé Moïse pour accomplir de puissants miracles et conduire le peuple d'Israël hors d'Égypte. Ensuite, David était un homme selon le cœur de Dieu. Bien qu'il aimait Dieu, il était à un moment donné un meurtrier adultère. En tant que roi, il était de son devoir d'aller diriger ses hommes pendant qu'ils étaient en guerre. C'est ce que faisaient tous les chefs des armées étrangères à l'époque. Cependant, pendant qu'Israël était en guerre, le roi David est resté à la maison. Après s'être réveillé de sa sieste de midi, il a vu une femme se baigner. Son nom était Bethsabée et elle était mariée à un homme nommé Urie. Urie était à la guerre. David a décidé de coucher avec Bethsabée et elle est tombée enceinte. Au lieu d'admettre son péché, David essaie de le dissimuler en ramenant Urie de la guerre pour coucher avec sa femme, Bethsabée. Cependant, Urie est un homme honorable et ne veut pas coucher avec sa femme pendant que le reste d'Israël est en guerre. Comme le roi David ne peut pas faire coucher Urie avec Bethsabée, il signe l'avis de décès d'Urie. Il donne à Urie une note qu’il n’est pas censé lire. Français Urie remet la note à son commandant. Cette note envoie Urie au front et mène à sa mort. Enfin, nous avons Paul l'apôtre. Avant d'être Paul l'apôtre, il était connu sous le nom de Saul de Tarse. Ce Saul allait de porte en porte et battait les chrétiens. On pense qu'il les a également tués. Dans le livre des Actes, la première personne à mourir pour avoir suivi Jésus-Christ était un homme nommé Étienne. Étienne a prononcé un discours sur Jésus et a appelé tout le monde à se repentir et à avoir confiance en Jésus. À la fin du discours, Étienne est lapidé à mort. Il est dit de Saul dans Actes 8:1 « et Saul approuva son exécution. » Au minimum, Saul approuva et était content de l'exécution. Au maximum, il organisa l'exécution. Saul tua des disciples de Jésus-Christ. Selon nos normes en tant qu'humains, nous aurions rejeté ces trois individus. Nous aurions dit qu'ils étaient trop loin pour avoir commis de tels péchés. S'ils franchissaient les portes de notre église et demandaient un emploi, nous les refuserions rapidement. Nous aurions très probablement demandé qu'ils soient arrêtés et gardés derrière les barreaux pour le reste de leurs jours. Cependant, Dieu était encore capable de changer complètement leur vie. Dieu était encore capable de les utiliser pour faire des choses extraordinaires. Moïse conduit le peuple d'Israël hors de l'esclavage et dans la terre promise. David est connu comme le plus grand roi qu'Israël ait jamais eu et est un homme selon le cœur de Dieu. L'apôtre Paul a écrit plus de la moitié du Nouveau Testament et est l'un des plus grands implanteurs d'églises à avoir jamais marché sur terre. Dieu a touché et convaincu leurs cœurs et ils ont répondu à l'appel du Seigneur et se sont repentis. Avez-vous l'impression que vous ne pouvez pas être pardonné par Dieu ? Avez-vous l'impression d'être trop loin de Dieu ? Ce n'est pas la vérité et c'est un mensonge venant directement de Satan. Si Dieu peut pardonner à David l'adultère et le meurtre, peut pardonner à Moïse le meurtre et peut pardonner à Paul le meurtre, Dieu peut certainement vous pardonner. La honte que vous ressentez ne vient pas de Dieu. Bien que Dieu puisse vous convaincre de péché, il ne provoque pas le sentiment de honte. Dieu offre une deuxième, une troisième et une quatrième chance. On a demandé à Jésus combien de fois nous devrions pardonner à quelqu'un. Il répond dans Matthieu 18, où la Bible dit : « Alors Pierre s'approcha et lui dit : Seigneur, combien de fois mon frère péchera-t-il contre moi et lui pardonnerai-je jusqu'à sept fois ? » Jésus lui dit : « Je ne te dis pas sept fois, mais 77 fois. » Jésus ne nous dit pas de pardonner seulement 77 fois à quelqu'un. 77 est un nombre qui signifie autant de fois qu'il pèche. Donc, si nous sommes appelés à pardonner autant de fois, notre bon Père céleste nous pardonnera. Nous devons seulement faire confiance au sang de Jésus et nous tourner vers lui avec foi et repentance. Vous n'êtes pas trop mauvais pour que Dieu vous utilise. Dieu peut et utilisera n'importe qui pour changer le monde et amener son royaume du ciel sur terre. Il vous appelle en ce moment même à vous repentir et à vous tourner vers lui. Si vous le faites, il utilisera un pécheur brisé comme vous d'une manière que vous n'auriez jamais imaginée. Peu importe vos difficultés. Soyez fort dans la foi. Ne vous laissez pas émouvoir, car dès que vous abandonnez les promesses sûres de Dieu, vous êtes voué à être emporté par la folie de ce monde. Jésus-Christ est le seul fondement sûr dans ce monde inconstant et en constante évolution. Jésus seul est notre ancre inébranlable. Les circonstances changent, les gens changent, les normes sociales et les perceptions du public changent, mais la parole de Dieu reste vraie pour toujours. Dans le livre de Matthieu, Jésus dit : « Le ciel et la terre passeront, mais mes paroles ne passeront pas. » C'est pourquoi nous pouvons nous tenir avec confiance en lui. C'est pourquoi nous pouvons nous accrocher à lui. Lorsque nous avons l'impression de glisser dans le chaos de la vie, il nous sauvera et remettra nos pieds sur la terre ferme. Que signifie être inébranlable dans sa foi ? Cela ne signifie pas ne jamais avoir de doutes. Cela ne signifie pas ne jamais avoir peur. Cela signifie simplement que lorsque des problèmes surviennent, nous ne paniquons pas. Nous ne perdons pas espoir. Nous ne nous tournons pas vers le monde ou vers nous-mêmes pour trouver des réponses. Au lieu de cela, nous pouvons nous reposer dans les promesses de Dieu. Dans Daniel 6:10, la Bible dit : « Lorsque Daniel sut que l'écrit était signé, il s'en alla dans sa maison, et dans sa chambre haute, les fenêtres ouvertes vers Jérusalem, il s'agenouilla un jour, pria et rendit grâces à son Dieu, comme il en avait l'habitude depuis les temps anciens. » Daniel avait une coutume, une façon de faire les choses qui impliquait du temps seul avec Dieu en priant trois fois par jour. Que pouvez-vous dire est votre habitude ? Lorsque vous pouvez devenir cohérent en consacrant du temps au Seigneur, il se rapprochera de vous. Une autre façon d'être plus cohérent est de vous assurer de nourrir votre esprit. Jésus a dit : « L'homme ne vivra pas de pain seulement. » Que voulait dire Jésus par là ? Il voulait dire que le pain physique ne sert qu'à nourrir le corps. Mais Jésus dans Jean 6:35 a dit : « Je suis le pain de vie ; celui qui vient à moi n'aura jamais faim, et celui qui croit en moi n'aura jamais soif. » Cela signifie que seul Jésus peut satisfaire nos besoins et nos désirs les plus profonds. Une fois que vous devenez constant dans la poursuite du Seigneur, constant dans le fait de nourrir votre esprit avec le pain de vie, alors vous découvrirez que tout ce que vous pourriez vouloir ou désirer est en Jésus. Jésus-Christ englobe tout. Lui seul peut nous rendre entiers. En plus de nourrir votre esprit avec le pain de vie afin de devenir plus cohérent avec Dieu, vous devez nourrir votre foi. Plus votre foi grandit, plus Dieu devient réel pour vous. Plus votre foi grandit, plus il est évident dans votre vie et dans votre cœur que vous avez besoin de Dieu. Et ce que cela fait, c'est que non seulement cela allume un feu en vous, mais cela l'alimente. Plus votre foi grandit, plus vous voulez le Seigneur, plus vous avez faim et vous le poursuivez. Nourrir votre foi est important car la foi voit l'invisible. C'est pourquoi on nous dit de marcher par la foi et non par la vue. Les yeux humains ne voient que ce qui est devant eux. S'il y a une maladie dans votre corps, votre œil naturel verra cette maladie. Il verra et ressentira la douleur. Mais la foi, en revanche, voit le miracle. La foi voit Dieu au lieu de la maladie. La foi croit ce que d'autres qualifieraient d'incroyable. La foi reçoit l'impossible. Je vous encourage à nourrir votre foi car la foi vaincra toute attaque qui se présente sous la forme de doute, de découragement et d'impossibilités. Une autre chose qui vous aidera à construire la cohérence dans votre relation avec Dieu est d'être vigilant. Matthieu 24:42 dit : « Veillez donc, car vous ne savez pas quel jour votre Seigneur viendra. » Nous ne connaissons ni le jour ni l'heure du retour de Jésus-Christ et quelle meilleure motivation y a-t-il pour rester cohérent avec Dieu que de deviner le retour du Christ. Être vigilant signifie que vous avez un œil dans la Bible et que vous avez un œil qui regarde et vérifie tous les signes que la Bible nous dit. Vous regardez l'état du monde et vous regardez ce que la Bible dit à ce sujet. J'ai découvert que lorsque je prends garde aux avertissements de Dieu concernant les derniers jours, je me concentre davantage sur l'examen de ma vie pour m'assurer que je vis dans la volonté de Dieu. Et enfin, afin d'être plus cohérent avec Dieu, aimez prier, appréciez les moments de prière et continuez à prier. La cohérence dans la prière vous rapprochera de Jésus et vous aidera à marcher dans la victoire. Lorsque vous faites de la prière une pratique régulière, vous faites de la communication avec Dieu une pratique régulière et vous devez être intentionnel dans votre vie de prière. Afin d'être cohérent, j'ai découvert que vous commencez petit. Si c'est 5 minutes aujourd'hui, faites-en 10 minutes demain, puis faites-en 15 minutes. En faisant cela, vous découvrirez que Dieu se révélera à vous par la prière. Vous vous connectez à Dieu par la prière. Je vous encourage donc à vous efforcer d'être plus constants dans votre relation avec Dieu. Efforcez-vous d'être plus constants dans la lecture de la Parole de Dieu, dans la nourriture de votre esprit et dans la nourriture de votre foi. En devenant constants dans votre marche avec Christ, vous constaterez que vous vivrez une relation plus fructueuse avec le Seigneur. Ce que vous aimez changera parce que votre cœur sera renouvelé, vos passions et vos désirs changeront et s'aligneront sur tout ce qui plaît à Dieu. Alors, efforcez-vous, efforcez-vous d'être constants, combattez pour la foi qui a été transmise aux saints une fois pour toutes.

Jude 1:3 ~ Chers amis, bien que j'étais très désireux de vous écrire au sujet du salut que nous partageons, je me suis senti obligé de vous écrire et de vous exhorter à combattre pour la foi qui a été confiée une fois pour toutes au peuple saint de Dieu.

power of crying

The power of crying 😭 



Today, let us talk about crying. Does it really make us feel better? Do women cry more than men? Is it more acceptable nowadays for people to cry in public? Listen to the conversation and learn vocabulary ... without the tears.


Today's question:

According to a study from 2017 conducted in the United Kingdom, on average, how many times a year do women cry? Is it:

a)     52

b)     72

c)    102


Read on to find out the answer.


Vocabulary

be taken seriously

be treated as being deserving of attention or respect 


get a label

be thought of as having a particular character or nature, often unfairly 


final straw

further problem or difficulty, usually minor in itself, which comes after a series of other problems and makes you want to give up 


resentments

feelings of anger because you think you have been treated unfairly or because you have been forced to accept something that you don’t like 


weeping

crying tears 


backlog

accumulation of uncompleted matters that you should have dealt with before and must now do 



Hello. I’m Neil.  

And I’m Sam. 

Do you cry easily, Sam? I mean, when was the last time you cried? 

Let me think… Last week watching a movie, probably. I was watching a really dramatic film and in one scene, the heroine gets separated from her children. I just burst out crying. How about you Neil - when was the last time you cried? 

Men don’t cry, Sam. 

Come on, Neil! That’s a bit stereotypical, isn’t it? – the idea that men don’t show their emotions and women cry all the time. 


Well, that’s an interesting point, Sam, because in today’s programme we’re discussing crying. We’ll be investigating the reasons why we cry and looking at some of the differences between men and women and between crying in public and in private. And of course, we’ll be learning some related vocabulary along the way. 


I guess it’s kind of true that women do cry more than men. People often think crying is only about painful feelings but we also cry to show joy and when we are moved by something beautiful like music or a painting. 


So, maybe women are just more in touch with their feelings and that’s why they cry more. Well actually, Sam, that brings me to our quiz question. According to a study from 2017 conducted in the United Kingdom, on average, how many times a year do women cry? Is it:

a)     52

b)     72,   or

c)     102 


Hmm, it's a tricky question, Neil. I mean, there are so many different reasons why people cry. And what makes me cry might make someone else laugh. I think some of my female friends probably cry around once a week, so I‘ll guess the answer is  a) 52. 


OK, Sam. We’ll find out later if you were right. Now, while it may be true that men cry less often, it also seems that they feel less embarrassed about crying in public. 


This may be because of differences in how men and women think others will view their public displays of emotion. Here’s therapist Joanna Cross talks about the issue of crying at work. 


Joanna Cross: Let’s take the workplace. If you’ve got somebody who seems to cry regularly, I think that’s not helpful for the individual because then if they cry over something that really is important to them, they might not be taken so seriously - or they get a label. But I do think crying is often a build-up of frustration and undealt-with situations and it’s a bit of a final straw moment. 


So people who regularly cry at work risk not being taken seriously – not being treated as deserving attention or respect. 


And they might even get a label – become thought of as having a particular character whether that’s true or not. Here’s Joanna Cross again: 


Joanna Cross: You build up your resentments, your lack of boundaries, not being able to say ‘no’ and then somebody says, ‘Can you go and make a cup of tea?’ and you suddenly find yourself weeping. And everybody says, ‘What’s wrong with her?’ but actually that’s often a backlog of situations. 


So, a common reason for crying at work seems to be a build-up of resentments - feelings of anger when you think you have been treated unfairly or have been forced to accept something you don’t like. 

When left undealt with, these feelings can create a backlog - an accumulation of issues that you should have dealt with before but didn’t. 


Right. And then, like Joanna says, someone asks you to do something very simple and easy, like make a cup of tea, and you start weeping – another word for crying. 

That’s a good example of a final straw moment, a term which comes from the expression, ‘The straw that broke the camel’s back’. The final straw means a further problem which itself might be insignificant but which finally makes you want to give up. 

I hope this programme won’t be the final straw for us, Sam. 


I doubt it, Neil. The only time I cry at work is when you used to bring in your onion sandwiches for lunch. In fact, I can feel a tear rolling down my cheek right now… 


Ah, so that counts as one of your cries, Sam. Remember, I asked you on average how many times a year women in the United Kingdom cry – and you said? 

I said a) 52. 


Well, don’t cry when I tell you that you were wrong. The actual answer was c) 72 times a year.


Which on average is more than men, but less than parents of new-born babies, both mothers and fathers. They cry almost as much as their babies! 


Today, we’ve been talking about crying – or weeping, as it’s sometimes called. 


People who often cry at work risk not being taken seriously – not treated as deserving of attention or respect. 


This means they might get a label – becoming known as someone with a particular kind of personality, even though that may not be true. 


But crying is also a healthy way of expressing emotions. It can help deal with resentments – feelings of anger that you have been treated unfairly. 


If we don’t deal with these feelings in some way, they can grow into a backlog – an accumulation of unresolved issues that you now need to deal with. 


And if you don’t deal with them, you might become a ticking bomb waiting to explode. Then anything someone says to you can become the final straw – the last small problem which makes you want to give up and maybe start crying. 


[Crying] 


What’s the matter, Neil? Was it something I said? 

No, Sam – I’m crying because it’s the end of the programme! 


Ahh, don’t worry because we’ll be back soon for another edition of 6 Minute English. But bye for now.


Bye. 


Song title: Don't cry for me Argentina 

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is a song recorded by Julie Covington for the 1976 concept album Evita, and was later included in the 1978 musical of the same name. The song was written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice while they were researching the life of Argentinian leader Eva Perón. It appears at the opening and near the end of the show, initially as the spirit of the dead Eva exhorting the people of Argentina not to mourn her, and finally during Eva's speech from the balcony of the Casa Rosada. Covington was signed by the songwriters for the track, based on her previous work in musicals. The Evita album had taken 3–4 months to record, since Rice was not satisfied with the intensity of the initial recordings. The song had a number of different titles before "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was chosen as the final one. The song shares its melody with "Oh What a Circus" from the same show and lyrically consists of platitudes where Eva tries to win the favour of the people of Argentina. It was released in the United Kingdom on 12 November 1976 as the first single from the album, accompanied by national and trade advertising, full-colour posters, display sleeves as well as radio interviews. «


It won't be easy, you'll think it strange

When I try to explain how I feel

That I still need your love after all that I've done

You won't believe me, all you will see is a girl you once knew

Although she's dressed up to the nines

At sixes and sevens with you

I had to let it happen, I had to change

Couldn't stay all my life down at heel

Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun

So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new

But nothing impressed me at all

I never expected it to

Don't cry for me, Argentina

The truth is, I never left you

All through my wild days, my mad existence

I kept my promise. Don't keep your distance

And as for fortune, and as for fame

I never invited them in

Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired

They are illusions, they're not the solutions they promised to be

The answer was here all the time:

I love you, and hope you love me

Don't cry for me, Argentina...


Don't cry for me, Argentina

The truth is, I never left you

All through my wild days, my mad existence

I kept my promise. Don't keep your distance

Have I said too much?

There's nothing more I can think of to say to you

But all you have to do is look at me to know

That every word is true


Listen 🎧 to the Carpenters rendition of the song here 


if he is calling you to 召唤

 But we can avoid intentionally putting ourselves in tempting situations. And there are certain people and conditions that bring out the worst in us. Ultimately, we must value our relationship with God over our comfort. We must value our spiritual health over our earthly satisfaction. The longer we remain onnected to something, the more dependent on it we become. We should never rely completely on one person or activity to make us happy. People change, circumstances change. But the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If he is calling you to cut ties with something or someone you value, then do it. Nothing and no one should be placed above Jesus Christ in your life. Maybe he is showing you that your heart is not in the right place. Losing those relationships is not God's punishment. It is his mercy. It is his way of showing you that he is sufficient for you. Cutting ties does not mean you are giving up. It does not mean you do not care. It simply means that you are choosing wisely to walk away before you get hurt even more. And if you are waiting for the right time, you'll be waiting forever. It is often easier to get it over with, so that you can begin to heal. Cutting ties will likely be difficult. It might cause some growing pains as you get acclimated to living without that person or that thing in your life. You might feel helpless and afraid at first. It might hurt to lose something or to lose that friendship, but in time you can trust that God will help you to breathe on your own. In time God will show you that it was all working for your good. It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking God cannot use you. You may not feel good enough because you have previously fallen into sin. Maybe your backgrounds, your past, and upbringing makes you feel as though you are too bad, too damaged, to be used by the Lord. However, God does not use the worthy. If he did there would be nobody that would qualify to make that list. We're all broken sinners in desperate need of being saved by God. And dear friends, the good news is that God can and does turn things around. He can change a cold  hardened heart and fill it with love and compassion. He can change the one who is angry and hateful, and make them forgiving and humble. Now for a moment I want to highlight three biblical characters who were used by God. But by today's standards many Christians would have turned these men away and perhaps even ridiculed them because of their sins. But this is the point I'd like to put across to you. God uses those who we consider  broken. God uses those who we consider weak because in him that which is broken is made whole and in him that which is weak is made strong. Consider Moses. God stepped into Moses's life in a very mighty way. While all other male babies his age were being killed by the Pharaoh, God spared his life. Moses was put into a river on a babysized boat and pulled out of the river by the Pharaoh's daughter. You would think someone saved in such a miraculous way would live a life entirely to God. However, Moses committed the most heinous sin a human can commit. He was a murderer. While he did not grow up in slavery due to living with the Pharaoh's daughter, the rest of the Israelites did. As an adult, Moses watched an Egyptian beat an Israelite. This infuriated him. He went to the Egyptian and beat him to death. Instead of admitting his sin, he hid the dead body and fled. Not only was Moses a murderer but also a coward. Many years later, God told Moses to go and speak to Pharaoh about releasing the people of Israel from slavery. And despite his hesitation, despite his past, God still used Moses to perform mighty miracles and lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Next, David was a man after God's own heart. While he loved God, he was at one point an adulterous murderer. As king it was his duty to go and lead his men while they were at war. This is what all leaders of the foreign armies were doing at the time. However, while Israel was at war, king David stayed home. After waking up from his midday nap, he saw a woman bathing. Her name was Bethsheba and she was married to a man named Uriah. Uriah was out at war. David decided to sleep with Bethsheba and she got pregnant. Instead of David admitting his sin, he tries to cover it up by bringing Uriah home from war to sleep with his wife, Bethsheba. However Uriah is an honorable man and does not want to sleep with his wife while the rest of Israel is at war. Since king David cannot get Uriah to sleep with Bethsheba, he signs Uriah's death notice. He gives Uriah a note that he is not supposed to read. Uriah hand delivers the note to his commanding officer. This note sends Uriah to the  front lines and leads to his death. Finally, we have Paul the apostle. Before he was Paul the apostle, he was known as Saul from Tarsus. This Saul would go door to door and beat up Christians. It is believed that he also killed them. In the book of Acts the first person to die for following Jesus Christ was a man named Steven. Steven gave a speech about Jesus and called everyone to repent and trust in Jesus. At the end of the speech, Steven is stoned to death. It says of Saul in Acts 8:1 "and Saul approved of his execution." At the least, Saul approved and was happy with the execution. At the most, he set up the execution. Saul killed followers of Jesus Christ. According to our standards as humans, we would have discarded these three individuals. We would have said that they were too far gone for committing such evil sins. If they walked into the front doors of our church and asked for a job, we would quickly turn them away. We most likely would have called for them to be arrested, kept behind bars for the rest of their days. 

However, God was still able to turn their lives completely around. God was stil able to use them to do extraordinary things. Moses leads the people of Israel out of slavery and into the promised land. David is known as the greatest king that Israel ever had and is a man after God's own heart. Apostle Paul wrote over half of the New testament and is one of the  greatest church planters to ever walk the earth. God touched and convicted their hearts and they answered the call of the Lord and repented. Do you feel as if you cannot be forgiven by God. Do you feel as if you're too far off from God. That is not the truth and it is a lie straight from Satan. If God can forgive David of adultery and murder, can forgive Moses of murder and can forgive Paul of murder, God can certainly forgive you. The shame that you feel is not from God. While God may convict you of sin, he does not cause the feeling of shame. God offers second, third, and fourth chances. Jesus was asked how many times we should forgive someone. He answers in Matthew 18, where the Bible reads, "then Peter came up and said to him 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him as many as seven times?" Jesus said to him "I do not say to you seven times but 77 times." Jesus is not telling us to only forgive someone 77 times. 77 is a number that means as many times as they sin. So, if we are called to forgive that many times, our good Heavenly Father wil forgive us. We must only trust in the blood of Jesus and turn to him in faith and in repentance. You are not too bad for God to use. God can and will use anyone to change the world and bring his kingdom from heaven to earth. He is calling you right now to repent and turn toward him. As you do, he will use a broken sinner like you in ways you would never have imagined. No matter what your hardship might be. Be strong in faith. Don't allow yourself to be moved because as soon as you let go of God's sure promises, you are bound to get swept up into the madness of this world. Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation in this fickle and ever changing world. Jesus alone is our steadfast anchor. Circumstances change, people change, social norms and public perceptions change, but the word of God remains true forever. In the book of Matthew, Jesus says "heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." That is why we can stand confidently in him. That is why we can cling to him. When we feel like we are slipping away into the chaos of life, he will rescue us and place our feet back on solid ground. What does it mean to be unshakable in your faith. It does not mean never having doubts. It doesn't mean never being afraid. It simply means that when trouble comes our way, we don't panic. We don't lose hope. We don't turn to the world or to ourselves for answers. Instead, we are able to rest in the promises of God. In Daniel 6:10, the Bible says, "now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he, went home and in his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as was his custom since early days." Daniel had a custom, a way of doing things that involved time alone with God by praying three times in a day. What can you say is your custom. When you can become consistent at setting aside time for the Lord, he will draw closer to you. Another way for you to be more consistent is by making sure you feed your spirit. Jesus said "'man shall not live by bread alone." What did Jesus mean by this. He meant that physical bread only serves to feed the body. But Jesus in John 6:35 said, "I am the bread of life whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." This means that only Jesus can satisfy our deepest needs and longings. Once you become consistent at chasing the Lord, consistent at feeding your spirit with the bread of life , then you wil find that all you could ever want or desire is in Jesus. Jesus Christ is all encompassing. Only he can make us whole. In addition to feeding your spirit with the bread of life in order to become more consistent with God, you need to feed your faith. The more your faith grows, the more real God becomes to you. The more your faith grows, the more apparent it is in your life and in your heart that you need God. And what this does is it not only lights up a fire within you but it fuels the fire. The more your faith grows, the more you want the Lord, the more you hunger and chase for him. Feeding your faith is important because faith sees the invisible. That is why we're told to walk by faith and not by sight. The human eyes only see what is in front of them. If there is a disease in your body, your natural eye will see that disease. It will see and feel the pain. But faith on the other hand sees the miracle. Faith sees God instead of the disease. Faith believes what others would call unbelievable. Faith receives the impossible. I encourage you to feed your faith because faith will defeat every attack that comes in the form of doubt, discouragements, and impossibilities. Another thing that will help you to build consistency in your relationship with God is being watchful. Matthew 24:42 says, "therefore stay awake for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." We do not know the day nor the hour that Jesus Christ will return and so what better motivation is there to remain consistent with God than guessing the return of Christ. Being watchful means that you have one eye in the Bible and you have one eye looking and verifying all the signs that the Bible is telling us. You're looking at the state of the world and you're looking at what the Bible saying regarding this. I found that when I'm taking heed of God's warnings about the last days, I become more focused on examining my life to ensure I am living in God's will. And finally, in order to be more consistent with God, love to pray, enjoy prayer moments , and keep praying. Consistency in prayer will bring you closer to Jesus and will help you to walk in victory. When you make prayer a regular practice, you make communicating with God a regular practice and you have to be intentional about your prayer life. In order to be consistent I found that you start small. If it's 5 minutes today, make it 10 minutes tomorrow and then make it 15 minutes. As you do this, you will find that God will reveal himself to you through prayer. You connect with God through prayer. So, I encourage you to strive to be more consistent in your relationship with God. Strive to be more consistent when it comes to reading God's word, when it comes to feeding your spirit and feeding your faith. When you become consistent in your walk with Christ , you will find that you wil experience a more fruitful relationship with the Lord. What you love will change because your heart is renewed, your passions and desires will change and be aligned to all that is pleasing to God. So strive, strive for consistency, contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints .

Jude1:3 ~ Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

但是我们可以避免故意将自己置于诱惑的境地。有些人和某些情况会让我们表现得更糟糕。最终,我们必须重视与上帝的关系,而不是我们的舒适。我们必须重视我们的精神健康,而不是我们世俗的满足。我们与某件事联系的时间越长,我们就越依赖它。我们永远不应该完全依靠一个人或一件事来让我们快乐。人会变,环境也会变。但圣经说耶稣基督昨日、今日、一直到永远是一样的。如果他呼召你与你珍视的某事或某人断绝关系,那就这么做吧。在你的生命中,没有任何事物或任何人应该被置于耶稣基督之上。也许他在向你表明你的心不在正确的地方。失去这些关系不是上帝的惩罚。这是他的怜悯。这是他向你表明他对你来说足够了的方式。断绝关系并不意味着你放弃了。这并不意味着你不在乎。 这只是意味着你明智地选择在受到更大伤害之前离开。如果你在等待合适的时机,你将永远等待。结束它通常更容易,这样你就可以开始痊愈。切断联系可能会很困难。在你适应没有那个人或那件事的生活时,它可能会引起一些成长的烦恼。一开始你可能会感到无助和害怕。失去一些东西或失去友谊可能会很痛苦,但随着时间的推移,你可以相信上帝会帮助你独立呼吸。随着时间的推移,上帝会让你知道这一切都是为了你的利益。你可能很容易陷入认为上帝不能使用你的陷阱。你可能觉得自己不够好,因为你以前犯过罪。也许你的背景、过去和成长经历让你觉得自己太坏、太受伤,不适合被主使用。然而,上帝不会使用有价值的人。如果他这样做,就没有人有资格列入那个名单了。 我们都是破碎的罪人,极度需要上帝的拯救。亲爱的朋友们,好消息是,上帝能够而且确实扭转了局面。他可以改变一颗冰冷坚硬的心,用爱和同情填满它。他可以改变一个愤怒和仇恨的人,让他们变得宽容和谦卑。现在我想暂时强调一下上帝使用的三个圣经人物。但按照今天的标准,许多基督徒会因为他们的罪而拒绝这些人,甚至嘲笑他们。但这是我想向你们阐明的观点。上帝使用那些我们认为破碎的人。上帝使用那些我们认为软弱的人,因为在他里面破碎的变成完整的,软弱的变成坚强的。想想摩西。上帝以非常强大的方式进入了摩西的生活。当其他与他同龄的男婴都被法老杀死时,上帝饶恕了他的性命。 摩西被放在婴儿船上放入河中,然后被法老的女儿从河中拉出来。你可能会认为以这种神奇的方式获救的人会完全向上帝祈祷。然而,摩西犯下了人类所能犯下的最滔天大罪。他是个杀人犯。虽然他因为与法老的女儿生活在一起而没有在奴役中长大,但其他以色列人却是这样。成年后的摩西看到一个埃及人殴打一个以色列人。这激怒了他。他去找埃及人并将他打死。他非但没有承认自己的罪行,反而藏匿尸体逃跑了。摩西不仅是个杀人犯,还是个懦夫。许多年后,上帝告诉摩西去和法老谈释放以色列人民免于奴役。尽管摩西犹豫不决,尽管他过去有过这样的经历,上帝仍然使用摩西行了大奇迹,带领以色列人出了埃及。接下来,大卫是一个合神心意的人。 虽然他爱上帝,但他曾一度犯有通奸罪。作为国王,他有责任在士兵们打仗时带领他们出去。当时所有外国军队的领导人都在做这件事。然而,当以色列处于战争之中时,大卫王却待在家里。他从午睡中醒来后,看到一个女人在洗澡。她名叫伯示巴,她嫁给了一个名叫乌利亚的男人。乌利亚当时正在外征战。大卫决定与伯示巴同寝,结果她怀孕了。大卫不承认自己的罪行,反而试图掩盖罪行,他把乌利亚从战场带回家,让他与妻子伯示巴同寝。然而,乌利亚是个正直的人,在以色列其他军队处于战争之中时,他不想与妻子同寝。由于大卫王无法让乌利亚与伯示巴同寝,他签署了乌利亚的讣告。他给了乌利亚一张纸条,不许他阅读。乌利亚亲手将纸条交给他的指挥官。这张纸条将乌利亚送上前线并导致他的死亡。最后,我们有使徒保罗。在他成为使徒保罗之前,他被称为来自大数的扫罗。这个扫罗会挨家挨户殴打基督徒。据信他也杀死了他们。在使徒行传中,第一个因跟随耶稣基督而死的人是一个名叫史蒂文的人。史蒂文发表了关于耶稣的演讲,并呼吁所有人悔改并信靠耶稣。在演讲结束时,史蒂文被石头砸死。使徒行传 8:1 中说扫罗“并且扫罗同意处决他”。至少,扫罗同意并且对处决感到高兴。最多,他策划了处决。扫罗杀害了耶稣基督的追随者。按照我们人类的标准,我们会抛弃这三个人。我们会说他们犯下如此邪恶的罪行,太堕落了。 如果他们走进我们教堂的前门并要求工作,我们会很快将他们拒之门外。我们很可能会要求将他们逮捕,并在监狱里度过余生。然而,上帝仍然能够彻底改变他们的生命。上帝仍然能够使用他们去做非凡的事情。摩西带领以色列人民摆脱奴役,进入应许之地。大卫被称为以色列有史以来最伟大的国王,是一个合神心意的人。使徒保罗写了新约一半以上的内容,是地球上有史以来最伟大的教会建立者之一。上帝触摸并感化了他们的心,他们回应了主的呼召并悔改了。你是否觉得你无法得到上帝的宽恕?你是否觉得你离上帝太远了?这不是事实,而是撒旦的谎言。 如果上帝可以宽恕大卫的通奸和谋杀,可以宽恕摩西的谋杀,可以宽恕保罗的谋杀,那么上帝当然也可以宽恕你。你所感到的羞耻并非来自上帝。虽然上帝可能会判你知罪,但他不会让你感到羞耻。上帝提供了第二次、第三次和第四次机会。耶稣被问到我们应该原谅一个人多少次。他在马太福音第 18 章中回答道,圣经中写道:“那时彼得进前来,对他说:‘主啊,我弟兄得罪我,我当饶恕他七次到几次呢?’耶稣对他说:“我不对你说七次,而是七十七次。”耶稣并不是告诉我们只能原谅某人 77 次。77 这个数字表示他们犯罪的次数。所以,如果我们被要求原谅那么多次,我们仁慈的天父就会原谅我们。我们必须只信靠耶稣的宝血,并凭着信心和悔改转向他。 你并不坏到上帝不能使用。上帝能够而且将会使用任何人来改变世界,将他的国度从天上带到地上。他现在正在呼唤你悔改并转向他。当你这样做时,他会以你从未想象过的方式使用像你这样破碎的罪人。无论你的困难是什么。要坚定信念。不要让自己动摇,因为一旦你放弃上帝确定的承诺,你必然会被卷入这个世界的疯狂之中。耶稣基督是这个变化无常的世界唯一可靠的根基。只有耶稣是我们坚定的支柱。环境在变,人在变,社会规范和公众观念在变,但上帝的话语永远真实。在马太福音中,耶稣说:“天地要废去,我的话却不能废去。”这就是为什么我们可以自信地站在他里面。这就是为什么我们可以紧紧抓住他。 当我们感觉自己快要陷入生活的混乱时,他会拯救我们,让我们的脚重新站稳脚跟。坚定不移的信念意味着什么?这并不意味着永远没有怀疑。这并不意味着永远没有害怕。它只是意味着当麻烦来临时,我们不会惊慌。我们不会失去希望。我们不会向世界或自己寻求答案。相反,我们能够安息在上帝的承诺中。在但以理书6:10中,圣经说:“但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺,就回到家里。他楼上的窗户开向耶路撒冷,当日跪在他上帝面前祈祷感谢,这是他从小就有的规矩。”但以理有一个习惯,就是每天三次独自与上帝祈祷。你能说什么就是你的习惯。当你能坚持为上帝留出时间时,他就会更亲近你。让你更加坚持的另一种方法是确保滋养你的精神。耶稣说“人活着不是单靠食物。”耶稣这话是什么意思呢?他的意思是,物质的食物只能喂养身体。 但耶稣在约翰福音 6:35 中说:“我就是生命的粮,到我这里来的,必不饿;信我的,永远不渴。”这意味着只有耶稣才能满足我们最深层的需求和渴望。一旦你坚持不懈地追随主,坚持不懈地用生命的粮滋养你的灵魂,你就会发现你想要的或渴望的一切都在耶稣里面。耶稣基督包罗万象。只有他能使我们完整。除了用生命的粮滋养你的灵魂以便与上帝更加一致之外,你还需要滋养你的信仰。你的信仰越增长,上帝对你来说就越真实。你的信仰越增长,你生命中和心中对上帝的需要就越明显。这不仅点燃了你内心的火焰,而且还为这火增添了燃料。你的信仰越增长,你就越想要主,你就越饥渴慕义、追随他。 滋养你的信仰非常重要,因为信仰能看到看不见的东西。这就是为什么我们被告知要凭着信仰而不是凭着眼见行事。人的眼睛只能看到眼前的事物。如果你的身体有疾病,你的肉眼会看到那种疾病。它会看到并感受到疼痛。但另一方面,信仰看到的是奇迹。信仰看到的是上帝而不是疾病。信仰相信别人称之为难以置信的事情。信仰接受不可能的事情。我鼓励你滋养你的信仰,因为信仰将击败以怀疑、沮丧和不可能的形式出现的一切攻击。另一件可以帮助你与上帝建立一致关系的事情是保持警惕。马太福音 24:42 说:“所以,你们要警醒,因为不知道你们的主是哪一天来到。”我们不知道耶稣基督什么时候再来,所以还有什么比猜测基督的再来更好的动力来与上帝保持一致呢? 保持警醒意味着你要一只眼睛注视着圣经,另一只眼睛注视并核实圣经告诉我们的所有迹象。你在观察世界的状况,你在观察圣经对此的说法。我发现,当我留意上帝关于末日的警告时,我会更加专注于审视自己的生活,以确保自己生活在上帝的旨意中。最后,为了与上帝更加一致,要热爱祈祷,享受祈祷的时刻,并坚持祈祷。坚持祈祷会让你更接近耶稣,并帮助你走向胜利。当你把祈祷变成一种常规练习时,你就把与上帝的交流变成了一种常规练习,你必须有意识地进行祈祷生活。为了保持一致,我发现你从小事做起。如果今天是 5 分钟,明天是 10 分钟,然后是 15 分钟。当你这样做时,你会发现上帝会通过祈祷向你显现。你通过祈祷与上帝联系。 因此,我鼓励你努力与神保持更加一致的关系。努力在阅读神的话语、滋养你的灵和信心方面更加一致。当你与基督同行时变得一致,你会发现你与主的关系会更加富有成果。你所爱的会改变,因为你的心被更新了,你的激情和愿望会改变,并与所有讨神喜悦的事情保持一致。所以,要努力,努力保持一致,为从前一次交付圣徒的真道竭力争辩。


犹大书1:3 ~ 亲爱的朋友们,虽然我很渴望写信给你们,告诉我们共同的救恩,但我感到不得不写信敦促你们为从前一次交付圣徒的真道竭力争辩。


Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Good Life — Good Death?

The Dying Process: A Celebration of Life

The Rock StackThe layers of rock are obvious to all, part of the beauty found on our hike in The Wave, Coyote Buttes North.  As I gazed on this, I saw a metaphor of my life.  Each layer represents a foundation from which I have grown and developed. …

The Rock 

The layers of rock are obvious to all, part of the beauty found on our hike in The Wave, Coyote Buttes North.  As I gazed on this, I saw a metaphor of my life.  Each layer represents a foundation from which I have grown and developed.  The broader base supports each progressive step.  All of these were made possible through the time and effort of my teachers and mentors along the way, starting with family and progressively adding more and more people who were instrumental in making me the person that I am.  Teachers, Scout leaders, Coaches, Professors, and Friends all contributed to each foundation layer.  They inspired, implored, explored, challenged and assisted in building each layer.  Teaching is at its root a selfless form of sharing.  The cracks and crags represent the missteps and mistakes along the way, each affording an opportunity for introspection, growth and resilience.  My teachers provided me with my layers of foundations and my most important treasures.  


“I'm looking for hard headed woman (hard headed woman)

One who'll make me do my best

And if I find my hard headed woman

I know the rest of my life will be blessed, yes (yes), yes, yes”  

~ Cat Stevens


Carey - 

Hopefully most of us have pondered the meaning of life.  Oftentimes, “happiness” rises to the top of the hoped for list.  I think that this goal is misplaced.  It seems to have overtones of hedonism and selfishness.  Often material things become the yardstick of measurement.  A search for Fulfillment rather than the pursuit of happiness makes more sense to me.  If one has a fulfilled life, then most likely they will also find happiness along the way.  Perhaps a fulfilled life becomes a good life.  Looking back, are there things that one would do differently?  Or could do better?  Almost universally the answer is “Yes.”  This does not negate having a fulfilled or good life.  Humans stumble, sputter and err.  It’s what we do.  Having the perception that one has led a good life does make the idea of a good death easier to embrace.  For many, it really comes down to “Did you attempt (and in some small way succeed) in making the world a better place for others, or was it all about you and a small circle of close friends and relatives?”  I believe that my search for fulfillment rather than happiness in life paved the way for a good dying process.  I’ve made many errors and missteps along the way, and attempted to use these as learning opportunities.  So perhaps “pursuit of happiness” isn’t all it’s been cranked up to be.  Pursuit of fulfillment may afford a better option.  It’s never too late to start.  


Doorway to the Next Journey.  Abandoned mining cabin, Death Valley National Park.  Many viewers see a spiritual overtone in this photo.  An old and aging, decrepit dwelling that once housed a life (or lives) filled with hopes and experiences.  While the structure has lost its vitality and ability to shelter, the open door affords a vista of what the next journey may entail.  What adventures await?


Nicole - 


Life has layers.  Joy, grief, happiness, sadness all layer together to form our human experience.  Judgment of a good life or good death looks different to the person experiencing it themselves or the people watching from afar.  


In palliative care, we start with the story of who the person is and weave the illness and its effects into the patient’s narrative.  I’ve learned that there is no good life or good death because that is a judgment I’m not entitled to make.  Bringing our presence to witness the journey of a dying person is what counts.  Being able to walk in the weeds together, laugh at the absurdities, be present for the pain.  All these go into the bucket of good life, good death.  


My observation is that sometimes people tend to die the way they live.  Happy people find acceptance and peace, angry people hang on to bitterness.  And yet there always remains the opportunity for transformation and hope.  Sometimes it takes the realization that this life as we know it is ending to destroy walls built over a lifetime.  And in the willingness to let the walls come down, fulfillment and grace can grow.  It is never too late to mend bridges, to express gratitude, to forgive and to love.  


Carey and I started with him as teacher and me as student and while I am now his palliative care physician, I still consider myself his student.  Watching how he navigates this journey he didn’t intend to be on has taught me “don’t wait, do things today.”  As he accepts the changes in his body which would have been unacceptable even a few months ago, he continues to do what he can and still be curious and questioning.  He checks his oxygen saturation levels, compares it to how it makes him feel and continues to learn from his own physiology.  He still looks to make the world around him better and to teach through his own dying process. That, indeed is fulfillment.


Robin -


What is a good life and does it lead to a good death?  


For me,  making a difference in the world is the key to contentment and finding joy in life.  Approaching death with the knowledge that your life made a difference for at least one other person and having no regrets could make the journey easier and more fulfilling.  Not long before he was killed, our good friend Kevin Rodgers told his sons to “leave nothing unsaid and nothing undone.”  What great advice for living!  


It is easy to talk about what makes a good life, but what makes a good death?  Death is an uncomfortable topic of conversation for many people so mostly we avoid talking about what we want or the process of dying. Most people in the United States today experience death in a hospital with hospital gowns, machines and strangers and the accompanying financial burden. 


We are all on our own journeys to death from the minute we are born but we seldom contemplate the end of the journey.  What do you want to have happen?  What do you want it to be like?  Who do you want to be with you?  Where would you like to be?  When do you accept quality of life over quantity of life?  These are individual decisions and different for everyone.  It is easy to get caught up in the “fight” and forget about what is important to you.  Carey decided that he wanted to die at home without the drama of a hospital death.  Dr. Pelly and I will work together to make sure his death is peaceful and at home with family and friends.     


Andrew Shepard :

I appreciate the stories, the feelings, and the meanings we assign to experiences like this that evolve over time. My mother died suddenly during my first overnight call during my third year of medical school. My father declined slowly and lived to 97, but had a rocky last 6-12 months, culminating in a precipitous final few days. During those last months I visited him frequently. I happened to be at an ABEM meeting in Austin and called my wife to tell her I was going back to St. Louis again. She asked why so soon as it had been less than two weeks. It was just a feeling that I needed to go, and I found him in a grave state. Fortunately, palliative care had been engaged and we started hospice. I was able to call our immediate family and most of us could be by his side. For me, he was an example for the rest of us, he was leading the way, this is how it happens. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to be with him over those months and that final week. Very different than at the bedside of a patient where it seems important to maintain some distance and compartmentalization.


I also feel fortunate to have had Carey as a teacher, mentor, showing the way, sharing insights and wisdom, clearing a path into EM, and more. Carey, I have utmost respect and admiration for your capacity to enjoy life. You have made a difference and have influenced so many lives. You have influenced mine. Maybe a common love of the mountains and wild places. Maybe politics and a touch of irreverence. Thank you Robin and Carey for your openness and hospitality, sharing your amazing place in Bayview. Yes, I think we are in some ways hard wired for denial. One foot on the dock of knowledge and one foot on the kayak of denial, trying to accept and hold two contradictory realities. I’m not sure who said “Living well is the best revenge”, but it seems that loss is inevitable, relinquishing control is not optional, but we can make important choices how to live our lives. I’ve been touched by the depth of feeling in these blog entries. Thanks for sharing.

Andy Shepard


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