The Purpose of Pain

My knee starts hurting and I have to take a break from jogging. My foot aches and I need to buy arch supports and lower heels. My blood pressure is high and I need to relax more. Seems like it's always something these days. Can you relate?

Pain gets my attention for sure. When birthing my two sons, there was no way I was going to "tough it out". "Give me some pain medicine," I said clutching my doctor's arm when those contractions hit their crescendo. I do not like pain.

Pain comes in different forms: physical, emotional, mental. Perhaps it is a broken bone, a wounded relationship or a fractured thought pattern.

But most pain has a purpose - to get my attention and to teach me something. Pain slows me down and gets me to focus on the problem area. It interupts my daily activities and changes my priorities. If seen from this perspective, pain can be a blessing. It is a warning sign that something is wrong and needs attention.

Of course, I can always ignore the warning signs and carry on along my merry way, but that is usuallly not wise. Proverbs 27:12 (NLT)says "The prudent forsees danger and takes precautions, but the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

So it all depends on how we view our pain. We can moan and complain or we can do something about it. I like to say "Don'waste the pain - learn from it." And finally, pain gives us compassion for others. Everyone is hurting in some way and when we hurt, we are able to empathize more with what others are going through.

If you're going through a painful situation right now, I hope this encourages you to persevere and look for the good. Do leave me a comment or pass this on to a friend in need.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel

Is it Really Luck?

About three few weeks ago, I went for a hike at the park near my home. My cell phone rang and apparently, as I was taking it out of my pocket, my prescription sunglass overlay fell out of my pocket, unbeknownst to me. When I discovered the loss, I was quite perturbed. I circled back on the trail to try to find my glasses, but it was getting dark and the park was ready to close. No luck. The next day, I came out again to retrace my steps in hopes of finding the glasses - still, no luck.

I prayed and prayed. I decided to let the issue go and not fret over it. What was done was done, and it was my fault for not paying attention anyway.

So this past sunday was a lovely day and I decided to go for another hike. Something told me to stop in at the Nature Center. "Do you happen to have a lost and found? I was on the trail a few weeks ago and lost my prescription sunglass overlay. I was wondering if anyone had found them," I explained to the young lady at the desk.

"Wait here and I'll check," she said. Now, after 3 weeks, I didn't want to get my hopes up that the glasses would be there. I decided to remain calm and wait it faith while she checked.

The young lady emerged looking pretty solemn. Then she raised her hand which held - guess what? My prescription sunglass overlay! Now what are the chances of that? They were intact and not even scratched. I burst out with joy and thanked her profusely.

Now, some call this fate, some call it luck; I call it God. I was teary-eyed as I left the Nature Center. To me, it was God's grace in action once again. He cares about everything we care about, everything that troubles us. "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

What is it that you are fretting about, dear one? Is it a job situation, a loss of some sort, or perhaps a financial issue? Rest in His loving arms, because He does care for you, more than you can ever imagine. When we have done all we can about a situation, it is best to give it up to God and let Him handle it. He can and will!

Drop me a note and let me know what you think of this story and if anything like this has ever happened to you. In the meantime, trust God and keep looking up!

Keep it Simple

Sometimes I think I make life too difficult for myself. After being a single parent for so many years, and being responsible for everything, I still have the occasional tendency to take on too much, do too much, and fret too much. Can you relate?

Think of the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus was visiting their home and Martha was running around doing all kinds of hospitality things and complaining that Mary wasn't helping. Boy, have I been there. Mary, on the other hand, was enjoying the company of their esteemed guest. Instead of "doing", Mary was "being".

This past fall, I was dealing with a health issue and didn't have much energy to do much of anything. Then one day I heard His voice. "Be still and know that I am God." (Ps. 46:10) I realized it really doesn't matter to God how much I "do" anymore. I can only "do" by His grace anyway. "Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Living a life that pleases God is simple. It boils down to two words which I am sure we have all heard before: "Trust and obey." That's it. Trust God and do what he says to do. Now that doesn't mean forsaking all my responsibilities, but when I feel anxious, overwhelmed, or overtired, I know I am doing too much.

How about you? What signs show up in your life that remind you to "be" instead of "do"? What are a few ways you can simplify your life? Write and let me know and

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Sign Sign Everywhere a Sign

Do you pay attention to signs? Ever been to New York? There are signs everywhere. Or perhaps taken a road trip? Billboards, church boards, and street signs decorate the landscape and tell us what to buy, where to go, and when to cross.

What about other types of signs - like, for instance, natural disasters and rare occurrences? Take the earthquakes we've had this week: one in Colorado on Monday and then one in Virginia on tuesday. Now other parts of the country are used to earthquakes, but the east coast? It's been over one hundred years since Virginia had one of this magnitude - 5.8 on the scale. I would say this is definitely a sign.

What actually happened to cause these quakes no one really knows, but we do know the foundations of this earth were shaken. What do these earthquakes and natural disasters tell us? I believe they are indeed signs of the end times and the meaning is clear. They are a wake-up call to pay attention and take a close look at the foundations of our lives.

For Reflection 
What do we rely on foundationally? What are our core beliefs? In what do we place our faith and hope? What is truly important? Write and let me know your thoughts on this. In the meantime, have faith, be a blessing, and above all,

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Overcoming Tribulations

Today is Holy Thursday and my week has been hectic so far. As I go about my business thinking about all the things that have to be done since I got back from vacation, the pressures of work and life, to be honest, I am feeling tired from it all.

But then I think about Jesus. What might he have been doing on this day so many years ago? What thoughts filled his mind? He knew what the next few days had in store for him and I can't even begin to imagine how he must have felt. Pressured? Stressed? Tired? Angry? Or not...

My trials and tribulations are nothing compared to His and this helps me to put mine in perspective. Yet, my Father in Heaven cares for me just as much as He cared for Jesus. We were never promised a rose garden in this life. Jesus said "In this life you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome."

The miracle that Jesus gave us is that no matter what we are going through in life, we can rely on His strength, His power, and His Grace to get us through it; that is the miracle of the Resurrection. Somehow by coming to the end of ourselves and realizing we cannot accomplish everything on our own and that we need Jesus, we are reborn and made new.

For me is is an iterative process. I am constantly dying to old habits and old ways of thinking and being remade by God's grace and mercy. What about you, dear one? Are the tribulations of life wearing you down? If so, why not give your burdens to Jesus? Let Him carry them and show you the way. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by me."

"Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." It is a promise for all of us this Easter season. Will you take Him up on it?

Our Temptations

Have you been tempted lately? By what? How did you react or respond?

I have been sorely tempted recently. It was a scary situation, to be honest. The enemy wanted to ensare me. He knows our weaknesses and our vulnerabilities, and plans his attack directly on that area of our life.

Just as Lazarus needed the people to untie him from the bondage of his bandages, so we need others to help us to set us free, for we cannot help ourselves sometimes.

Dr. Tony Evans spoke about being free and our right to be free tonight on his program. He shared how the Israelites kept wanting to go back to Egypt. Isn't that exactly what we do sometimes? We are drawn back to oppression; whether it be overeating, drug or alcohol abuse, or an unhealthy relationship.

When are we going to appreciate the freedom that Jesus died for us to live in? Jesus said that He came to set the captives free. What are you captive to, dear one? What is there in your life that is trying to ensnare you?

Jesus conquered the enemy and so can we, through His power. We are more than conquerers and we can overcome any temptation, just as Jesus did. Make no mistake, the enemy will never stop trying, but we have a power greater than he within us. "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4). Be encouraged today, and fight the enemy and he will flee, and while you're at it, help set someone else free today too!

Do You Know What Faith Is?

There are lots of ideas out there these days about faith. What is it exactly? Where does it come from? How can you make it work for you?

Webster’s dictionary defines faith as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof and as “a belief and trust in and loyalty to God.” Faith is the positive belief that everything will turn out for the best, even when things seem hopeless. The Bible says that “Faith is being sure of the things we hope for but have not yet seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

The key here, I think, is to ask ourselves the question "What do I put my faith in?" Am I putting my faith in my job, my abilities, my strengths, or in something or someone higher and stronger? Eventually, we all come to the end of ourselves when we realize we cannot make some things happen on our own; that is when the revelation comes in that there must be a greater power out there in the universe that is in total control and totally loves us. It is what the 12-Step folks refer to as 2nd Step: "We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."

I call this higher power God. I believe that if we put our faith and our trust in God, He will take care of us and see us through any storm in our lives. God is faithful. He is more than able to take care of any situation that arises and in fact, He allows many situations to arise to test our faith and to increase it. I don't know about you, but I feel better knowing that there is a God out there who cares about me and who only wants the best for me.

For Reflection
What do you have faith in, dear one? Are you putting your faith in something solid or something that can be washed away when the storms of life hit? Today I encourage you to give God a try. He will prove himself faithful to you.

Stay tuned for more on how to ignite the power with and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz