Helping one person…

Sacred Touches

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Helping each other with prayer to start the new academic year

It is a tragedy, as we will read tomorrow, that

“the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel …” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

We have no other choice than to live in this world where so many are blinded. We also do have to do with the many pains we may have to endure. Though we should know many pains and discomforts could be helped to be lessened or being softened by others.
Each of us is here in this world to help the other. Though not many are interested in doing that.

2014 – 2015 school year opening ceremony at Hanoi – Amsterdam High School

Once again a new academic year has started and we are off again on the roads, having the children back to school, having the parents back to work after their Summer holiday.

How many of them can see which wondrous blessings we have that

“God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’,

has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ? (verse 6).

2 Corinthians 4:5-10 UKJV  (5)  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  (6)  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  (8)  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  (9)  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  (10)  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Our world was created out of the void when there was only darkness, but God called for light. That ‘light’ shone physically as creation began so long ago, but the wondrous fact for us is, as we will read in chapter 5,

“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (verse 17).

The apostle Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians makes so many points which also requires our attention in this 21st century. He shows the interaction of events and the great value of prayers in all the difficulties they and he are experiencing.

All the kids who went back, or for the first time to a ‘new’ school’ shall have to learn to face different situations which are not always pleasant. Even for those who became a Christian there is no escape, they too shall have to share abundantly in Christ’s suffering. But we can give our kids some hope because we also do know that through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:2-5 UKJV  (2)  Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  (3)  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;  (4)  Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  (5)  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.

It is, writes Paul,

“the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction …” (verses 3,4).

This is a comfort we have a responsibility to pass on to others.

This passing on to others is too much and too often forgotten. Many do want to have the blessings, but do not want to do anything in return. They want the grace but do not ask them to tell others about it.

To find people who are willing to preach is very difficult. To find people who are willing to share their knowledge about certain things of this world, like geography, history, ways of constructing a house, or how to keep a healthy family seems to be very difficult. For some time we have been looking for some extra writers on this website, though nobody seems to be interested to join us and to share his or her knowledge for free.

Let us meditate and reflect on the interaction of events we have personally experienced. It seems when we start talking about God and about his son and show others our love for them, we seem to get a negative response and to be kept aside. Suddenly co-operation or interest seems to stop at all sides.
The more we have been active in the service of Christ, the more clearly we will perceive this.

In Paul, the Corinthians saw the most outstanding example of service.

“The afflictions we experienced”,

writes Paul, was such that they were so utterly burdened beyond their strength that they despaired of life itself. We in our regions do not have to be worried so much about that, but several people in several countries, like Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and many African countries are facing prosecution. We may not be unaware of the affliction many experienced in Asia and Africa.

2 Corinthians 1:6-8 UKJV  (6)  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.  (7)  And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as all of you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall all of you be also of the consolation.  (8)  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

We, in our safer regions also have to undergo problems, shunning and are not always facing a nice life. But we have set our hope that Jesus will return and that he and his God, Who is also our God (the God of Abraham), will deliver us again. Though we have to remember that like at the time of the apostles,  they had to be helped by prayer, so that many will give thanks on their behalf for the blessing granted them through the prayers of many, we too need such help.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 UKJV  (9)  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:  (10)  Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

We cannot just rely on people. We like Paul have to realize that we must rely not on ourselves but on God (verse 9).

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 UKJV  (9)  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:  (10)  Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;  (11)  All of you also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

Having set our hope that he will deliver us again, (verse 10), does not mean that we do not need each other, and that we should not help each other. We still have to be loving for each other and helping each other.

Paul makes an appeal that we should specially take notice of. He tells the Corinthians,

2 Corinthians 1:11-12 UKJV  (11)  All of you also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.  (12)  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

Other apostles came with similar requests to their flock.

Romans 15:30-32 UKJV  Now I plead to you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love (o. agape) of the Spirit, (o. pneuma) that all of you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;  (31)  That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;  (32)  That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

As in the early centuries of this common era there was a need of preaching, the apostles going around in the region to tell the Good News, we too today need some people full of hope who are willing to go into the ‘fields’ and to let others know about that Good News. We do want to tell others the Gospel of the Good News, but we too need help from others. We can use some backing.
Not only could we use some additional authors willing to share writings with people from all over the world. We, like the apostles need also your help with prayer.

As the apostles asked for help we also dare to say like the apostle Paul did:

“You also must help us by prayer so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us by the prayers of many” (verse 11).

Many are aware today through the almost instant communication the internet provides of the desperate situations some Iranian believers have experienced. There are also Pakistani believers who are experiencing persecution, and a few truth seekers who have felt it wise to return to Afghanistan. Let us help them by prayer.

Also, may we, as Paul writes in chapter 2, spread

“the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved …” (verses 14,15).

We may be unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish, but should we also not show that we are willing to step in the footsteps of that masterful rabbi?

As of God, in the sight of God we should not hesitate to speak in Christ and to show others the Way to God.

It is not because we can see so much tragedy, having so many people living in a way God would turn His eyes away, that we can not live according to His ordinances and want to show others there is a different way than the way this world has chosen.

On this platform we do want to show others this different way. To do it just on our own is not so easy. We could do with some extra hands.

Everybody has some field in which he or she is good. So everybody should be able to find something to write about which could be enlightening and educating for the others.

Having a new academic year, would this not be a good start to provide your input?

From your professionalism is there nothing you can contribute to our community and to bring some more knowledge to others, believers and non-believers in God?

Is the time not ripe to take up the pen and to join those who believe we should share more with others? It is out of love that we should share more with others. And believe it, there is lots to share about, and it has not all to do with religion.

In case you are not good at writing, you too can help, by praying for us and by letting others know our site. Promotion is always something that can help as well and motivate to continue our work. (Be sure it does not harm to motivate others now and a while.)

We do hope we can go into a fruitful new academic year in which we shall find some interested souls to join us and to share with us the love for this globe where we may reside in peace.

Please do pray for all those in need and also pray for our work, that we also may reach people in need and help them.

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You may find about prayer:

Praying and thinking positively

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything

God, my father, my closest friend

Laboring in the Vineyard or Sitting on the Hillside with Jonah?

What moves mountains?

 Trust!

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Additional readings:

1. Walking alone?7000 to 20000 words spoken each day
2. Natural inclinations and Praying and asking
3. Praying and acts of meditation without ceasing
4. Praying is surrendering in all circumstances
5. Be sound in mind and be vigilant with a view to prayers
6. Be vigilant with a view to prayers
7. Looking for True Spirituality 6 Spirituality and Prayer
8. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
9. Do You Expect God’s Answer
10. Being sure of their deliverance
11. Old Man of Prayer
12. Biblical Prayer at Tabernacle Site Shilo
13. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #15 Exposition before the Creator
14. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #16 Benefits of praying
15. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #17 Sorts of prayers
16. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #18 Fulfilment
17. Praise Jehovah
18. Always rejoicing
19. Praying constantly Giving thanks for everything

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Further reading of interest:

• School’s out for summer
• ::Summer’s Over & The “Routine” is Back::
• Twas the night before school starts…
• Keeping Things on Track: Organize for Success
• New leaf
• Keep Your Momentum
• Back to School
• Already, school year?
• School’s back…Here’s some tips for this year!
• Bring on the Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils!
• What is the most effective way of preparing young children for primary school and beyond?
• And So It Begins, Again
• Another Beginning
• On top of things …
• It’s Time for College: How to Make the Grade You Want
• Some Minnesota Students Head Back To School
• Should Wilmington Start School Before or After Labor Day?
• Opening academic year Wageningen University
• Upon Graduating: When the World Goes Back to School (and I Don’t)
• #Sameface-Much More Than Just a Game
• #10Highlights as a Deputy Headteacher by @TeacherToolkit
• How to improve your grade in your least favourite subject
• Keep the High Road and Say Good Bye!
• Charging Up in June? Say It’s Not So!
• The Road to 65, Miles 173 and 174: Preparations
• It’s that time of the year …
• Happiness in the Midst of Falling
• Love At First Site 27 – From blue to red
• Winter Break!
• Autumn days when the grass is jewelled…
• NWCCI 2014-2015: Highs, Lows, and New Beginnings
• Do You Know Which New Parents will become Great Prospects?
• Kindergarten Quips
• There Will Always Be Lions…
• Standards and Values
• Proclaim Jesus with Loving Hearts this School Year #CISVA
• A Bright Journey – on the First Day of School
• Best-Laid Plans for This School Year: Only Slightly Awry (So Far)
• What this is all about, or my journal and I
• Have A “Wand”erfully Magical Year!
• Our First “School Year” at Daycare!
• Back-to-School Tips for Parents!
• Driving in America
• Teaching: Year Two
• I Want More Time
• 15 Ways to Get and Keep Your Life Together
• Our Year-Round Homeschool Plan
• Small Groups to Kick-Off in September
• School districts get jump on school year

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Related articles

• What’s So Amazing About Grace? (lifevesting.com)
• Don’t let inner fear interfere with you . . . enjoy the ice cream! (stevesimms.wordpress.com)
• The Truth And Nothing But The Truth… (thetruelight2014.wordpress.com)
• Beware September 2015! A Great Deception is Brewing! I Know What is Going to Happen and it is Not What You Think! (libertybalance2014.blogspot.com)
• Wednesday, 2 September 2015 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading) (petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com)
• The Daily Gospel and Readings 2 September 2015 (prayersandmeditations.com)
• P2R | 1 Peter 1:1-5 (Week 1) (timmybrister.com)

What IF you’re only driven by stress?

As first posting I come to present something which is not of my own, but which I would like to share with you, because it can be a good lesson for all of us, how bad previous experiences can lighten us up and can let us conquer many negative things , by helping others.

The writer of this reblogged article is Eman Kawas, who had a very nasty experience in her life. There were times when people disappointed her and let her down, but those were the times when she had to remind herself to trust her own judgement and opinions, to keep her life focused on believing in herself and all that she was and is capable of.

Every person in this world caries her or his own story with awful but also nice experiences. All of us will have to face challenges to make in their life. The outside world may put pressure on us with many things. We should know we always should be in charge to make our own choices and that we can not be called guilty for those things which happened to us, without our consent.

In our life we often let us be carried away by bad experiences or let others ‘kill our spirit’ because of bad things they have done to us or like to do to us. At work, in our neighbourhood, in our circle of friends and family, we may encounter many circumstances which would like to impress on us positively but also negatively.

To make the best out of our life we first of all have to know where we stand and where  we would like to be. Before we can go forward in our life we get to get rid of all the ballast and do away all the dirt lying in front of us.
We have to take care we do not have to face a negative emotion that can produce negative experiences. Because once negative experiences are present, they can take us in a negative spiral, downward on the road instead of upwards. Basic daily events or tasks at hand, may never going to suck the good energies from us and turn them into negative energies. We may never let it come to a point where that what we have to do or to tackle comes to look like impossible or seems not to be solved.
We always should take care that we are able to be ready to undertake the ‘battle of life’. We should take care we do not come into a situation where we think the only solution would be to take a flight. We should always remember that we have to choose to fight our given problems and that we never should fear so much man, or run away from them. (the only One we should really fear is the Divine Creator God. )

When we become aware of too much stress we should think about going into the defence by ‘becoming calmer’ and by using the flight of the ‘own personality’, making sure that you start to regain your full positive energy from your life.

Never may we get carried away by thinking our stress is a sign of weakness. It is up to us to make us stronger by putting all experiences up to the good and to relative many issues. Sometimes taking distance of what bothers us can help. Going for a stroll or a nice walk in the green nature, calming us down and taking care we come not so stressful that we do come in a circle of depression.

A little bit of stress or anxiety can help us to stay alert and to stimulate us to undertake certain actions. Let us use it for our advantage to create new things and to be very active. But let it not destroy our creativity nor our aim to continue that what we believe would be good.
Therefore always keep faith in yourself, believe in yourself and in your own family and always ‘stay your self’ whatever the circumstances may be. Always keeping your own personality shall already avoid much of stress taking you down.

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To take in consideration:

Dangers:

• whatever you achieve is not satisfying to you and something is always missing
• constantly looking for something that you don’t know what it is

Signs:

• faced by “sink or swim situations”
• driven by negative impulses or stress
• dissatisfaction
• not feeling to achieve
• feeling bored
• cynicism
• strange reactions from your part
• short answers
• mistrust
• feeling like running on our toes
• overeating, heart disease, hypertension, stroke

Avoid:

• exposing yourself to long- term stress > causing physical dysfunction
• let it drive you
• neglect of spiritual life
• loosing hopes, loves, dreams, plans
• to be taken by the maelstrom of the earthly experience
• negative people
• constant noise(background music)
• uncomfortable clothing (too tight shoes, hosiery, itchy sweater)
• too much stuff, a cluttered home or office
• disorder around you

Solutions:

• see challenges as opportunities to succeed
• set smart goals for yourself => Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely goals
• remain positive > ready for opportunities that rise
• bring a sense of connection, renewal and  energy
• dare to think things over and try to meditate on it
• let it be useful > if it was a short-term stress
• keep people from stealing your joy
• keep optimistic
• concentrate on the nice things around you
• seek someone else’s love and assistance
• talk with someone close to yo, whom you can trust
• be ready yourself for others
• bless different circumstances and bless others around you
• concentrate on the people with positive thoughts
• concentrate on the positive thoughts in yourself
• focus on shifting what drives you from stress to performance – from negative to positive –
• nurture yourself as any garden does
• realize > what truly makes a difference = way you see things.
• Do know what your driver is
• Remember Which Source you can have with you

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Additional reading:

1. What is life?
2. A philosophical error which rejects the body as part of the human person
3. Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
4. Searching for fulfillment and meaning through own efforts, facing unsatisfaction and depression
5. Kitty Werthmann her account of growing up in Austria under Nazi regime
6. Fragments from the Book of Job #7 Epilogue
7. Fear knocked at the door
8. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man
9. Depression Is and When
10. How do you keep people from stealing your joy?
11. Seems no future in suffering
12. Suffering
13. Suffering – through the apparent silence of God
14. Suffering continues
15. Suffering leading to joy
16. Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
17. Words from God about suffering
18. Working of the hope
19. Getting out of the dark corners of this world
20. Running away from the past
21. Walking in the Light of Life
22. Hope does not disappoint us
23. If you do pray you shall not be disappointed
24. Always a choice
25. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace
26. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
27. Aligned
28. To Work Longer or Die Younger
29. We all have to have dreams
30. Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement
31. Peace Takes You
32. Answering a fool according to his folly
33. Feeling-good, search for happiness and the church
34. Feel-good Factor?
35. How to Feel Good About Yourself
36. Ageing and Solidarity between generations
37. Everything that is done in the world is done by hope
38. Faith is knowing there is an ocean because you have seen a brook.
39. Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark
40. Hope does not disappoint us
41. See the conquest and believe that we can gain the victory
42. Change should not be stressful
43. Happiness is like manna
44. Spreading good cheer contagious
45. Spark of Positivism
46. Thanksgiving wisdom: Why gratitude is good for your health
47. Importance of parents 1
48. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
49. Depression, Anxiety, Pressure and megachurches
50. Breathing and growing with no heir
51. Come ye yourselves apart … and rest awhile (Mark 6:31)
52. United people under Christ
53. Commit your self to the trustworthy creator

 

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Find also:

How to Relieve Stress (with Stress Relief Techniques) – wikiHow How to Relieve Stress. Stress. We all deal with it. Whether it be our jobs, family life, drama with friends, a relationship problem, or finances, stress is there. http://www.wikihow.com/Relieve-Stress

How to Deal With Stress (with Stress Reduction Techniques) How to Deal With Stress. Life can be stressful; sometimes you’ll have to deal with ongoing stress positively. Stress can have a variety of causes such as family … http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Stress

How to Create a Stress Ball: 5 Steps – wikiHow Feeling stressed a lot? Having a way to relieve stress at your desk, in front of the TV, or wherever your health and one very simple way is to use a stress ball for … http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stress-Ball

Managing Stress – how to articles from wikiHow wikiHow has Managing Stress how to articles with step-by-step instructions and photos. http://www.wikihow.com/Category:Managing-Stress

How to Avoid Stress During the Holidays: 12 Steps (with Pictures) How to Avoid Stress During the Holidays. Although the holiday season is supposed to bring joy and harmony to all, the many expectations that lay behind the … http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Stress-During-the-Holidays

How to Beat Workplace Stress: 12 Steps (with Pictures) – wikiHow How to Beat Workplace Stress. People in many professions work well over the usual 40 hour work week and end up bringing workplace stress home with them. http://www.wikihow.com/Beat-Workplace-Stress

How to Avoid Stress on the Internet: 7 Steps (with Pictures) How to Avoid Stress on the Internet. Believe it or not, using the Internet can be a major source of stress for some people. This article will offer some tips of … http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Stress-on-the-Internet

How to Be Calm in a Stressful Situation (with Helpful Techniques) Identify the cause of your stress. Is your heart pounding because that idiot just cut you off on the freeway, or is it because of that presentation you have to give to … http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation

How to Reduce Stress (with Stress Relief Techniques) – wikiHow How to Reduce Stress. Reducing the stress in your life will take a lot of reflection and action, but it will be worth it. If you’re less stressed, you’ll be able to sleep … http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Stress

Related articles

• Tackling stress in a tough climate (hiscox.co.uk)
  Not surprisingly their biggest source of stress is the fear of losing their business (57%). But pressures in today’s tough business climate are also putting an increasing strain on them. Many worry about losing clients (54%) or feel the pressure of bringing in new business (52%). A tailored professional indemnity insurance policy may help to mitigate these risks.

  If the business they have worked so hard to build is under threat, it’s understandable that company owners will try to keep as much of a work/life balance as they can while doing everything possible to keep the business afloat. However on a positive, most (68%) say they try to keep a good work/life balance.

  Many entrepreneurs would say they thrive on stress, that they make better decisions under pressure and have some of their best ideas when up against the clock. But stress is meant to be a temporary condition. If it becomes the norm rather than the exception in your working day it can quickly lead to burnout. Chronic stress can lead you to make poor decisions causing your business to suffer.

  It’s important for entrepreneurs to take steps to tackle stress so you can stay at the top of your game. Eat healthily, take exercise, get enough sleep, but also get away from work once in a while. Spend time with your family and go out with your friends. Put it in your diary if you have to. You’ll appreciate it. And so will they.

• What Is Stress (debatabletopicsx.wordpress.com)
  You are not the only one with either personal or collective problems, because rest of the human kind can have deep predicaments with great fears. On the other hand, stress can find you, with a repeated daily tasks. This involves your entirety of your life. Now you must analyse everything about yourself, and understand how you ended up in such condition. Then take the right action or confront your greatest fear and solve the problem there and then. This may not be easy but when you accomplish your goal, your entire life may outlook into more easy times. You see, problems are not assignments to deals with, but they are part of life, to teach you, one thing, and that is to gain higher experience in life. This leads to complete knowledge of a certain wisdom in life.
• The Karma of Stress. ~ Beatrice Bachleda (elephantjournal.com)
  It begins with one thing, and when we don’t get right down to the cause and take care of it, it begins to sneak into other things. Eventually the small things that we would never think about twice become the reason why we suddenly burst into tears or begin snapping at people we love.The problem with stress lies in our conditioning. It’s in the “agreement” we made that stress is a negative thing and must be demolished instantly or else we are to blame for its existence. The agreement says we “shouldn‘t let stress get to us.”
• Why stress might not be so bad (thelondonuniversity.com)
  Much of what we know about the physical and mental toll of chronic stress stems from seminal work by Robert Sapolsky beginning in the late 1970s. [Sapolsky, PhD,] a neuroendocrinologist, was among the first to make the connection that the hormones released during the fight-or-flight response—the ones that helped our ancestors avoid becoming dinner—have deleterious effects when the stress is severe and sustained. Especially insidious, chronic exposure to one of these hormones, cortisol, causes brain changes that make it increasingly difficult to shut the stress response down.
• Owning our Health: Taking control of stress (blogs.vancouversun.com)
  Cynicism is that nagging, negative feeling of mistrust and doubt due to a build-up of life’s ups and downs; its hurts and betrayals. Viewing life through mistrustful lenses, we are constantly on the alert and on the defensive – our fight or flight reactor permanently switched on. This negative viewpoint can silently drain us for years, going undetected and unnoticed.
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  To be healthier in every way, we need to consciously take care of this important part of us in a way that heals cynicism as well as other signs of stress. What’s needed is a rethink about how we view our world and our place in it.

  Understanding the circumstances that lead us to feel mistrustful, at risk, not valued or cared for and, thus, cynical is a great start. Often we find it is the continual remembering of a whole history of negative events that brings us to that stressed and cynical viewpoint. But we shouldn’t stop at just recognizing the problem.
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  Nurturing a spiritual practice builds a stronger, more rooted sense of unity with the divine. And, this builds a sense of stability, safety as well as new perspectives. The prayers of Jesus, for example, show us that in communing with God we can find a safe place where we can learn to see ourselves from a more spiritual standpoint, which allows us to respond to difficulties more effectively. Even in our darkest of moments, this action can redefine how we see the world – lifting the mistrust, anger, and fear that breed cynicism.

• How the stress of our “always on” culture can impact performance, health and happiness (scopeblog.stanford.edu)
  During a recent Café Scientifique event, Palo Alto-based organizational psychologist Jay Azarow, PhD, discussed how our “always on” culture can negatively impact your performance, health and happiness. In the video above, he provides an overview of science-based yet practical approaches to reducing and managing stress, increasing energy and enhancing focus and productivity.
• Planetary Healing: Take a Break from Stress (wesannac.com)
  Everyone gets stressed out at times, and here on earth, a lot of things can bring us down and make it much harder to re-find a good vibration if we let them. Our emotions and expressions affect the vibration of the entire planet, and to heal this world, it’s essential that we situate ourselves on a good vibration as much and as often as possible.

  It’s more than easy to dip into stress and frustration when circumstances in our lives allow for it, and here, I’d like to offer five things we can do when stressful situations pile on and make it harder to be in a positive space.
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  Remember that you’re never alone, and if you need to, take some time off from whatever’s stressing you out and ease into your unfolding higher-vibrational perception. In due time, stress will cease to bring people down like it has for so long, but for now, we have to be able to be here for each other when it gets the best of us.

  Stay strong, fellow seekers, because stress or no stress, our greatest work is just beginning.

 

 

Quill Pen

I am talking about when whatever you achieve is not satisfying to you and something is always missing, when you’re constantly looking for something that you don’t know what it is, then you still get things done but the motivation differs.
Those are signs that you are driven by stress, when you’re faced by “sink or swim situations” and that’s the only way that you would go above and beyond, then that’s when you realize you are driven by stress. A recent discovery took me to a place to see the reason I am dissatisfied, not achieved or maybe just bored.
Performance driven people are the ones that see challenges as opportunities to succeed; they tend to set SMART goals for themselves, no magic involved (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely goals) and remain positive to be ready for the opportunities that rise, on the other hand stress driven people perceive…

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Putting your feelings into words and sharing them

Beings with feelings

Let’s Talk About Feelings (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

All human beings have feelings. We have to cope with them. There are many ways to cope with them.
We also see lots of things happening around us. We are touched with what we notice, and we also want to give a voice to our feelings. We all want to be heard as well.

You too may find that putting your feelings into words and sharing them with a sympathetic listener will make it easier to deal with them.

Writing can also be a helpful release. Some who find it difficult to talk about their feelings may find it easier to express themselves in writing.

Looking at old writings

Most of the things today are not written for education, but we still should find time to look for writings that can edify us. We can take time to look at the old writings which were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope. In the very old books we can find people who wrote down their thoughts so that others also could hear about them. But they also put their feelings in their writings to get freedom in their inner soul.

Following the death of Saul and Jonathan, the faithful man David wrote a deeply mournful song in which he poured out his sorrow. This emotional dirge eventually became part of the Bible book of Second Samuel.—2 Samuel 1:17–27.

Crying may also serve as an emotional release. “For everything there is an appointed time, even . . . a time to weep,” says the Bible. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4) To be sure, the death of someone we love is “a time to weep.” Tears of grief are nothing to be embarrassed about. The Bible contains many examples of faithful men and women who openly expressed their grief by weeping. (Genesis 23:2; 2 Samuel 1:11, 12) Jesus Christ “gave way to tears” when he neared the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus, who had recently died.—John 11:33, 35.

Working through grief takes patience, for you may feel that you are on an emotional roller coaster. Remember that you do not have to be ashamed of your tears. Many faithful individuals have found that shedding tears of grief is a normal and necessary part of the healing process.

Sharing is helping

Putting down words of feeling can help you but also can help others.

It is a matter of sharing love for each-other that we should share thoughts with each other. We, by bringing matters to attention, can bring others to think about that matter. By publishing our own story we might show others they are not alone having those feelings or having to go through the same struggle.

Social networking Web sites

Image via CrunchBase

The last few years several placed their little pieces   and their little stories on Facebook. Recently they added Twitter to give some shouts into the internet world, or they threw in a nod to Google+ or Circles. We may even find pets with Facebook pages and politicians’ Internet campaigns and etiquette for R.S.V.P.’ing to events and the best way to wish someone happy birthday without feeling like an exclamatory fool! Social networking Web sites are the latest and greatest way to interact with other users on the Internet. Thirty-five percent of adults on the Internet now have a profile on at least one social networking site, and 51 percent have more than one. Three-quarters of users between the ages of 18 and 24 have an online profile.

CrazyFriendz is the free online social networking service. The service allows users to make new friends and manage existing relationships. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Pew Research Center found that 89 percent of these people use the sites to keep up with friends, 57 percent to make plans with friends and 49 percent to make new friends.

There are articles that tell us that sharing is the most popular form of internet use today. But what is being shared and how? As the world of P2P file sharing grows and evolves, various torrent search sites distinguish themselves. Some bands don’t mind if you share their music, and they even encourage it. But what about reading material? Who wants to share interesting reading material? Who wants to let others know he  or she did find something interesting to read?

This UML diagram describes the domain of LinkedIn social networking system. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Friendster, Urban Chat and Black Planet are just a few of more than 100 Web sites connecting folks around the world who are eager to share their thoughts and feelings. But just like in real life, there’s such a thing as sharing too much information (TMI). It’s easy to get caught up in the social aspects of sites like Facebook, but what you choose to share is there for all to see if you don’t limit who can view your information. The same study by Pew Research found that 40 percent of users have open access to their profiles, allowing anyone to view their information. The other 60 percent restrict access to friends, family and colleagues. Sharing personal information with strangers can be dangerous business, and there are some things you should definitely put on your “do not share” list.

Crossover, public and genres

With 51 percent of social network users taking advantage of more than one site, there’s bound to be some crossover from one to the other, especially if you have the sites linked. Sometimes we may find interesting bits or would like to talk or discuss matters not on our own private blog, because it could bring an other site of us in the forefront we do not want to be known directly, before our friends and bosses, or want to make sure no connection is made endangering our work.

Many do not mind sharing lots of things on Facebook, but are afraid to share real serious material on their blogs or on other blogs which reserve a place to contribute stories, like this site does.

Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace cater to a smorgasbord of users while people using sites such as Subeta and Neopets are mostly teens. Social networking sites can be very specific, too. For instance, you’ll find sites for just about every type of car, sport and sports team or music genre. And one of the largest groups of specialized social media sites is dedicated to parenting.

Many men and women will be, are or hope to be parents. That’s why social networking sites for parents are growing all over the Internet.

Communities and chit chat

Friendster (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How many sites will you be able to find about the way of life, or how to help each other, working to get a better living together? You may find lots of “Communities” where is being chit-chatted about little things of the world or materials things, like puppets, cars, games, etc.. but who wants to take time to share something about the beauties of nature. Sharing about the beautiful ladies, we may find enough, but about the plants and animals we shall find less. Mothers, fathers, gamers, fun or entertainment-park users, all have some sites where they can meet each other. They all have their own social networking sites aiming toward connecting, like minded of from the same sort, online. Users on those sites can choose to navigate in different easy to use areas including Discussions, Groups, Things to Do, Photo, Video, Coupons, Marketplace and My Stuff.

Some do not mind to pay to have a “Family’s home” on the internet. Other sites, like Minti, ask to join discussions and offer advice to others in search of the answers to the perpetual questions that come with raising children, providing a forum for parents to share advice and network with parents with similar interests, problems or questions regarding parenting.

Focus of the writers

At those social network-sites the focus of the writers is mostly on themselves. From Guestwriters has no pretension to become also a social network site. It does not aim to bring the focus to particular writers. Instead of aiming themselves in the picture, the writers on this site do want to bring subjects and things they find interesting into the picture. The focus is on the material and not on persons or individuals. The material presented here wants to be undone from the writer, bringing thoughts which could be for everybody and should move many.

Here we want to confront issues and not so much persons. the aim is to give place to matters which should interest many and which should be of importance for human beings. The people joined here, do not want to put themselves on the first row. They want to approach others with sympathy and respect. They might approach the sharing of their or your thoughts and feelings with others. This they want to do with an attitude of respect for them-self with respect for yourself and for the other persons.

We are aware that not many people are interested to take time to read deeper going articles or poetry today. But we can only hope enough interested people would come along and would not mind giving their ‘contribution’. We would love to find a place where there may be created a healthy discussion atmosphere. But this site is not in the first place a discussion forum. No, it wants only to be a place where different thoughts may be uttered next to each other, without anybody taking a grudge or being disturbed or scandalized. We do not want feelings over the presented material to run high. We do not want to find polluting or poisonous words, but spiritual feeding words. We do not want to present destructive powers on this site. Contrary we would love to see building up material, presenting positive material.

Peace loving agreement to disagree

We would like to find all peace loving people over here. We may all want to have change, but we do not want to get change by violent actions. The general idea is to come to a place of peace with each other. We do know that peace at any cost is not peace and that we should work for it. We shall have to dare to put wounds open to be able to let them heal. We shall have to point the finger to the ulcers in our community. We shall have to face the illnesses in our community. Yes, to get on our way together, to find peace and a nicer world to live, we shall have to see the good and the bad things in the world, and be able to talk about them. It is over those good and bad things we would like to see writings on this site, by different people, who might have very diverse opinions. We want not restrict such divergent ideas nor a diversity of interests. Varied opinions may be sharply, but over here we do not want them to hurt any body. We all want to accept that each writer may present things from a different viewpoint. though we may differ from opinion we do not mind sharing together those different viewpoints and enjoying such a variety of ideas. (Imaging all wearing the same grey uniforms, all using the same words in the same order.)

We do not want to be blind for the different views there are in the world, but also do not want to ignore the different solutions which could be possible. In case a conflict would be shown it does not mean that such conflicting views would not allow a good relationship. It is not because we may have different opinions we do not like each other. We do not mind to admit there is conflict and consider the way we handle it more important and part of enjoying the peace in our relationship. Looking and discussion about the differences always keeping an open mind and having a willingness to work it out to come to a place of peace, shall give both parties fulfilment.

It may surprise you, but it should not, that we allow different opinions to exist next to each other. Presenting such different ideas also does not mean we would like to provoke argument nor agreement. We want to show that people can live together in peace even with different ideas and believing in agreement to disagree.

Willing to come together

Our hopes are that we may find enough people willing to share ideas and to taste the different flavours others might present here. It would be lovely if we can bring a pallet of different writers from all over the world. Perhaps it might be the nostalgic feeling of what we had in our children time, which was called in Dutch “poëzie”, an album of verses, little stories, uplifting texts and pictures.
The big differnce now being that in that album everything might have been centred to ourselves, now the focus goes to the others around us.

As adults we have come to see that the world doesn’t revolve around us and the world doesn’t revolve around the person. One of the keys to success in relationships is learning to yield to each other. Over here we would like to offer a place where everybody can come along and find material that can feed him or her to go on. In case many persons do not mind sharing positive ideas and inspirational thoughts, those who want to write on this site would be pleased to offer a source of inspiration and spiritual guidance.

Providing a warm, supportive environment

We all get some nice but also very unpleasant moments in our life. at the darker moments in life either we can get in our own little corner or look for a place where we can enjoy some light. We do hope this site might become such a place where many people shall be able to find some comfort, peace, tranquillity and find some inspiring notes, which can help them to get above the garbage they are feeling in.

We do not want to be pretentious squirts. We make no pretensions to expert knowledge. We have not the presumption we can solve all problems. But we do think we can help each other in different ways. The writers as well as the readers can find support in each other and build up a relationship of good feeling.

We want to offer stories of many people by showing an interest in their journey. We love it to share those voyages throughout the world. Not to walk alone is much nicer than staying in our recluse. We prefer not to be lone wolfs, but to find many people willing to live together in peace on this beautiful earth.

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Join us today by becoming a reader or, why not a contributor as well?

Step in the van or in the bus and go on a nice voyage with us. (By Clicking on the picture you may find out more about the Bloggers for peace.

In case you have already your own blog, why not contribute now and then to this one and presenting some of your writings?
In case you also write regularly about love and peace, you might consider also to become a Blogger for peace.

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Additional reading:

1. Words in the world
2. Helpful words
3. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
4. Spring in sight
5. Hope
6. Working of the hope
7. Hope does not disappoint us
8. The true hope of eternal life!
9. Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark
10. Hope as long as you live

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1. Living With(out) Regret and Negative Feelings
2. Words are important
3. Liberty-human-rights – article 10 – freedom of expression
4. Twitter, Outrage, and Jesus
5. 10 Powerful Tips For Sharing Thoughts and Feelings
6. Did You Ever Wish for a Fast Way to End an Argument?
7. Relationship Help–Allow Someone to Struggle to Get Strong

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