Hello, and
welcome to Heart Lift.
00:00:25.15\00:00:27.06
I'm Jill Morikone,
and I'm so glad that you
00:00:27.09\00:00:30.19
have joined us today.
00:00:30.23\00:00:31.69
We're in the midst of a journey
toward hope, toward healing,
00:00:31.73\00:00:36.46
toward the transformation
the Lord Jesus wants to work
00:00:36.50\00:00:40.44
in your heart and in mine,
as women, as daughters of God.
00:00:40.47\00:00:45.44
If you're just joining us,
we're in the midst a discussion
00:00:45.47\00:00:49.08
on sadness, and how the Lord
Jesus wants to turn our sorrow,
00:00:49.11\00:00:53.88
our pain, into
peace and even joy.
00:00:53.92\00:00:58.29
Last program I
shared the first three keys,
00:00:58.32\00:01:01.52
the first three steps toward
experiencing peace and joy
00:01:01.56\00:01:06.96
again in our lives.
00:01:07.00\00:01:08.46
They are: 1. Allow
yourself time to grieve.
00:01:08.50\00:01:12.47
Don't rush the healing process.
00:01:12.50\00:01:15.30
Give yourself time.
00:01:15.34\00:01:17.17
2. Surrender. Surrender
your pain, surrender your loss,
00:01:17.21\00:01:22.21
surrender your control
over that situation or person
00:01:22.24\00:01:27.22
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:01:27.25\00:01:30.35
3. Practice thankfulness.
00:01:30.39\00:01:33.46
Practicing
thankfulness is not always easy.
00:01:33.49\00:01:36.59
But I can tell you it
produces incredible results.
00:01:36.62\00:01:40.90
Today we're looking at the next
five steps, or the next five
00:01:40.93\00:01:46.63
keys toward experiencing
that full transformation,
00:01:46.67\00:01:50.51
that full turning from
sorrow into joy and peace.
00:01:50.54\00:01:54.38
Our Scripture today is Psalm 30.
00:01:54.41\00:01:56.75
David says, You have turned from
me my mourning into dancing.
00:02:00.45\00:02:05.99
You have put off my sackcloth,
and clothed me with gladness.
00:02:06.02\00:02:11.56
Now the amazing thing
to me about this verse,
00:02:11.59\00:02:13.76
David could have said,
You turned my sorrow into
00:02:13.80\00:02:18.00
resignation, or into peace, or
even joy, but he said dancing.
00:02:18.03\00:02:23.47
Now dancing means
to me a lot of joy.
00:02:23.51\00:02:25.71
You're just
kicking up your heels.
00:02:25.74\00:02:27.88
You're getting out.
00:02:27.91\00:02:29.24
You're happy.
Turning sorrow into joy.
00:02:29.28\00:02:31.95
That's what God
wants to do. Let's pray.
00:02:31.98\00:02:35.15
Father we come before You
right now in the name of Jesus.
00:02:35.18\00:02:38.59
Thank You for the transformation
You are in the process of
00:02:38.62\00:02:41.96
working in each one
of my sisters hearts
00:02:42.02\00:02:44.29
and lives at home.
00:02:44.33\00:02:45.66
And we ask You right now
that You will continue the work.
00:02:45.69\00:02:49.76
That You would pour in
the oil of Your Holy Spirit,
00:02:49.83\00:02:53.27
You would bring in comfort,
You would bring in peace.
00:02:53.30\00:02:55.44
And that today we could receive
what You want to give us.
00:02:55.47\00:03:00.44
And we thank You in the precious
and holy name of Jesus, Amen.
00:03:00.48\00:03:06.82
One of my friends is a beautiful
picture of what Jesus is like.
00:03:06.85\00:03:13.12
If you were to meet her, I'm
sure you would agree with me.
00:03:13.15\00:03:17.36
She is an incredible woman of
God, and she seeks to minister,
00:03:17.39\00:03:21.56
she seeks to serve.
00:03:21.60\00:03:23.13
Every time I'm in her
presence I come away and I feel,
00:03:23.16\00:03:27.30
I want to follow God more.
00:03:27.34\00:03:29.97
I want to serve Jesus more.
00:03:30.01\00:03:32.57
You just have that sense
when you spend time with her
00:03:32.61\00:03:36.98
that you want to
serve Jesus more.
00:03:37.05\00:03:39.61
Now my friend has had
pain and sorrow in her life.
00:03:39.65\00:03:45.42
Looking at her,
spending time with her,
00:03:45.45\00:03:47.86
you would not
even really know that.
00:03:47.89\00:03:50.23
She has the pain of having
children who have left Jesus;
00:03:50.26\00:03:55.43
children and grand children
who turned their back on God,
00:03:55.46\00:04:00.60
and who have turned away.
00:04:00.64\00:04:02.14
But instead of her wallowing
in self pity, or some sort of
00:04:02.20\00:04:06.57
bitterness of spirit, she's
opened up her heart to God,
00:04:06.61\00:04:10.98
and allowed God to
pour in His healing.
00:04:11.01\00:04:12.98
She spends time with other kids.
00:04:13.01\00:04:15.95
She spends time praying
for other people's children.
00:04:15.98\00:04:20.52
She's an
incredible picture of Jesus.
00:04:20.56\00:04:24.99
And she trusts her
own kids walk with God.
00:04:25.03\00:04:29.50
I think that's an example.
00:04:29.56\00:04:30.97
Now your
experience may be different.
00:04:31.00\00:04:33.17
It might not be your kids or
grand kids who have left God,
00:04:33.20\00:04:36.07
but it might be another pain.
00:04:36.10\00:04:37.44
But I think this is an example
of how the Lord Jesus can come
00:04:37.47\00:04:41.88
in and can change us, and can
turn whatever the sad, bitter,
00:04:41.91\00:04:46.51
painful experience is into joy.
00:04:46.55\00:04:49.42
We're looking at today the next
five steps, or the five keys
00:04:49.45\00:04:53.72
to experiencing
that peace and joy.
00:04:53.76\00:04:57.16
The next one is
claim Bible promises.
00:04:57.19\00:05:00.56
Turn with me to Psalm.
00:05:00.60\00:05:01.93
We're already in Psalm, but
we're jumping over a couple of
00:05:01.96\00:05:04.80
chapters, Psalm 40:2, 3.
00:05:04.83\00:05:09.84
David speaking. He said, He
brought me up out of a horrible
00:05:10.27\00:05:14.71
pit; out of the miry clay.
00:05:14.74\00:05:17.71
Do you feel like you're
in a horrible pit today?
00:05:17.75\00:05:20.52
Do you feel like your
feet are stuck in miry clay?
00:05:20.58\00:05:23.28
The interesting thing to
me about this is he could have
00:05:23.32\00:05:26.09
said, My feet were just
in the grass, or in the dirt.
00:05:26.12\00:05:28.86
They were in miry clay.
00:05:28.89\00:05:32.06
What does that
mean? They were stuck.
00:05:32.09\00:05:34.30
Maybe humanly even, it was so
stuck you couldn't pull it out.
00:05:34.36\00:05:39.03
They were stuck in the clay.
00:05:39.07\00:05:40.87
He said, God
pulled me out of that pit.
00:05:40.90\00:05:44.11
God pulled me
out of the miry clay.
00:05:44.14\00:05:47.04
Then it says, He
sat my feet on a rock.
00:05:47.08\00:05:49.91
God doesn't pull us out
to let us slide back in,
00:05:49.94\00:05:53.15
to let us get all
back in that mire.
00:05:53.18\00:05:55.82
He says, I'm going to set your
feet on Me, the rock of ages.
00:05:55.85\00:06:01.46
The next verse: He
established my steps.
00:06:01.49\00:06:04.79
He has put a new song in my
mouth, even praise to our God.
00:06:04.86\00:06:11.07
Many will see it and fear,
and will trust in the Lord.
00:06:11.10\00:06:15.07
Now it's interesting to
me, because God brings our feet
00:06:15.10\00:06:19.81
out of the miry clay.
00:06:19.84\00:06:21.18
He sets them on a
rock, that's Jesus Christ.
00:06:21.21\00:06:24.65
He puts a new song in our mouth.
00:06:24.68\00:06:26.48
Did you notice that? praise.
00:06:26.51\00:06:28.25
Praise is connected.
00:06:28.28\00:06:30.12
We talked about that last week.
00:06:30.15\00:06:31.99
Praise is connected
with pulling out of the pit
00:06:32.02\00:06:35.19
of sadness and depression.
00:06:35.22\00:06:36.76
Praise is pivotal in
bringing us out of that.
00:06:36.79\00:06:40.90
And, you notice, God didn't
do all of that for David so that
00:06:40.93\00:06:43.97
David could boast, so that
David could say, Look at me.
00:06:44.00\00:06:47.37
I'm doing really well;
I was here, now I'm here.
00:06:47.40\00:06:50.74
No! What does it say?
00:06:50.77\00:06:52.61
Many will see it and
fear and trust in the Lord.
00:06:52.64\00:06:57.11
Do you know what
he's saying there?
00:06:57.15\00:06:58.71
Whatever situation you are
in right now, whatever pain you
00:06:58.75\00:07:03.32
have experienced, God
says, I can bring you out of it.
00:07:03.35\00:07:08.12
Not only can I bring you out of
it, I can so transform your life
00:07:08.16\00:07:12.89
that the people looking
at you are going to say,
00:07:12.93\00:07:14.76
You're not even the same person.
00:07:14.80\00:07:16.36
You used to be different.
00:07:16.40\00:07:18.13
You used to be, maybe,
wallowing in self pity.
00:07:18.20\00:07:20.54
You used to be one of
these depressed people.
00:07:20.57\00:07:22.90
And all of a
sudden, What happened?
00:07:22.94\00:07:25.07
Where did the joy come from?
00:07:25.11\00:07:26.71
If God can do that in
your life, maybe I want
00:07:26.74\00:07:30.51
to try this God, too.
00:07:30.55\00:07:31.88
Maybe I want to
give Him a chance.
00:07:31.91\00:07:34.02
It's a beautiful testament;
what God can do in our lives.
00:07:34.08\00:07:37.75
So pick up a
specific Bible promise.
00:07:37.82\00:07:41.09
As you work on
claiming these Bible promises,
00:07:41.12\00:07:44.73
pick a specific
Bible promise and claim it.
00:07:44.76\00:07:48.30
Pick a promise dealing
with joy, maybe one dealing with
00:07:48.33\00:07:51.33
surrender, or one dealing
with practicing thankfulness.
00:07:51.37\00:07:55.90
J. D. Quinn, he works here at
3ABN in the Pastoral Ministries
00:07:55.94\00:07:59.64
Department, and he
likes to write Bible promises
00:07:59.67\00:08:02.58
out on 3 x 5 cards.
00:08:02.61\00:08:04.91
That's his
favorite way to write out,
00:08:04.95\00:08:07.85
and to memorize Bible promises.
00:08:07.88\00:08:10.09
Now you might like to do that.
00:08:10.12\00:08:12.22
You might... For me, a
lot of times I just pull out a
00:08:12.25\00:08:15.56
Post-it note, or a
little scratch piece of paper,
00:08:15.59\00:08:18.89
and in my car I
tape up a Scripture.
00:08:18.93\00:08:21.30
And I work on
memorizing as I'm driving.
00:08:21.33\00:08:23.63
Although Greg was a
little concerned about that,
00:08:23.67\00:08:25.87
so I promised him I'd look
at it before I actually started,
00:08:25.90\00:08:29.27
so there wasn't
any danger there.
00:08:29.30\00:08:31.01
You might... Sometimes I
take that paper and I'll put it
00:08:31.04\00:08:34.98
above the kitchen sink.
00:08:35.01\00:08:36.34
And I can work on memorizing
a Scripture as I do dishes.
00:08:36.38\00:08:39.78
I can put one next
to my computer at work,
00:08:39.81\00:08:42.68
even one next to
the bedside table.
00:08:42.72\00:08:45.59
So the last thought I
have before I go to bed
00:08:45.62\00:08:49.22
is the Word of God;
putting promises from the
00:08:49.26\00:08:52.86
Word of God into my mind.
00:08:52.89\00:08:54.56
Now my friend Christine,
she likes using journals.
00:08:54.60\00:08:58.40
And that's a great option.
00:08:58.43\00:09:00.40
You can write in your
journal those promises.
00:09:00.44\00:09:02.54
You can pull it out and you
can claim that over your life.
00:09:02.57\00:09:06.94
So 1. for today is to
claim those Bible promises.
00:09:06.98\00:09:11.45
2. Is to develop
friendships with other women.
00:09:11.48\00:09:15.88
I believe that
sadness thrives in solitude.
00:09:15.92\00:09:20.29
Reach out to other women.
00:09:20.32\00:09:22.09
Join a support group.
00:09:22.12\00:09:23.86
Start a Bible study on
grief in your own home.
00:09:23.89\00:09:27.76
Be accountable to somebody else.
00:09:27.80\00:09:29.90
Be willing to step out
of your comfort zone and ask
00:09:29.93\00:09:34.90
for help when you need it.
00:09:34.94\00:09:36.91
This is a little
difficult for me.
00:09:36.94\00:09:39.51
I'm just being honest.
00:09:39.57\00:09:40.91
I have a lot of people that
I would consider to be friends,
00:09:40.94\00:09:43.38
people that I love to
converse with and talk with.
00:09:43.41\00:09:46.41
But it's hard for me to trust
someone with a painful places
00:09:46.45\00:09:50.09
of my life until
I'm kind of past that,
00:09:50.12\00:09:52.35
and then it's
easier to talk about.
00:09:52.39\00:09:54.52
So in my own journey,
in Greg and my own journey,
00:09:54.56\00:09:57.96
I shared with you the
last couple programs about our
00:09:57.99\00:10:00.60
journey with infertility.
00:10:00.63\00:10:02.16
In my own journey I
found a friend, two actually,
00:10:02.20\00:10:07.37
that I felt like I
could be honest with.
00:10:07.44\00:10:10.14
Someone that when they said,
Jill, how are you doing today?
00:10:10.17\00:10:12.41
Most everybody I'd
say, I'm doing great.
00:10:12.47\00:10:15.14
Is that honest? Not necessarily.
00:10:15.18\00:10:17.45
But neither did I want to
spill my guts to everybody.
00:10:17.48\00:10:19.98
I picked one or two
women that I felt safe with,
00:10:20.02\00:10:23.39
and I would say,
I'm having a hard time,
00:10:23.42\00:10:26.72
or today's not a good day.
00:10:26.76\00:10:28.49
Would you please pray for me?
00:10:28.52\00:10:30.23
Find that; find support.
00:10:30.29\00:10:32.93
Find someone that
you can reach out to,
00:10:32.96\00:10:35.66
and that you can share with.
00:10:35.70\00:10:37.40
I believe God puts us in
friendship with other women
00:10:37.43\00:10:40.67
not so we can just gossip
about the latest fashions,
00:10:40.74\00:10:43.91
or about the latest movies,
or about the latest hairstyles,
00:10:43.94\00:10:47.48
or clothes,
although that's kind of fun.
00:10:47.51\00:10:49.18
God puts us in friendship
with other women so that we can
00:10:49.21\00:10:54.02
pray for each other, so that
we can encourage each other,
00:10:54.05\00:10:59.55
so that we can reach out
and minister for Jesus together.
00:10:59.59\00:11:05.06
1. Claim promises
from the Word of God.
00:11:05.09\00:11:08.26
2. Develop
friendships with other women.
00:11:08.30\00:11:11.40
3. Serve God;
don't just keep busy.
00:11:11.43\00:11:16.27
There's a vast difference
between the two, you know.
00:11:16.30\00:11:19.94
We might be keeping busy,
as a way to run from our pain,
00:11:19.97\00:11:23.58
as a way to run
from our sadness,
00:11:23.61\00:11:26.61
as a way to stuff our emotions.
00:11:26.68\00:11:29.62
It might be a way to shut
out those people closest to me,
00:11:29.65\00:11:33.02
or a way to avoid
surrender, giving thanks,
00:11:33.05\00:11:35.66
and real
relationships with other people.
00:11:35.69\00:11:39.39
On the other hand,
we might serve God while
00:11:39.46\00:11:43.10
choosing to surrender,
while choosing to give thanks,
00:11:43.13\00:11:46.40
while choosing to develop
friendships with other women
00:11:46.43\00:11:49.70
while walking in community.
00:11:49.74\00:11:51.54
And that's a good thing.
00:11:51.57\00:11:53.34
So what I'm saying here is you
can't look at somebody else's
00:11:53.38\00:11:56.44
life and saying, Boy they sure
are running from their stuff,
00:11:56.48\00:11:59.08
because they're
always busy doing stuff.
00:11:59.11\00:12:00.55
That doesn't
mean it necessarily.
00:12:00.58\00:12:02.78
Only you know in your heart.
00:12:02.82\00:12:04.29
You know if you're serving
God out of a heart that longs
00:12:04.32\00:12:09.32
to serve Him, and to follow Him.
00:12:09.36\00:12:10.89
At the same time you're being
accountable, and you're seeking
00:12:10.93\00:12:14.46
friendships with other women,
and you're seeking to surrender,
00:12:14.53\00:12:18.70
or whether you're doing that as
a way to stuff those emotions,
00:12:18.73\00:12:22.90
and to run from that pain.
00:12:22.94\00:12:26.27
Matthew 22, Matthew 22:37.
00:12:26.34\00:12:29.61
Jesus gives the two
commandments: love the Lord
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.38
your God with all your
heart, mind, soul, and strength.
00:12:32.41\00:12:35.72
And what's the second one?
00:12:35.75\00:12:37.15
Love your neighbor as yourself.
00:12:37.19\00:12:40.02
Point 4. The next one is
to focus on other people.
00:12:40.06\00:12:45.33
Seek for ways to serve.
00:12:45.36\00:12:48.30
Ask God to show you
somebody else who is hurting.
00:12:48.33\00:12:52.37
If you have money, share with
those who are less fortunate.
00:12:52.40\00:12:56.54
If you have
time, give of yourself.
00:12:56.57\00:13:00.18
If you have neither,
seek for other ways to serve.
00:13:00.21\00:13:04.81
Acts 20:35 says, It is more
blessed to give than to receive.
00:13:04.88\00:13:11.55
It is more blessed
to give than to receive.
00:13:11.59\00:13:16.39
1. Claim Bible
promises over your life.
00:13:16.42\00:13:20.16
Write them down.
Keep track of them.
00:13:20.20\00:13:24.00
2. Develop
friendships with other women.
00:13:24.03\00:13:27.77
Don't be alone, because
sadness thrives in solitude.
00:13:27.80\00:13:32.21
3. Serve God.
Don't just keep busy.
00:13:32.24\00:13:37.48
And 4. Focus on other people.
00:13:37.51\00:13:40.72
The last one is to trust in God
that He is going to bring joy.
00:13:40.78\00:13:46.69
You know Psalm 30:5 says:
Weeping may endure for a night,
00:13:46.72\00:13:51.29
but joy comes in the morning.
00:13:51.33\00:13:55.20
You know, I began this journey
a couple of programs ago,
00:13:55.23\00:14:03.67
Our Journey Through Sadness,
talking to you about Greg and my
00:14:03.71\00:14:07.84
own battle with infertility,
and our own struggle.
00:14:07.88\00:14:10.95
As we went through
this pain, in the beginning
00:14:10.98\00:14:17.19
there was a lot of pain.
00:14:17.22\00:14:18.55
There was a lot of self pity,
bitterness, all of that stuff.
00:14:18.59\00:14:22.32
And in the midst of that
God said, Jill surrender.
00:14:22.36\00:14:26.59
Surrender those desires.
00:14:26.63\00:14:28.20
And I'd surrender
them, and I'd take them back.
00:14:28.23\00:14:35.84
But then I just kept
giving it back to God.
00:14:35.87\00:14:38.84
God take it. You know I
truly want You to have it.
00:14:38.87\00:14:42.44
I really do. I
chose to give thanks.
00:14:42.48\00:14:46.08
And this wasn't just my
own journey. Greg did, too.
00:14:46.11\00:14:48.58
But I'm just the
one sharing here.
00:14:48.65\00:14:50.05
And this is
specifically dealing with women;
00:14:50.09\00:14:52.09
women's stuff, women's issues.
00:14:52.12\00:14:54.16
I remember in the beginning
of our journey someone shared a
00:14:54.19\00:14:58.99
someone shared a Bible promise
00:14:59.03\00:15:02.30
Bible promise, and
you know it, Psalm 37:4.
00:15:02.33\00:15:03.67
Delight yourself in the Lord.
00:15:03.70\00:15:05.03
He will give you the
desires of your heart.
00:15:05.07\00:15:09.54
And someone said, Jill God
is either going to remove those
00:15:09.60\00:15:14.08
desires from your heart for
children, or He's going to make
00:15:14.11\00:15:18.51
you content
without kids, or something.
00:15:18.55\00:15:20.85
But He's going to do
something in the midst of this.
00:15:20.88\00:15:24.39
And as I chose to spend
time in the Word of God,
00:15:24.42\00:15:27.99
to practice surrender,
to practice thankfulness,
00:15:28.02\00:15:31.56
I don't know when it occurred.
00:15:31.59\00:15:33.46
I can't pinpoint a
day when I said, Okay,
00:15:33.50\00:15:36.16
this is when it changed.
00:15:36.20\00:15:37.53
I can't tell you that.
00:15:37.57\00:15:38.90
But what I can tell you is
this: God changed my heart.
00:15:38.93\00:15:42.90
He took that pain.
00:15:42.94\00:15:45.27
It went to resignation,
then I think it went to peace.
00:15:45.31\00:15:49.98
And then after that it was joy.
00:15:50.01\00:15:52.38
That pain, that irritation,
that angst was gone. No more.
00:15:52.41\00:15:57.92
Not only that, in our own
experience God even removed
00:15:57.95\00:16:03.43
in my heart
that desire for kids.
00:16:03.46\00:16:05.59
Now I'm not
saying I don't love kids.
00:16:05.63\00:16:07.70
Of course, I love kids.
00:16:07.73\00:16:09.13
I spent ten years
teaching kids, and I loved
00:16:09.16\00:16:12.40
every minute of that.
00:16:12.43\00:16:13.77
But at the same time
God took away that desire,
00:16:13.80\00:16:17.21
and replaced it with a
burning passion for ministry,
00:16:17.24\00:16:22.14
for working for other people,
for ministering to women.
00:16:22.18\00:16:26.11
And I think that's what
God wants to do in each one of
00:16:26.15\00:16:30.05
our hearts and lives.
00:16:30.09\00:16:31.42
You might be dealing with
infertility, and your journey
00:16:31.45\00:16:34.36
might be completely different.
00:16:34.39\00:16:35.82
God might say, My plan for you
is to give you a child one day.
00:16:35.86\00:16:39.93
God might say, My plan
for you is to have you adopt.
00:16:39.96\00:16:44.03
And those are
all beautiful plans.
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.20
Because God leads us
all on a different journey,
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.94
on a different path.
00:16:49.97\00:16:51.31
But in our own case, God
actually took that desire,
00:16:51.34\00:16:55.84
and filled it with Him.
00:16:55.88\00:16:58.11
It was incredible.
00:16:58.15\00:16:59.48
Psalm 16:11, Psalm 16:11.
00:16:59.51\00:17:04.12
You will show me
the path of life.
00:17:04.15\00:17:07.12
In Your presence
is fullness of joy.
00:17:07.16\00:17:10.06
At your right hand
are pleasures forevermore.
00:17:10.09\00:17:15.26
You know, it's interesting,
I was an acquaintance,
00:17:15.33\00:17:20.40
I could say, with a
woman who, I would call her
00:17:20.44\00:17:24.01
a little bit negative.
00:17:24.04\00:17:25.61
Have you ever met
somebody who's like that?
00:17:25.64\00:17:27.98
Somebody that, you might
say, Jill that's a little bit of
00:17:28.01\00:17:31.11
a negative person.
00:17:31.15\00:17:32.48
It seemed like every time I
was in her presence I would walk
00:17:32.51\00:17:36.52
away, and I would feel
discouraged, or I would feel
00:17:36.55\00:17:39.25
like, Oh, some of that joy was
sucked right out of my tummy.
00:17:39.32\00:17:43.43
You know, it's just incredible.
00:17:43.46\00:17:44.93
Some people are like that.
00:17:44.99\00:17:46.39
And one day I
went to the hospital.
00:17:46.43\00:17:51.13
Greg and I went to the
hospital to visit a man who was
00:17:51.17\00:17:54.24
experiencing tremendous pain.
00:17:54.27\00:17:56.40
And he was scheduled
for some sort of surgery.
00:17:56.44\00:17:59.54
I can't even remember.
00:17:59.57\00:18:00.91
And we went
there to encourage him.
00:18:00.94\00:18:03.98
He was having a hard time.
00:18:04.01\00:18:05.41
He was
experiencing pain in his life.
00:18:05.45\00:18:08.05
So surely he
needed encouragement.
00:18:08.08\00:18:10.62
We went into the hospital
room and we talked to him.
00:18:10.65\00:18:14.72
And I'm here to tell
you that we came away more
00:18:14.76\00:18:18.36
encouraged than we went in.
00:18:18.39\00:18:20.83
He was sharing Jesus with
the nurses and with the doctors.
00:18:20.86\00:18:25.23
He was
possessing a thankful heart.
00:18:25.27\00:18:29.14
Does that mean that everything
he experienced was good?
00:18:29.17\00:18:32.37
Absolutely not. He was
in a good deal of pain.
00:18:32.41\00:18:36.08
But at the same time he
was choosing to surrender,
00:18:36.11\00:18:39.75
choosing to give thanks.
00:18:39.78\00:18:42.35
And it made a huge
difference in his attitude.
00:18:42.38\00:18:45.45
I spoke with this woman later,
the woman who's a little bitter,
00:18:45.49\00:18:49.19
and she asked me
how's this gentleman?
00:18:49.22\00:18:53.36
And I said, Oh I
said, He's encouraging.
00:18:53.40\00:18:57.47
I was just amazed.
00:18:57.50\00:18:58.83
We went to encourage him,
and he ended up encouraging us.
00:18:58.87\00:19:02.60
He's doing well. And
do you know what she said?
00:19:02.64\00:19:05.41
She said, Some people
are just born that way.
00:19:05.44\00:19:08.14
Now some people are born with
a naturally happy disposition.
00:19:08.18\00:19:13.01
I agree with that.
00:19:13.05\00:19:14.38
Some people are
born with a naturally
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.65
not so happy disposition.
00:19:16.69\00:19:18.45
But do you know
what the truth is?
00:19:18.49\00:19:20.26
We choose our disposition.
00:19:20.29\00:19:22.19
We go to God, and if we practice
the principles found in the Word
00:19:22.22\00:19:27.93
of God, if we practice
the principles of surrender,
00:19:27.96\00:19:32.73
the principles of
choosing to give thanks,
00:19:32.77\00:19:36.50
even when I don't want
to, even when it hurts,
00:19:36.54\00:19:40.04
even when I'm in a
difficult place in my life.
00:19:40.08\00:19:44.05
If I choose that, you
know what's going to happen?
00:19:44.08\00:19:46.31
That becomes who I am.
00:19:46.35\00:19:48.75
That becomes a
piece of my temperament.
00:19:48.78\00:19:52.05
And it was incredible
to see what God can do,
00:19:52.09\00:19:56.56
what God wants to do in
different people's lives.
00:19:56.59\00:20:00.83
I don't know what pain or
sorrow you're experiencing
00:20:00.86\00:20:06.23
in your life today.
00:20:06.30\00:20:07.84
Maybe you'd say,
Jill I'm just coming back
00:20:07.87\00:20:10.94
from the funeral home.
00:20:10.97\00:20:12.31
Maybe you'd say, I don't
even know the source of my pain.
00:20:12.34\00:20:15.91
I can't identify it, but
just feel constantly covered
00:20:15.94\00:20:19.98
with a grey cloud.
00:20:20.02\00:20:21.85
That was one of
my other friends.
00:20:21.88\00:20:23.89
She told me, Jill
I'm covered with this.
00:20:23.92\00:20:27.02
I can't identify it.
00:20:27.06\00:20:28.76
I don't know what it's from.
00:20:28.82\00:20:30.69
I don't know what's causing it.
00:20:30.73\00:20:32.59
All I know is I'm in pain.
00:20:32.63\00:20:34.86
All I know is it hurts.
00:20:34.90\00:20:37.07
I don't even want to get
out of bed in the morning.
00:20:37.10\00:20:39.63
Maybe that's where you are
now; some sort of mist obscuring
00:20:39.67\00:20:43.97
the face of Jesus.
00:20:44.01\00:20:45.67
No matter what it is, no matter
what the source of the pain,
00:20:45.74\00:20:49.21
God says, I see, I know.
00:20:49.24\00:20:52.35
I want to bring healing.
00:20:52.38\00:20:55.28
I want to bring deliverance.
00:20:55.32\00:20:58.15
I want to bring peace
and joy and transformation.
00:20:58.19\00:21:03.69
Allow yourself time to grieve.
00:21:03.73\00:21:05.79
Surrender those feelings,
those thoughts back to God.
00:21:05.86\00:21:11.03
Choose to practice thankfulness.
00:21:11.07\00:21:13.77
Choose to give thanks.
00:21:13.80\00:21:16.00
Claim those Bible
promises over your life.
00:21:16.04\00:21:21.28
That, that one principle
alone makes a radical difference
00:21:21.31\00:21:25.31
in our hearts and in our lives.
00:21:25.35\00:21:27.15
Surround yourself with other
women; women that you can trust,
00:21:27.18\00:21:31.22
women that you feel safe with,
women that you can share with,
00:21:31.25\00:21:35.42
and that will pray with you,
that will encourage you on your
00:21:35.46\00:21:39.56
journey heavenward.
00:21:39.59\00:21:41.50
Allow God to change
your feelings, your heart,
00:21:41.53\00:21:47.10
to change your
sorrow into joy in His time.
00:21:47.14\00:21:52.61
And finally, don't just keep
busy as a way to stuff those
00:21:52.67\00:21:57.05
emotions, serve God out
of an open thankful heart.
00:21:57.08\00:22:02.15
In just a moment
we're going to take a break.
00:22:02.18\00:22:04.79
When we come back
we're going to share our
00:22:04.82\00:22:07.42
application for this week.
00:22:07.46\00:22:09.19
Practical steps, practical
tips that you can practice,
00:22:09.22\00:22:12.66
that you can use at home
that will make a difference,
00:22:12.69\00:22:16.13
I pray, in your heart and life.
00:22:16.16\00:22:18.27
And then our next program we
begin several programs dealing
00:22:18.33\00:22:23.14
with the concept of
purity; Purity From A
00:22:23.17\00:22:27.24
Woman's Perspective.
00:22:27.28\00:22:28.64
We're going to take a
break and be right back.
00:22:28.68\00:22:30.61