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The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker – Week 8


Stress

This week’s group meeting was truly enlightening.  I loved what our Pastor’s wife shared about allowing their Christmas guests to choose a Christian organization for a monetary gift:  they pass out checks with “Pay to the Order of” left blank and let each guest fill in the recipient.  They have two organizations that they alternate support for every other month.  They also have an amount set aside where they pray for God to reveal to whom to give the funds.  Some terrific ideas!

I’ve been wanting to work the chapter on stress since we began this study!  I’ve been in a funk lately where I’ve struggled with pride – wanting recognition and respect at home and at work.  I’ve been selfish and angry and unforgiving.  LOTS of red flags indicating stress in my life.  It was so good to get my hands into God’s earth last weekend!  There’s something about gardening that gets me in touch with the Lord and calms me to the core.  And when those berries show up, my family will be in heaven!

I wish we’d studied this chapter on stress at the beginning as well as at the end.  I was absolutely parched for the “seven breathing spells for the soul” and starved for a Sabbath dinner!  I was reminded that God rested, so what makes me think I don’t need rest!  I’m much more fragile than He is.

I’m perplexed by the spiritual implications of rest.  I can see “gathering my daily bread” as daily Bible study, quiet time, meditation and prayer time.  But what about the day of rest?  Do I not do Bible study on that day?  I don’t know how to do that.  Lord, reveal to me what this should look like in my life.  I know this is my battle strategy for the week, but I don’t know what to do or how to do it.

I need to let go and trust the Lord more.  This isn’t always easy because I forget sometimes.  He is absolutely faithful!  I was unemployed for 13 months and He met my needs completely during that season and brought the right job along at the perfect time.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and my surgeries and treatments put me exactly where I needed to be exactly when I needed to be there.  So, why am I concerned about Him being able to do something similar?  Or bigger?  Or smaller?

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