Tag Archives: momentum

Turning Distress into Rest

Posted on October 20, 2014 by expressyourself4him

If you’ve ever had one of those days; then you know how I felt last night when I came home.  Restless, my frustrations began to boil over, spewing out venom fueled by annoyance and irritation.  Replaying this in my mind, over and over again, I allowed distress to interrupt my ability to sleep.

Like a scene from a horror movie, I sensed the clutches of demons taking over my mind, inspired by hatred and revenge.  Before I let my thoughts get out of control, I cried out to the Lord, rebuking the images racing through my head, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  This tug of war went on for nearly 15 minutes, drifting back and forth, with huge momentum swings.  Finally, as the noises around me started to dissipate, God turned my distress into rest.

When I awoke the next day, I stumbled across Psalm 107:6.   “Then, they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he (God) delivered them from their distress.”  Perhaps, a coincidence?  I don’t think so!  Rather, I believe the Lord let this night of turmoil occur so that I could remind the world that God can turn distress into rest, a deep peaceful sleep.

by Jay Mankus

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To Enjoy, Invest or Waste?

Posted on August 18, 2014 by expressyourself4him

If each day on earth is considered a gift, then individuals have 3 choices.  You can enjoy each moment, soaking in the world around you.  Another option is  investing your energy, talents and time into hobbies, interests or passions.  Finally, the self-absorbed might follow the path of the prodigal son, wasting life savings to satisfy their fantasies.

While reflecting on my own life, I wish I could say that my time has been well spent.  Unfortunately, transitioning to my new work schedule has resulted in countless unproductive hours.  Although I hope to develop healthier patterns, I can’t replace the time that I’ve lost.  In view of this, I need to hit the reset button to begin again, Lamentations 3:22-23.

When you go through patterns of disappointment, keep your head up, Galatians 6:9-10.  With Christ’s help, Philippians 4:13, you can stop negative momentum.  If you want to turn the pages of your past toward love, joy and peace, emulate the words of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.  By doing this, you will find enjoyment while investing in kingdom activities during your days on the earth, Matthew 6:19-22.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Shake, Rattle and Rut…

Posted on July 18, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Jesse Stone wrote a 12 bar blues rock and roll song in 1954 under his alias song writing name, Charles Calhoun.  This piece was first recorded by Big Joe Turner, yet most notably sung by Bill Haley and the Comets.  Music in its truest form involves rhythm displayed in Shake, Rattle and Roll.

The opposite of this is a rut, void of any flow, inspiration or momentum.  Over the course of time, craters, ditches and potholes disrupt individuals from developing a rhythm in life.  Instead patterns of negative behavior leads to disappointment, a lack of production and unfulfilled expectations.  Once you reach these doldrums, like the dog days of summer, sometimes a spiritual awakening is necessary to break you from this mental state.

This is where I find myself today, stuck in a rut.  To escape this, I need to claim the prayer of David in Psalm 30:1-3.  The blue print laid out in this passage involves praising God from the middle of your circumstances.  Whether you’re stuck in the mud or recovering from a major trial, praise initiates healing.  As soon as you muster the strength to possess a Paul like attitude, Acts 16:25, God transforms ruts into shakes, rattles and spiritual rolls.

by Jay Mankus

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Where Did My Flow Go?

Posted on March 7, 2014 by expressyourself4him

The first round of March Madness, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship begins March 18th in Dayton, Ohio.  While most sports rely on talent to win titles, momentum is a crucial element for teams to advance and move on to the next round.  However, once a school experiences a losing streak, especially late in the season, its hard to find the flow that led to their initial success.

In life, each day contains a series of twists and turns, taking you to the top of Mount Everest at one moment, before an avalanche of circumstances buries your flow in a pile of humility.  Subsequently, your passion for getting up vanishes, causing you to get stuck in a puddle of apathy.  Like Popeye without his spinach, tasks become endless chores sucking any joy remaining in your soul.  Searching for answers, people will ponder, “where did my flow go?”

The master of parables, short stories with nuggets of truth, Jesus had a way with words, helping the lost discover the flow they were looking for in life.  Whether you were a Pharisee like Nicodemus, a Samaritan woman looking for love in all the wrong places or a prostitute on the verge of being stoned to death, Jesus provided clues in the Bible to obtain a flow which would last a lifetime, John 10:10.  If you’re not satisfied with your current living conditions, John 3:16-17, John 4:13-14 and John 8:11-12 contains a road map for life to locate the permanent flow you desire.

by Jay Mankus

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The First Touch Down Celebration

Posted on November 15, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Although Notre Dame often takes credits for their Touchdown Jesus mural directly behind the north end zone in Irish Stadium, there is another celebration that takes precedent.  Before the game of football, war was the main sport, battling for survival on open fields to see who was superior.  Yes, even prior to Goliath’s surprise collapse to David’s slingshot, there was a noteworthy day not to be forgotten.

According to Exodus 17:8-15, the Israelites met the Amalekites in the valley at Rephhidim.  Similar to a civil war battle, swords replaced muskets and canons.  High above the action, stood Moses, Aaron and Hur, praying for God’s side to be victorious.  As long as Moses’ hands were held high, Israel stayed in the lead, Exodus 17:11.  The moment he lowered his hands, the Amalekites began to take back momentum.  Unable to lift his hands high on his own, Moses called on Aaron and Hur to prop his arms up in a steady position.  By night fall, Israel delivered the knock out punch, spurred on to victory by the prayers and lifted hands of 3 men.

No, this isn’t a beer commercial about superstitions.  Nor is this a football game that ended on a last second field goal in overtime.  This is simply the first touchdown celebration, 2 hands held up high to the heavens, thanking God for today’s victory.  The Lord thought so much of this day that he urged Moses to write an account of this event so that those not in attendance could one day marvel at the power of the Almighty God, Exodus 17:14-15.  Instead of creating a statue like Touchdown Jesus, Moses built an altar for Jehovah Nissi, which means, “the Lord is my Banner!”  The next time your favorite team scores a field goal or touchdown, remember to lift your hands high like Moses, thanking God for the good things on earth, James 1:17.

by Jay Mankus

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