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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Losing Your Voice

You can click play if you want to hear me read this week’s post (even though it’s a little squeaky).

I’ve been losing my voice this week.

On Monday afternoon I got a sore throat.

On Tuesday morning, I missed my swimming because I didn’t feel well.

Things improved after that and I went to swim on Thursday morning. Something was still a bit wonky with my throat, but I didn’t feel bad at all. As the day progressed, my voice continued to change. We visited with a nice family from church in the evening and I tried to ignore how I sounded (of course I wanted to chime in even more than usual, even with my voice being a bit hoarse).

Now it’s Friday and I still feel fine, but my voice is even more squeaky when I talk. (I’m supposed to sing on Sunday and Gary and I are planning to talk about my depression during the church service, so I’m hoping things improve by then.)

So anyway, I’ve been thinking about our voices this week. I’m still me, even if I don’t sound like I usually do when I talk right now.

We can lose our physical voice, but we can still find ways to speak even if we can’t get the words past our lips.

We can write something down on a piece of paper and show it to someone.

We can type lots of words and send them out into the cybersphere.

We can look someone in the eyes and smile to show them that we care.

We can work on different tasks and projects to lighten someone else’s load or brighten someone’s day.

Even if you can’t talk, you never really have to lose your voice. Find a way to speak up today!

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14–15 NIV)

Have you ever lost your voice? How did that feel? How can focusing on God help you to speak up (with or without your actual voice)?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Keepsakes

When you pack up a houseful of belongings, you run across lots of keepsakes.

All sorts of things can be a reminder of the person who gave it to me: photos, cards, books, a rattlesnake rattle.

That last one is a new addition to my keepsake collection.

Gary and I visited a couple from church on Wednesday. They live out by the river, and I reminded him that he was going to show me a live rattlesnake sometime. We had joked about it when we first came to live here, but it had never happened, even though snakes would show up out there quite often.

Judy showed me a picture of a nice-sized rattlesnake (someone had taken the picture while her husband went to get his gun).

Then Bruce dumped a little jar of rattlesnake tails onto the table. We marveled over them, and then he urged me to take one. “Really?” He pointed out a good one and I thanked him as I made it rattle.

On the way back to town, I held my rattle carefully and gleefully shook it every once in a while. “This is so cool!” I kept saying to Gary (he agreed, but I think he had enough after about the first mile).

I thought it was incredibly generous that our friend would give away part of his own rattle collection (he gave one to Gary, too).

Seeing that rattle in the years ahead will always remind me of Bruce and our good times on the Missouri River (thankfully, we never did see a rattlesnake while we were boating).

As I’ve come across other keepsakes recently, I’ve felt grateful for the reminders of friends and relatives.

Physical objects can be nice to display (or store away to look at later), but we don’t always have something tangible to help us remember someone. Maybe we just have special memories of a relative or friend. As we get older, those may start to fade, so consider doing something to make sure you preserve that keepsake.

Write a letter to that person, telling them about your recollections. Keep a copy for yourself so you can look back on it later.

Draw a picture of something that reminds you of a special person. Write their name somewhere in the picture (or on the back) so you never forget.

Take a picture when you see something that reminds you of a friend. Send a copy to them on your phone and say “I saw this and thought of you!” You’ll feel good, and so will your friend.

I’m glad God has given us so many friends. I’ll cherish the keepsakes and memories I’ve collected over the years, and I’ll give God the glory as I accumulate even more. I wonder what other trinkets he has in store for me? I’m guessing not many will beat a rattlesnake tail!

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” (Psalm 77:11 NIV)

Do you like to collect keepsakes? How can focusing on God help you to find creative ways to remember friends and thank God for them?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Freedom

I write about my struggles and failures quite often for Focus Friday. I don’t mind doing that because I figure it just may help someone else who is going through a similar situation.

But the other day, I was reminded that people don’t constantly want to see that in other people’s lives. They want to see victory, too.

Here’s the quote I heard in episode five (“Anger Must Fall”) of Goliath Must Fall by Louie Giglio (it’s available on RightNow Media if you want to watch it yourself):

“God doesn’t get glory from our lives when there’s a giant with its foot on our neck….When we’re always talking about the downside of life, the weakness of life, the thing we wish we could change about life. We’re not giving God glory as an ultimate savior, a defender, and a fighter and a champion in our lives.”

So I thought I’d brag on God a little bit this week and tell you a few good things happening in my life.

My emotional health keeps improving. Sure, there are ups and downs, but the general trajectory is upward. When I have a bad day I don’t turn it into a bad week. God has been teaching me all kinds of things about myself and about life. I give him all the glory when I am able to catch negative thoughts and emotions. He gives me the ability to find the distortions in some of my thoughts and turn them around. He helps me really feel the negative emotions that bubble up at times, spending an appropriate amount of time with them and then choosing thoughts that will lead to more positive emotions.

My physical health is better. I’ve been experimenting with what I’m eating and how I’m moving in recent months, and I’m seeing changes in the right direction. Slow, steady growth in this area is important as I make little changes that will last. I don’t want to get bogged down in what the scale says, so I’m focusing on how much God loves me just the way I am right now. That said, I feel like he’s helping me choose better things to do with my urges to overeat. That feels good, even if the scale doesn’t reflect huge changes.

I’m making progress on my book. Most of you know that I’ve been working on a book about my experience with depression and how we can all stay healthy emotionally. I’ve been putting in a little more time on it lately and I’m seeing the word count go up (funny how that works!). The giant of fear has been standing with its foot on my neck in this area for a long time, but I am finally allowing God to be my champion. He has the power to keep that giant at bay.

I’m not saying that life is perfect all the time. I’m finally realizing that life is a mixture of good and bad, positive and negative. That’s okay. God is with us through all of it. We can lean on him during the hard times and praise him in the good times. (We can also praise him during the hard times and lean on him in the good times.)

I’ll keep sharing inspiration and ideas for getting through the difficult parts of life, but never forget that we are all free because of what Jesus Christ did for us. Isn’t that awesome?

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

Are you bogged down by life’s problems? How can focusing on God help you to live in freedom, even in the midst of hard times?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Too Many Choices

I’ve never liked making choices.

I’m usually afraid I’ll make the wrong decision and end up regretting something.

I thought I was making progress in this area, getting a little more confident at making choices, but I found out that I still have some work to do.

Our son is moving soon and I’m planning to make his room into my office. Right now my desk is in the living room. It works, but I’m sure I would get so much more writing done if I had my own room.

I started to dream about what I could do with my own space. A comfy chair? A new bookshelf? Inspiring artwork on the walls?

What about a new color for those walls? My friend said she’d help with the project if I picked up some paint, so I stopped by the store the other day, thinking it wouldn’t take long to grab a gallon.

I thought maybe I’d pick out a color to match the graphic for my online Facebook group.

I made my way to the paint section, pulled up the graphic on my phone, and started to look at the color samples from several brands of paint. Nothing looked even close to my color and it only took about two minutes for me to feel anxious and overwhelmed.

Tears threatened as I pulled a couple of sample cards from the racks. My mind began to spin as I was faced with too many choices. Thankfully, Gary joined me at about that time and suggested I wait until after we moved Blake. Then I could get the paint and do the project right away. I was relieved that I didn’t have to decide, but I was also a bit shaken.

Something I thought would be fun and easy had turned into something stressful and difficult.

I could see some parallels to other situations in my life. As I looked at the paint samples, one of the loudest thoughts in my brain was, “I can’t do this.” I wanted to scrap the whole idea of painting the room just because I couldn’t decide on a color and I was afraid I’d pick the wrong one.

I can think of more than one area of life where I’m tempted to say, “I can’t do this” and I avoid the project because I’m afraid I won’t do it right.

On the way out to the car the other day, I could feel a part of my brain trying to reason with the part that was panicking. “It’s just a color. You can pick anything. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” That’s so true.

I could stick with the neutral color that’s already in the room, but now I think I have to paint it. Going into my robin’s egg blue office (or whatever shade of blue I end up with) will remind me that I dared to make a decision, and I think that will bring me lots of joy.

Maybe it will even inspire me to make decisions in other areas of life where there are too many choices.

“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:23–24 NIV)

Do you have trouble making choices? How can focusing on God help you to ask him for wisdom as you choose?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Life

On Wednesday, I started the morning by reading my Bible. I try to do that every day, but sometimes life gets in the way. That day, I hadn’t sat down to read since Saturday morning. After writing the date in my notebook, I jotted down this thought: “Too long between devos again—and it shows!”

It was true. The beginning of the week just seemed harder for some reason. I got weepy and worried about situations that normally wouldn’t have fazed me.

I usually read a few chapters, but that day I could only read one. A verse at the end of Deuteronomy 30 jumped out at me. I wrote it down and underlined the action verbs:

“Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:20 NLT, 1996 version)

I circled the word “life” a couple of times and dropped my pen.

That’s what I had been missing all week! Life had felt hard and meaningless because I had neglected to spend time with the one who really is my life. How could I have forgotten?

I kept my notebook open on my desk and went back to read that verse several times the rest of the week. It’s helped me to remember that I have a choice.

I can stumble along on my own, tripping over my faults and failures, or I can choose to love, obey, and commit to the LORD—my life!

It truly does make a difference. Every single day.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NLT)

Have you been choosing life or death lately? How can focusing on God help you to choose life? What will it look like as you love God, obey him, and commit yourself to him?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Taking Baby Steps

I set a goal on Monday. “I’m going to finish my book proposal by Friday.”

It wasn’t an impossible goal, but I didn’t accomplish it.

As usual, my brain wants to make that mean all sorts of negative things. (I’m a failure. I’ll never get it done. I always do things like this, so why even try?)

I’ve been fighting those thoughts (and losing) for the last couple of days.

Why can’t I focus on what I did get done instead? I spent almost two hours working on it on Tuesday evening (after procrastinating all of Monday and most of Tuesday). I wrote and tweaked parts of it on Wednesday for over an hour.

There were moments when I fell into despair because I didn’t like what I had already written. There were also flashes of hope when I wrote a new paragraph and saw how it might help a reader someday.

As I blog today, I’m choosing to celebrate the baby steps I took this week. I didn’t finish my proposal, but I’m three hours closer to completion. A few more baby steps next week and it might be ready to pass along to an agent.

There are other projects on my heart. It can be overwhelming to think about all of the steps involved in getting them done. Breaking them down into baby steps could help my brain see them as more possible.

We have to remember that there are going to be times in our lives when we race ahead, full of energy and ambition. Then there are those times when things are harder. We don’t have the confidence or energy to run, but even baby steps can keep us moving toward the finish line.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24 NIV)

Do you get frustrated because you aren’t getting things done as quickly as you’d like? How can focusing on God help you to move forward—one baby step at a time?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Launch Parties

I am now a published author.

I’ve written my blog posts for years and I even had an article and some devotions published, but now I have a chapter in an actual book. It feels amazing! (And scary.)

This week I put a press release in our local newspaper about Life, Repurposed: Stories of Grace, Hope, and Restored Faith. I’ve given a few copies away and I’ve started selling some autographed copies to interested friends and family members.

Part of me wants to tell everyone I meet about it, and another part of me wants to hold back because it feels strange to point out my accomplishment.

I want to lean more toward the side that tells everyone, because I want my story to help as many people as it can. My chapter presents a snapshot of the depression I went through back in 2014 and encourages people to change their negative thinking.

There are also wonderful stories from 33 other writers. Of course I want to help get their words out to the people who need to hear them, so I’ll keep talking about this new book that was compiled and edited by Michelle Rayburn.

I wonder how often we do the same thing as Christians. We have faith in God and we see him working in our lives. Part of us wants to shout it from the rooftops, and part of us wants to keep quiet because we don’t want to appear too pushy.

But if we don’t talk about it and share God’s love, how will people learn about it? People need hope, love, and grace. Christians are the ones who can pass those things on to the world around them.

There’s a Facebook launch party for Life, Repurposed on Facebook this coming Monday, April 12, 2021. It goes on all day and will include author interviews (Here’s mine), giveaways, and more fun. I hope you’ll check it out.

Spread the news about this new resource and, if you’re a believer, make sure you’re spreading the news about the source of all our hope, peace, and joy—Jesus Christ.

 “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted.” (Isaiah 12:4 NIV)

How do you feel about sharing good news with the people in your life? How can focusing on God help you to push past the fear and tell others about your Lord?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Accepting Gifts

I received a gift today. I was very glad to get it, but I was surprised at the thoughts going through my head afterward.

Maybe I should tell you what I got first. You see, I’ve been doing some work in the church office this week. Our administrative assistant is fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and this was a rough week. I was happy to help out so she could rest.

I was working on the bulletin today, when all of a sudden her husband showed up with a vase full of beautiful flowers!

Aren’t they beautiful?

I protested that those weren’t necessary, but to tell her thank you from me. A little while later I texted her to say thanks and I sent her a picture of her gift.

“Thanks for helping out!” the card said. But I couldn’t just accept and enjoy her gift. My brain started doing all sorts of goofy things.

I should send her some flowers since she’s not feeling well. I hope she didn’t waste too much money on me. How can I pay her back for this?

I’m getting a little better at catching my thoughts, so I didn’t let my brain spin on those worries for too long. I smiled as I carried my flowers home when I got done working and I’ve been enjoying them every time I catch a glimpse of them. I’ve taken a few minutes to admire them again and stick my nose deep into one of the roses to enjoy its aroma.

It was a wonderful gift.

Today is Good Friday. Some of us have trouble accepting God’s beautiful gift. Sometimes our brains start doing all sorts of goofy things.

Jesus endured so much pain on the cross. I can’t believe he’d do that for little old me. How can I repay him for his sacrifice?

We have to catch those thoughts that spin and cause us to focus on ourselves. Instead we can think about the love he had for us that sent him to that cross. He wanted to go through that excruciating experience so each of us could have eternal life. It’s amazing!

We can take time today to reflect on the pain he went through and the shame he bore, but we can’t stay there. We have to remember that Sunday morning came and the tomb was empty. He rose from that grave. Death couldn’t hold him! Later he went to heaven to prepare a place for us. We can smile every time we remember what he did for us.

It was a wonderful gift.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

How are you at accepting gifts? How can focusing on God help you to accept Jesus’ wonderful gift ?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Saving Up Encouragement

It’s safe to say that everyone experiences highs and lows in life. There’s an ebb and flow that’s inevitable. We can count on it just like the waves that shape the shorelines of the world’s oceans and big lakes.

If you’re like me, you may be one of the many people who struggle to find hope when the lows come. The tide goes out and you feel dragged from the familiar to the uncertain.

When times like that come, it might help to have some encouragement saved up. In my own life, there are some things I cling to when I’m tempted to give up.

There’s the hug and the simple “You’re so brave” a friend said when she saw me after my bout with major depression. That gives me the will to try when things seem hopeless.

I remember an established author writing “You’re an excellent writer!” in the margin of a project I sent her to look at. That keeps me going when I’m tempted to quit writing.

I see the look of love and concern on my husband’s face when I start talking about whether life is really worth it. I borrow some of his hope and muster up the will to find my purpose again.

These are all things in my head, but I’m wondering if it might be good to write them down and put them somewhere close. I could save them in a pretty box, a file folder, or a special file on my computer. That could be the place I run to when the dark times come. Reading over reminders of people’s words of encouragement could get me through the hard days.

I could sprinkle in special verses to remind me of God’s love and care, too:

Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 27:12, Proverbs 3:5–6, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:10, Lamentations 3:22–23, John 4:18, Romans 8:38–39, Romans 15:13, Philippians 4:13.

Saving up encouragement for the hard times just might be the thing that keeps me from drowning when the undertow of life threatens to drag me under.

I hope you’ll find a way to save up encouragement, too. Here’s one to get you started:

Life is hard sometimes, but you can do this! Don’t give up. You are loved!

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)

Do you have a special place where you can save up encouragement? How can focusing on God help you to hang on during the hard times?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Getting Away

Gary and I just got back from some time away. We went down to Tennessee to visit my parents and then we attended a conference at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove (the picture in this week’s graphic shows the view from the training center).

Just a week away from the pressures and responsibilities of life was so refreshing. I went away feeling tired and maybe even a bit cynical. By the end of the conference I felt inspired and ready to get back to my tasks and projects. I simply had to get away.

Jesus did that. Matthew 14:23 (NASB) says: “After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.” If Jesus had to get away from the crowds and be by himself for a while, it must be important for us, too.

But it’s not just getting away that renews us. We can take a break from the everyday pressures of life and still feel tension and anxiety. Connecting with God is what really makes a difference.

“Come Away” is a beautiful song by the group FFH (I’m posting it below). I love the whole Voice From Home CD because all of the songs are written as if God were speaking. Here’s part of “Come Away”:

Come away with me
To the mountain of your dreams
Come away with me
There’s something you’ve got to see
Come away with me,
Come away with me
I will show you who I am
And who one day you will be
Come away, come away with me

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with life, you may need to get away. If you can’t arrange an actual trip somewhere, you may be able to at least schedule some time to get away mentally and meet with God.

He says, “Come away with me.” Spending time with God just might renew your perspective and refresh you for what God has in store for you.

The key to getting ahead may be as simple as getting away.

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8 NIV)

Are you getting burned out from life’s responsibilities? Can you get away (physically or mentally)? How can focusing on God help you to connect with him and feel renewed?