Laughter is Like Medicine Because Joy is Your Strength

A few weeks ago I went to one of our favorite restaurants to pick up an order. While I was waiting, I noticed that the chalk board where they usually list their daily specials was replaced by a familiar scripture. Nehemiah 8:10b: "For the joy of the Lord is your strength." I immediately thought of this scripture, Proverbs 17:22a, "A merry heart doeth good like medicine." 

I know we haven't had much to laugh about these days, but true laughter comes from a joyful heart, and true joy comes from God. This kind of joy is not dependent upon circumstances, but upon the report of the Lord, which is His Word.

When Was the Last Time You've Experienced Joy?

Joy is much deeper that a feeling, it's an experience that transcends your senses. It comes from deep within through having a relationship with an Eternal God who makes all things possible. That's why  it's a great benefit to walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7  When we see through the lens of faith we are moved by what God said and not what we are seeing with our natural eye. Our senses can play tricks on us and have us thinking the worst, when God has the best ready to manifest in your life. We can't conjure up a feeling of joy, but we can redirect our focus from the circumstances of life to meditate upon God's Word and build our relationship with Him.

The Virtues That Birth Joy

 

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he closes out with this encouragement. Basically he admonished them to have a change of mindset. I call this verse the virtues that birth joy. In order to have a change of mindset, we must redirect our focus from negative outside influences and be intentional and consistent with focusing on:

Truth

Honesty

Purity

Loveliness

Good Report

 The best place to begin our focus is in the Word of God. It is a mind changer. It gives us a fresh new perspective on life. As you meditate on God's beautiful promises and apply it to every area of your life,  not only will you experience joy, but a renewed sense of being. If you make God's Word a daily priority your negative lens will be continuously cleansed by the Word of God. 

 

 Choosing Joy is Choosing Life 

 Maintaining a heart full of joy is a treasure trove of benefits. Experts have documented proof that being happy, which is a byproduct of joy maintains good health and keeps a healthy balance in your emotions and mental state. Couple that with some hearty laughter, it will release endorphins to relieve stress and elevate your mood. Here are some additional tools and strategies to manifest joy in your life.

 

Have a grateful heart

Smile more often, even if you don't feel like it  

Encourage someone in word or deed

Journal

Have a day out with friends

Take a break from the news and social media 

 

 

 Whether you choose one of more of these, or bring your own ideas to the table, you deserve a heart full of joy and laughter. It will change your life. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Immune System The Armed Forces of Our Body

 

 

 

 

 Various countries in our world are blessed to have a strong military presence to protect and defend from enemy attacks. In the same manner, our bodies are armed with an immune system. A healthy, strong immune system is our overall defense from harmful invaders. Without it, our bodily systems will be susceptible to attack. These attacks may be a threat to our survival.

 

Some of these invaders are:

·         Environmental Toxins (Pollution)

·         Bad Bacteria and Viruses (Pathogens)

·         Indoor and Outdoor Allergens

 

Our Immune System serves as a combative force against all that physically ails us. It also has intelligence that recognizes healthy and unhealthy cells and a memory that keeps record of any past attacks.

 

Our Immune System in Action

 

 

Do you remember ever getting a cut that became infected? Or maybe you’ve had a zit or boil and couldn’t resist “the squeeze”. I’m sure you noticed the white pus that oozes out. (My apologies to those who have weak stomachs.) That white stuff is our white blood cell defense going to work to fight the infection and promote healing.  This is an example of Innate Immunity. Innate Immunity is our frontline defense against pathogens. 

Our next level defender is called Adaptive Immunity. This level is developed over time as we are exposed to certain diseases. It seeks out and destroys any pathogen that bypasses our Innate Immunity. Both types of defenses are seek and destroy weapons. This is called the Immune Response. I like to think of the Immune Response as our snipers and sharp shooters against disease.

 

 

Keeping it Strong

Our Immune System is spread strategically throughout our bodies by healthy tissues and lymph nodes. It also has a strong presence in our bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract. A healthy immune system is a proactive, protective guardian of our bodily processes, but in order to keep our immune system functioning optimally, we must take it upon ourselves to do the following things:

 

·         Eat right

·         Exercise

·         Take supplements as needed

·         Drink plenty of water

·         Get plenty of rest and quality sleep

 

 

Now I understand that even in the best scheme of things, life happens, and we can’t always hit the bull’s eye with all of these suggestions.  But don’t worry, if you are doing your best to take care of yourself, your Immune System will still do its job in keeping you protected. As we continue to keep Covid-19 in our awareness, the importance of maintaining a strong immunity is of utmost importance.

 

 

 

 

 

Why Should I Pursue Wholeness?

 

 

 

• Are you happy and content with your life as you know it?  

•  Do you know why you are here on earth?

•  Have you found out what is God’s plan, purpose, and destiny for your life?

•  And if you are already living your whole life, are you willing to instruct others how to get there?

•  What strategies did you use to obtain wholeness?

 

  I believe that living your best life is living life with intent and purpose. We human beings are flawed and broken, but we can become works in progress as long as we are willing to improve. This will take developing a strategy that will lift you out of the mediocre into a quality of higher-level living. That’s living the whole life.

Now if you are one of those people who are content with your life, I think that’s great. If your family is good, you have a good job, and you can afford to live a comfortable, healthy life. That’s a real blessing. 

But if there is something deep down in your heart that yearns for more and questions your existence here on earth,  it’s time for some self-examination. 

 

 

Your presence here on earth is not by accident, you are here by a carefully calculated process designed by God. He loves you so much and He wants you to experience life on this earth. He also desires that you seek Him concerning His plan and purpose for your life. It's a process that will yield much fruit in every area of your life. It will not only be a benefit and blessing to your life but others as well. This is what becoming whole is all about. As you do the work of processing, healing, and readjusting your life, you’ll be able to help others as well.

 

You Are Being Watched

 

The Bible says that we are living epistles to be read of men. 2 Corinthians 3:2. Whether we like it or not, people watch us and check how we carry ourselves. Our interactions with people reflect who we really are. I had a co-worker tell me that I give them so much hope. It made me wonder what have I done to make a mark on her life like that. It’s not that I’m all that but it’s who I live for. I was happy to know that God had used me as a conduit to touch her heart. I believe in being a real person whether you’re at home, work, the store, or church.

 

 

Reasons You Should Pursue Wholeness

 

 ·         To Bring Glory to God (Have a good testimony before Him)

·         To be a good example for others to follow

·         To live a balance stable life

·         To be able to face life’s challenges in a healthy way

·         To respond, not react

·         When you know better, you’ll do better

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Physical Effects of Grief

 

Our human make up is comprised of interconnected systems and elements that are not limited to just our physical body. Our creator in His infinite wisdom has designed us as three-part beings; spirit, soul, and body. We were calculated to function most effectively when we are balance, but one defect or imbalance will throw us into a state of shock. That’s what happens when our life is affected by grief.

The Effects of Grief in the Mind and Body

Feelings of sadness and emotional breakdown takes a toll on our entire being. Our mental state will go through a myriad of issues because of the thought of living life without your loved one. Depending upon the circumstances surrounding the death we may be faced with feelings of sadness, depression, anger or guilt, and possibly fear. We may question whether we could have done more to prevent the loss. We are sometimes plagued with ruminating thoughts that may keep us up at night or give way to anxiety. Some may go through grief for an extended period of time. This is called complicated grief. This is a chronic reaction to grief that may bring thoughts of suicide. In this case it is imperative to seek counseling to process your feelings in a healthy and effective way.

Why Does This Hurt So Much?

 Going through this period of processing our emotions, our bodies are struggling to maintain balance as well. As a result, stress hormones are released by the body as a response to this imbalance.  Some examples of these stress related issues are:

Extreme Tiredness and Chronic Fatigue

Headaches

Digestive Issues

General Body Aches and Pains

Possible High Blood Pressure and Heart Issues

These symptoms can last for days or months, and sometimes people may go through these issues for years depending on their ability to cope. Therefore, we need to give ourselves permission, time, and space to grieve and mourn over loss. In my next post, How to Cope With Grief, One Day at a Time I will give you tools and ways to cope with your loss, that will bring about healing and the ability to move forward.

 

 

 

How to Cope with Grief One Day at a Time

 

You owe it to yourself to grieve in you own way. Give yourself permission to process your feelings and emotions. Keep in mind that it will take time, but during that time of transition be intentional about taking care of yourself. It does not dishonor your loved one’s memory when you choose to adjust your life in order to move forward. It will be difficult because you are heartbroken, but after a time of rest and self-examination, try to do one thing for yourself each day. These are some ways that will help to ease you back into a daily routine.

·         Make sure you eat right and supply your body with nourishment.

·         Spend time with other family members to talk about your memories and pain.

·         Take a walk and get fresh air when you can.

·         Meditation is beneficial to relax your body and mind.

·         Comfort yourself by looking through family albums or videos.

·         Seek out grief support groups to give a sense of nurturing and strength.

·         Rely on your faith to give you strength and healing.

 

You Don’t Always Have to Be the Strong One

To those of you who are always the pillar of strength and the “go to” person, it’s time to step back for a while and give the wheel to someone else. Take a stand for yourself and lovingly explain to your family and friends that you are having a difficult time and you need time to regroup. If they don’t understand, you may have to take drastic measures and take a short vacation to breathe and think. You can’t be there for others until you are there for yourself.

Help is Always Available for You

If you feel that you are having difficulty moving forward, having thoughts of suicide, or relying on substance abuse for comfort and coping, reach out for help with a counselor. They will aid you in exploring your feelings and help you to process through your grief.