SERIES: Don't Worry...Be Happy? (5 of 5)
NOT Walking ALONE

What a month to be talking about “Don’t worry”. So far we’ve talked about the choice we have to control our thinking in difficult times (choose joy!), about the choice to worry or to work to prevent or persevere in the midst of these hard times, how these difficulties can actually bring direction in our life and lastly hope that we do not have to walk through hard times alone...we have faith, family and friends to walk with us.
   
When people talk about family, there is definitely no “one-size-fits-all”. Large and small, loud our quiet, expressive or “just there for each other.” Then many of us have friends that are “like family”. Growing up, us kids never called adults by their first name so everybody was Mr, Mrs. or Miss Whomever...except for those “like family” friends of my parents who became “Uncle Mike and Aunt Jan” even though they were no blood relation. 
   
I was blessed with a strong healthy family and I hope you were, too. I am doubly blessed because both of my parents are still living, I get to see them regularly, and they still pour into my life. But for some, that is not what “family” is like. You may not have many family members close to you emotionally or geographically. In that case, I hope you have a friend or two who are, as Solomon described them, “closer than a brother”. These are the friends you can turn to in any situation and they will have your .
   
Storms are definitely easier to weather when we have family or friends to go through them with us. But if you look at your life right now and say, “my family and friends are not as close as I need them to be”, you still do not have to walk alone. My mother is not alone, however she is pretty much home bound, even before COVID-19). She is not lonely because she spends her days being a friend. She can’t get out, but she texts words of encouragement or a short prayer to those she knows. My mother is not only a friend, but now these friends check on her as well...she is not alone.
   
Be encouraged by family & friends today or be a friend. Don’t worry, be happy. You do not have to walk through storms alone. 
   
I am praying for you today,
Pastor Rob

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

SERIES: Don't Worry...Be Happy? (4 of 5)
PEACE Not Based on CIRCUMSTANCES

Due to COVID-19, police stations are closed to volunteers. I hate not being with my West Side officers today. Please know I am praying for you and will be there again as soon volunteers are allowed back. Feel free to drop me an email here or use the Contact Me form of this blog if I can serve, pray for or encourage you. You can also use the Subscribe link to request the week's word of encouragement be sent to your email box each Monday.
Praying for you today, Pastor Rob.
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“Don’t worry, be happy” was the series I started at the beginning of the month. In light of all that is going on now, this may seem like an odd sentiment...be happy. But the series title came from the Bobby McFerrin song which talks about being happy (having peace) in the midst of bad things happening all around you. Did you know this was not a new idea? As a matter of fact, 2000 years ago, Jesus talked about this kind of peace as a gift.

These last two Mondays of the month, I would like to talk about three constants we have to help us going through difficult times which can (and should) bring us peace. This week looking at faith, next week looking at family and friends.
   
When we describe somebody as being a “person of faith” it implies the person looks outside of what can be seen for their source of belief. While some see faith as the opposite of logic, being a person of faith myself (a Christian), I am amazed at how logical my faith is and how logically it can be explained. That being said, a life of faith begins with just that...FAITH. For me as a Christian, it was saying, “God, I believe you are who you say you are and I come to you on your terms” (otherwise, where is the faith...if God is only as big as what I understand or if He has to follow my rules/opinions?). 
   
The very definition of faith makes peace possible outside of circumstances...a belief in something we cannot see here and now. But when I speak of faith , I am not talking about faith that “things will get better”, but the peace of my faith comes from the words that Jesus spoke when He said, 

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” 
   
If you are a person who looks to God in faith, I would like to encourage you with Jesus’ words. The reason he offers a peace that the world cannot offer is because the peace he offers is his presence that will never leave those who look to Him (you can read the whole conversation here). 
   
In this life, we cannot always predict or stop HARD times. What we can choose is how we will respond. The series this month is about choosing joy, choosing to work to prepare or persevere instead of worry, and choosing peace. We can be at peace in the midst of a storm because we do not have to go through it alone...we have faith, family and friends to walk with us.
   
Thank YOU for selflessly serving others during these times. I am praying for your safety and your PEACE this week. 
Pastor Rob

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5

SERIES: Don't Worry, Be Happy (3 of 5)
Difficulties Can Bring Direction

Nobody enjoys hard times in life, and hard times certainly don’t make us happy, but what could be gained by persevering through hard times instead of being paralyzed by worry? Consider the story of St. Patrick. In the end, six years of extreme hardship, living in the elements as a slave and a shepherd set the direction for the rest of his life.
   
At the age of 16, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and taken from his home in Britain to be a slave in Ireland, looking after animals for six years until he escaped and returned to his family.
   
Patrick writes in the Confession that the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual development.  While in captivity, he worked as a shepherd and strengthened his relationship with God through prayer, eventually leading him to convert to Christianity. 
   
Patrick recounts that he had a vision a few years after returning home: I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them...As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people ...and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.
~Wikipedia, Saint Patrick
   
Often times, it is the difficulties in life that prove our character and help shape who are...a stronger, and possibly more focused, person than we were before the hard times came. Last week, we talked about the only two choices we have when faced with challenges in life: worry about it or work on it. We can be paralyzed by worry or work to persevere through hard times. Patrick could have given up during these hard times, but instead he worked to persevere, and his difficulties gave him direction for the rest of his life serving others.
   
Are you going through a difficult time in life right now? Don’t be paralyzed by worry...work to persevere through this time (which WILL pass). Let is prove your character, make you stronger and focus your direction in life. Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow and be encouraged by his life’s story!

Your service is appreciated,
Pastor Rob

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5

SERIES: Don't Worry, Be Happy (2 of 5)
Worry About It or Work on It?

Since I live right next door to where I work, I get to go home for lunch, and most days I am able to watch an episode of my favorite sitcom from the early 90’s, Coach. On the front of this card is a picture from the show of assistant coach Luther Van Dam and his Basset Hound, Quincy. Quincy is in the wagon, being pulled by Luther, because he’s that lazy.
   
I thought about lazy Quincy as I was preparing a Sunday morning message on  worry. I was looking where Jesus said things like “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.” In the midst of this teaching, Jesus gave some instruction to his followers about what to do instead of  worry. What he said to do is not always easy and does not always change the situation, but it got me to thinking...worry is really the lazy person’s choice when confronted with a situation. Whether something bad has already happened or something could possibly happen, we have two choices: WORRY about it or WORK on it. 
   
Worrying about something paralyzes us...we do nothing and accomplish nothing. Depending on the situation, “working on it” might be preparing for what could happen or persevering after something did happen. Both options are stressful, but worrying makes us a victim and working on it gives us something to do. Preparing or persevering seems better than being paralyzed to me.
   
I’m praying for you this week when you’re first reaction is to be paralyzed by worry, that you see how you can work to prepare before or persevere after the situation instead. There is no getting around challenges in life, but being paralyzed by worry never makes them better. In the coming weeks, I also want to remind you that we don’t have to go through these things alone: we have faith, family and friends to help us as we work on life’s challenges.
   
Lastly, if you are curious what Jesus’ cure for worry was, you can read it yourself here: http://bit.ly/NoToWorry  He asked a great question, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” 
   
Praying you worry less this week than last,
Pastor Rob 

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

SERIES: Don't Worry, Be Happy (1 of 5)
Choose Joy

Who doesn’t feel good listening to that 80’s song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy? There’s a lot to be said for living a life free of worry...because saying is easier than doing! This month, I’m praying for you and about the things that worry you (feel free to let me know if there is anything specific I can pray for). I want to share some thoughts I hope will encourage you along the way, too.
   
Have you heard the phrase thrown around, “choose joy”?  The implication is that joy is a choice not dependent on our changing circumstances, but on a conscious decision. I ran across this story on a blog, lisalenoard.com :
   
The phrase ‘choose joy’ used to turn my stomach. So trite. So fake. Just choose joy—it’s easy, right? No, it’s not easy, but I believe it’s possible.
   
A few years ago Steve and I traveled to Thailand to visit friends and meet artisans. We joined our friends, and some of their friends for dinner one evening. One of the girls in the group had just celebrated her 15th birthday.
“Wow, fifteen” I thought. “She’s only been in a Thailand for a couple years. What’s it like to be an American girl at fifteen, living in Thailand?” So I asked her.
   
“It’s been really hard,” She answered honestly. “I didn’t want to move. I miss my friends back in the United States. I don’t know the language and I’ve felt lonely and sad. But last week was my birthday. So I decided to be happy and not worry about all the hard things. I decided to enjoy the day. It was great! I felt so free. I laughed and had fun. It was the first time I felt happy since we moved here. The next morning, I woke up and asked myself, ‘Why not be happy again today?’ So I did. Since then, I’ve been enjoying Thailand. It’s beautiful here. I’m making friends. I like it.”
~ See original blog post here
   
I’m a very pragmatic person. If it sounds good, that’s nice, but how do I make it work? I was impressed by the truth this 15-year-old discovered, “Why not be happy again today”. She started with a one day decision (manageable) and simply decided to repeat it . Join me...let’s choose joy today, and then repeat tomorrow!

Your service is appreciated,
Pastor Rob

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5