Mary Harwell Sayler's Blog: In a Christian Writer's Life, page 9

Bible Reviewer: God’s promises in God’s Word reveal God’s will

Bible Reviewer: God’s promises in God’s Word reveal God’s will: 

Claiming God’s promises and praying in agreement with God's vows to us ensures that we’re praying in God’s will.

Corona goes viral! What to do.

If you’ve been hearing about the Corona Virus, you’ve been bombarded with precautions such as: Stay home. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 second every time you have been out. Sit and stand several feet away from other people. Avoid hugs and hand-shakes. Cough into a tissue – things I hope you’ve already been doing anytime anything is “going around.”
We who love God also count on the Lord to protect us, and certainly, our faith will overcome fear. But that doesn’t mean faith wipes out good sense! On the contrary, believers in God do well to investigate what our Creator has placed in nature that will boost health now - physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Physically
Vitamin C in reasonable amounts will help to protect your immune system. However, too much can send you running to the bathroom where, oh no! You might not have toilet paper! (Hmm. For that, God made big leaves, right?)
Echinacea is a natural herb with antiviral properties. Its “dirty sock” smell and earthy flavor keep us from downing it like candy, which means it’s not to be taken like a bag of potato chips or chocolate squares. The trouble is, this herb works in the mouth, not the stomach, so instead of swallowing an Echinacea capsule, open it and dump the contents into a honey-sweetened cup of tea.
Low humidity dries out body cells, making mucous membranes less able to filter out dust, pollen, and germs. Besides drinking lots and lots of clean water, use a humidifier. Or put water on the stove to boil, then add a few drops of cinnamon oil or eucalyptus or peppermint.
Find something to laugh about – the more belly involved the better. Listen to soothing music. Sing. Dance around to get your blood and those happy endorphins circling.
Mentally
Focusing on fear gives whatever we’re afraid of power over us as fear becomes the focal point of our lives. We can’t always control our feelings, but we can change the subject of our thoughts.
Instead of panic, choose faith over fear. (Yep, it’s a decision! Do we trust God or not?)
Read Psalms, Bible prayers, and poetry to stimulate faith.
Journal. Paint a picture. Color with crayons.
Relax. Watch the sun set. Get ample rest.
Spiritually
Constant worry puts the body into a fight or flight mode. Every time you start to worry about something, pray about it instead.
Look up “faith” in a Bible concordance. Find verses that speak to you and claim them for your own. (For me, for instance, it’s Romans 8:28 and John 3:17.)
Pray the Lord’s Prayer aka Our Father as though it were an outline for praying. As you say each phrase, let God bring to mind the people or situations for whom you’re to pray. For example, “Give ___ today the bread needed to feed their family.” Or, “Lead us not into the temptation to give in to our fears.” Or, “Deliver us, Lord, from the evil of faithlessness, greed, and hardened hearts.”
Count your blessings. Thank God for each gift. Praise God as The One to Trust – The One Who Wills to work for your good, no matter how scary things seem.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2020.
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Bible Prayers: Moses prayed for family healing

Bible Prayers: Moses prayed for family healing: This new post is timeless - relevant today.

Bible Reviewer: ESV Seek and Find Bible

Bible Reviewer: ESV Seek and Find Bible:


The ESV Seek and Find Bible , which Crossway kindly sent me to review, is intended for children in early school grades, but you might like it too! I do!

Bible Prayers: Priestly Prayer for God’s People

Bible Prayers: Priestly Prayer for God’s People:


In pandemic times - or anytime, Who do we trust?

Bible Prayers: Moses intercedes for God’s people

Bible Prayers: Moses intercedes for God’s people: 

Men and women of God can still intercede for others.
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Poetry Editor: Gathering poems for a collection

Poetry Editor: Gathering poems for a collection:  


Gathering poems for a collection begins with establishing guidelines on what to include and how as this post shows.

Happily Ever After Fifty Years

Marital advice and tips on staying together seem to be almost everywhere. If, however, you’re a married couple in Christ, you might want something more than a worldly view.
I might be able to offer that, but I’ve been reluctant to discuss marriage for a couple of reasons:
        My husband and I married young. I was still a teenager, and his parents had to sign for him. (FYI: our bio child was born twelve years later!)         We didn't really know each other. i.e., We met in early February and married mid-May.

To be very clear: I do not recommend that pattern! Nevertheless, by the grace of God, we have been married to each other for fifty-plus years.
What’s the secret? Having no secrets sounds like sound advice. However, too many variables keep it from being a solid tip, applicable to all.
The most reliable guidance can be found in God’s Word for only God truly knows what we need! For example:
Have a godly attitude. Accept your equality in Christ.
“Submit yourselves to one another. Husbands, LOVE your wives. Wives, RESPECT your husbands,” Ephesians 5:21, 33.
“Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be harsh with them,” Colossians 3:19.
“Husbands, be considerate of your wives. Treat her with understanding. She might not be as strong as you, but you are fellow heirs of the grace of life. This way your prayers will not be hindered,” 1 Peter 3:7.
Remain true to each other.
“Marriage must be honored by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to one another,“Hebrews 13:4.
Have each other’s back! Be supportive of one another.
“Encourage one another. Build each other up,” 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Call on the Lord. Ask for God’s help – especially during or after an argument!
Jesus promised, “Whenever two or more gather in My Name, I Am there with them,” Matthew 18:20.
Remember: Praying together is the most intimate thing you can do.
“And, this I pray: That your love keeps growing in true knowledge, discernment, and insight, so you can discern and decide what is best,” Philippians 1:9-10.

Mary Sayler, ©2020, Christian poet-writer, forever wife, and author of What the Bible Says About Love
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Bible Prayers: The prayer-song of Miriam

Bible Prayers: The prayer-song of Miriam: In this Bible prayer, Moses’ sister Miriam not only praises God for freeing the Hebrews from slavery, she encourages the people to do the same.

Bible Reviewer: My all-time favorite Bible

Bible Reviewer: My all-time favorite Bible is now updated in this 5th edition on sale right now at half price - The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) in a leather cover made to last!