Protect Your Sanity!

When I was a little girl, my mother went shopping and shortly after her shopping spree, a huge furniture truck backed up into our driveway and delivered the most beautiful China Cabinet I thought I would ever see. But what went inside that piece of furniture was even more beautiful and more precious. When my mother placed her expensive set of precious China in her new China Cabinet, she made it very clear to me and my siblings that we were not to open the doors of that Cabinet.

Precious China is just one of those things we sometimes place under the umbrella of our protection. In fact, it’s a woman’s nature to nurture and protect. But, my challenge to you today is, instead of focusing on protecting your fine China, your pet, your family, or your career, take time and focus on protecting your sanity. It’s more precious than fine China.

Ways to protect your sanity.

1. Guard Your Heart
“Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).Protecting your sanity means protecting your heart, your mind, the place from which your life is created. To guard your heart is to be selective about what you allow to enter and linger in your heart. Manage anger. Learn to forgive. Know when to take a stand, and when to stand down. And by all means, know that it’s ok to say no when you’re asked to do something and your plate is already full!

2. Make Time For Yourself
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Protecting your sanity means making time to nurture your mind, body and spirit.

It’s early Friday morning, and I’m about to pack up my things, leave my beautiful, plush hotel room here in Downtown Dallas, and head back home to Houston to my husband and family. This was a getaway trip both me and my husband agreed I needed!!

Protecting your sanity can certainly mean getting away from it all. Plan a day at the spa. Or, better yet, plan a day to do nothing! Whatever works for you, by all means, just do it! Make time for yourself.

3. Feed the Spirit
"And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word” (Luke 10:39). If you’re not regularly sitting at the feet of Jesus, you’re not doing too good of a job of protecting your sanity. It’s a requirement. Spend time studying God’s word, meditating on the Scriptures and communicating with God through prayer.

When you make an effort to protect your sanity, the Holy Spirit will join in and cover you with His protection, helping you recognize and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, sane, spirit-filled mind!

Tune in Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. to Houston’s 100.7 FM, or listen online at kkht.com, and hear the full lesson on “Protect Your Sanity!”

Putting Your Life Back Together

If you've ever dropped a plate, cup or saucer, you know picking up the broken pieces can be a challenge. In fact, good luck trying to find all the pieces!

Life is sometimes like a broken cup or saucer. We all can become broken and faced with the task of putting the pieces of our lives back together. Brokenness comes in many forms, and no matter how strong you may think you are, there's a situation or circumstance that can cause brokenness in your life. "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

HOW TO PUT THE PIECES OF YOUR LIFE BACK TOGETHER

GET SOMEONE TO HELP YOU
"Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor" (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

I recently dropped my crockpot and it broke into pieces. My husband helped me pick up the pieces. He made sure no pieces were left behind. Not only could the broken pieces cause injuries to me, but he knew if he didn't help me, he could be the one to step on that one piece of broken glass that I may not have gathered.

When you're putting back together the pieces of your life, find a trusted friend who can help. Someone who can activate the power of God's Holy Spirit. Someone who can take you to the throne of God and petition Him in prayer on your behalf.

DON'T KEEP LOOKING BACK AT THE PAST
"...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Philippians 3:13).

It didn't take long to get over my broken crockpot. In fact, I went right out and purchased a new one. I didn't dwell on the fact that I'd lost something I'd had for years. Something that had served up many meals for me and my family. It was gone and dwelling on it wouldn't bring it back.

When you make the decision to move on and put the pieces of your life back together, don't focus on the past. Focusing on the past makes it difficult to see all God has in store for you. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

If you made mistakes in the past, just make sure you learned something from your mistakes. When you learn from your mistakes, this keeps you from making the same mistakes over and over. Forgive yourself, forgive others and focus on the task of picking up the pieces of your life and putting it back together.

You can live again!

Tune in Sunday to the radio broadcast and get the full lesson on "Putting Your Life Back Together."