You’re Not Fainting, You’re Reaping

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Apr 4, 2022

Faint Not.

If you’re like me and the average human being, if the choice was yours you’d prefer to skip all of the pain, suffering, and frustrations that often come with reaping the good. “Umm… can we just skip to the good part?”

God’s process never works like that. I liberally use the absolute “never”, because the more I get to know the Lord, the more I understand His love for us. And, because He loves us so much, He would never do us harm by only allowing life to bring joy, happiness, and beds of ease.

If that were the case, when would we ever need God? When would our souls ever thirst for Him like the deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1)?

So, yeah. As we walk this life with God, there will be seasons where it feels like you’re going to faint under the pressure. And oddly enough, that’s actually a good sign. How?

That Fainting Feeling is a Sign.

Have you ever felt faint or actually fainted? It’s scary. There’s an awful sense of fear and panic due to the imminent loss of physical and emotional control.

Ever notice how that fainting feeling comes with distress – not the abundance of peace? When’s the last time you felt immense fear and panic when you were happy without a care in the world?

We often miss this perspective on fainting that the scripture is trying to teach us:

If reaping the good is guaranteed if we don’t faint, then that fainting feeling is a sign that reaping is coming!

Teammates, you’re not fainting – you’re reaping!

When Reaping Hurts, Read the Signs.

As painful as the feeling of fainting may be – wanting to give up and throw in the towel, whispers of doubt whether God will save you, feeling hopeless and fatigued because you’ve given your all and you’re now on ‘E’ – it’s actually a good sign. The feeling of fainting is:

A sign of God’s closeness.

If you’re feeling like you’re about to faint, you’re most likely walking through a trial, tribulation, or an extreme wilderness experience. With that being said, you have God’s utmost attention this very moment, even if it’s dark and you’re feeling around for God and can’t seem to find Him. God said in His Word that He is not only close to those who are brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), but He is a VERY present help in the time of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

A sign of learning and discovery.

If you’re feeling like you’re about to faint, class is in session! You have been chosen in this season to advance your knowledge of God. I like how T. D. Jakes puts it in his book, God’s Provision: There is something about going through dilemmas and crises that bring us to the place where we discover things about God which we would not have known under other circumstances. In this aspect, God is with you has your faithful teacher, gentle guide, and strong sustainer. He wants you to pass the test, and He won’t leave you, ever!

A sign of your fruitful inheritance.

If you’re feeling like you’re about to faint, it’s an indicator of unrealized blessings. You know that weight of panic you feel in your chest? No worries, that’s just the weight of the abundant inheritance that’s coming your way! Those feelings of doubt, fear, depression… they’re all a sign of your flesh warring against the very real truth that deliverance is coming, God’s best for you is en route, and unspeakable joy is on the way to overtake you! Trust God’s promises over what you feel.

So, What’s the Play Call?

There’s an inheritance dedicated just for you that you haven’t caught up with yet. Even though we can’t bite into the fruit the same day we plant the seed, there’s a process at work bringing the fruit to the table that we can’t see. God never promised the process won’t be painful, frustrating, or come with disappointments, but the promise is guaranteed! And though it has not yet fully manifested, it already exists – it’s real, it’s yours, and the enemy can’t stop it!

There’s only one condition we all must follow – don’t faint. Don’t die in the wilderness, teammates! Don’t give up before God gets to show off His amazing blessing for your life. It is not God’s intention to kill you in this season, but to kill the mindsets, perspectives, strongholds, and sin in our lives that keep us from living abundantly in His purpose.

Hang in there with God. It won’t always be like this – the good part is closer than you think!

Here’s a little encouragement for the journey…

The Bad Guys: New Action Animation in Theaters April 22nd

By

Editorial Staff

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Mar 24, 2022

The Bad Guys: Is There Any Fun Being Good?

Nobody has ever failed so hard at trying to be good as The Bad Guys.

In the new action comedy from DreamWorks Animation, based on the New York Times best-selling book series, a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws are about to attempt their most challenging con yet—becoming model citizens.

Never have there been five friends as infamous as The Bad Guys—dashing pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Academy Award® winner Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), seen-it-all safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron, GLOW), chill master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson, Hot Tub Time Machine franchise), short-fused “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) and sharp-tongued expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina, Crazy Rich Asians), aka “Webs.”

But when, after years of countless heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, the gang is finally caught, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal (that he has no intention of keeping) to save them all from prison: The Bad Guys will go good.

Under the tutelage of their mentor Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade, Paddington 2), an arrogant (but adorable!) guinea pig, The Bad Guys set out to fool the world that they’ve been transformed. Along the way, though, Mr. Wolf begins to suspect that doing good for real may give him what he’s always secretly longed for: acceptance. So when a new villain threatens the city, can Mr. Wolf persuade the rest of the gang to become … The Good Guys?

The film co-stars Zazie Beetz (Joker), Lilly Singh (Bad Moms) and Emmy winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).

Based on the blockbuster Scholastic book series by Aaron Blabey, The Bad Guys is directed by Pierre Perifel (animator, the Kung Fu Panda films), making his feature-directing debut. The film is produced by Damon Ross (development executive Trolls, The Boss Baby, co-producer Nacho Libre) and Rebecca Huntley (associate producer, The Boss Baby). The executive producers are Aaron Blabey, Etan Cohen and Patrick Hughes.

Film Info

Genre: Animated Action Comedy

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Lilly Singh and Alex Borstein

Based On: The Scholastic book series by Aaron Blabey

Director: Pierre Perifel

Producers: Damon Ross, Rebecca Huntley

Executive Producers: Aaron Blabey, Etan Cohen, Patrick Hughes

10 Biblical Words and Phrases I Wish Christians Had in English

By

Christianity Today

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Mar 10, 2022

You’ve probably read the articles about foreign-language words that don’t have an immediate counterpart in English. As a German, I immediately think of schadenfreude, that apparently untranslatable term for, well, schadenfreude—the guilty joy you feel in someone else’s misfortune. Kudos to you virtuous native English speakers for not having your own word for that smug feeling.

Other foreign words are also woven seamlessly into daily life, like the Swedish ombudsman, the Finnish sauna, or the Italian pizza. There are many others, of course, especially in a language like English that derived its uncommonly large dictionary from the treasure chests of many languages.

Then there are the words that haven’t made it into the English dictionary yet, though they’ve achieved notoriety as beautiful but untranslatable terms. (As a translator, I’ll add that “untranslatable” isn’t exactly true. It’s just that we don’t have a word-to-word equivalent.) This includes terms like Danish hygge, which alludes to a sense of cozy comfort in the company of others, or the Finnish sisu, the concept of hidden inner strength in times of adversity. These words enrich how we view the world and offer insights about their cultures of origin. (Again, I apologize for schadenfreude!)

What if we could similarly peel back linguistic barriers to see how other languages and cultures view God through the language they use? For almost five years I’ve been collecting and curating data about how languages around the world translate the Bible in different and often insightful ways. Here are a few examples of words I wish we had in English to understand and communicate with God more deeply:

1. Mär: pick one thing and one thing only (Teribe)

English has a richer vocabulary than most when it comes to translating the Greek word pistis as both “faith” and “belief.” But these words’ power as a testimony of faith are weakened by their non-Christian usages in English (“I believe that it’s going to rain tomorrow” or “I have faith in you, young man!”). I wish we could introduce a powerful term for faith like “mär,” used in Teribe, an indigenous language spoken in Panama. It means “pick one thing and one thing only.” That’s radical Christian faith.

…

The Middle of the Storm is not Your Final Destination

By

Alecia M. White

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Mar 10, 2022

One weekend, we traveled to my brother’s house and planned to leave on Sunday. It started snowing on Saturday evening and continued through Sunday. My brother had to travel home from South Bend with almost zero visibility due to the snow. He told us, though, that once we got through Berrien Springs, we should be good.

Now, you may not know where any of these places are, but stick with me. My sister and I pulled off (we drove separate vehicles) and headed out into the snow. Once we got to our on ramp, my sister called as we turned and asked if I thought we could make it or if I thought we should head back. All I could think was to keep going to see if what my brother said was still true — if we’d be in the clear if we made it beyond Berrien Springs.

The speed limit was 70, but we had to go about 35 and drive with our hazard lights flashing, as did everyone else on the road. Every once in a while, we’d see a pickup truck speed past, but everyone else kept the pace. The further we got, the worse it got, but we hadn’t yet made it to the point where we were to expect it to get better. My brother called me and asked if we were going to turn around and I let him know that we should probably get past Berrien Springs, you know, where he said it would clear up.

To our surprise and delight, once we got right past the Berrien Springs area, it was as if no snow had fallen that day. The sun was shining and the wind was still, just as he said.

The Middle of the Storm is not the End

Point of the day, don’t give up in the middle of the storm. Sometimes it can be so tempting to give up because of what we see around us. Honestly, it seemed easier for us to just turn around and stay over at my brother’s until it cleared up. But, I was determined to get to where the promised clearance was.

This is how God wants us to be. You see, although He may not reveal it to us, God has an exact time and location for our deliverance. The key is to keep going until you get there. Turn on those “hazard lights” and keep driving. As you know, when you drive with your hazards on, you have the go ahead to drive a little slower than usual. There may even be times when people pass you by, because you are getting to your destination cautiously. Whatever you have to do, don’t stop!

So, What’s the Play Call?

I know it gets difficult to see your way when you are weathering a storm, but please remember that God will give you the visibility that you need in order to arrive on time. Here are a few things to recall when you are caught in a “white out”:

God is protecting you. The surroundings of my vehicle protected me from the elements. My windshield wipers helped me keep the snow from blocking my view through my windshield. Just like that (even more, of course), God is protecting us from the elements of this life as we make it through storms. “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul.” Psalms 121:7
Keep your eyes peeled. As you can imagine, I had to be extra alert because I couldn’t really see as well as I was used to. There were moments when I felt like my eyes were drying out because I had them open so wide. This was a time when only watching the road wouldn’t do. I had to pay attention to the lights in front and behind me, and those cars trying to speed around me. Well, we don’t have to do all that looking and searching. Looking to Jesus alone will do. He will be our guide when our vision is impaired. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
The sun will shine again. Whew, let me tell you… I didn’t think I’d see sunshine that day, but I did. Right where and when I was meant to see it. All the snow that we’d endured did not make me regret getting to the point of relief. The harder things get, the more you must remember the Sonshine. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” 2 Corinthians 4:17

So, no matter how long you have been driving in this current storm, please keep driving. Your deliverance is set, you just need to get there. God’s got you. Make it to “Berrien Springs”.

Ketanji Brown Jackson Thanks God for Supreme Court Nomination

By

Christianity Today

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Feb 26, 2022

President Biden’s pick would be the first Black female justice.

Immediately after President Joe Biden introduced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the US Supreme Court at a White House event on Friday, the federal appeals court judge stepped up to the podium and appealed to the divine.

“I must begin these very brief remarks by thanking God for delivering me to this point in my professional journey,” she said. “My life has been blessed beyond measure, and I do know that one can only come this far by faith.”

Jackson’s words marked the beginning of what promises to be a historic confirmation process: If approved by the US Senate, Jackson, 51, who currently serves on the D.C. Court of Appeals, would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

“If I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded, will inspire future generations of Americans,” she said.

Biden noted the landmark nature of Jackson’s nomination during his introduction, making good on a campaign promise to push for a Black woman on the country’s highest court.

“For too long, our government, our courts, haven’t looked like America,” he said. “I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications. And that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level.”

While outlining Jackson’s professional credentials and …

A Journal for Jordan: Available on Digital Now, on Blu-ray March 8th

By

Editorial Staff

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Feb 22, 2022

A Journal for Jordan: Words of Love and the Importance of Family

Directed by Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan with a screenplay by Virgil Williams, A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN is based on the true story of First Sergeant Charles Monroe King (Jordan), a soldier deployed to Iraq who begins to keep a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Back at home, senior New York Times editor Dana Canedy (Chanté Adams) revisits the story of her unlikely, life-altering relationship with King and his enduring devotion to her and their child. A sweeping account of a once-in-a-lifetime love, the film is a powerful reminder of the importance of family.

Cast and Crew

Directed By: Denzel Washington
Written By: Virgil Williams
Based on the Book By: Dana Canedy
Produced By: Todd Black, Denzel Washington, Michael B. Jordan, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch
Executive Producers: Molly Allen, David Bloomfield, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth, Richard McConnell
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Chanté Adams

Run Time: Approx. 131 mins.

Rating: PG-13 for some sexual content, partial nudity, drug use, and language

Twitter: @AJournal4Jordan

Instagram: @AJournalForJordan

Facebook: facebook.com/AJournalForJordan

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sonypictures

I Love You, But I Don’t Like You: When Liking Your Teammate is Hard

By

Kristina Bolton

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Feb 14, 2022

I can’t deal with that one.
He just rubs me the wrong way.
She gets on my nerves.
I can’t vibe with them.

Have you ever said these words about a teammate? I know I have.

Before we get carried away, this is not about the gift of discernment or vexation of spirits. I am aware of those things. But, this is about a person who lives for the Lord, but your personality and their personality clash. Why?

We are created differently, on purpose.

I believe my understanding of this topic increased when I became a mother. I am a mother of five beautiful, yet different children. While I carried them all in my womb for nine months, I waited like everyone else to see the Lord’s handiwork. Their makeup was in the hands of The Almighty, and I had no say so in the matter. They have the same mother and father, same belief system, but it is the design of God that each person has something that differentiates them other than their DNA – and that is their personality.

Now, understand the difference between personality and character: the personality is given, the character is developed.

A simple definition of personality is identity. Character is defined as the mental and moral qualities of a person.

One thing I learned long ago from my pastor was that God does not want to change our personality. He wants to change our character.

Love is an action.

Love is a term used around the world. But, as believers, we must define love according to the Word of God. The Apostle John said it best, “love not in word, but in action” (1 John 3:18). Love has always been an action, never a feeling. If it were a feeling, why would God ask us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44)? God is not oblivious to the fact that when someone has wronged you, it is human nature to feel it. However, loving your enemies is not about disregarding your feelings – it is about not acting upon them.

God has commanded everyone to love. When you read 1 Corinthians 13, you find all the things that love is – not how love feels. Because love is an action, even though you may find yourself having a personality clash with another follower of Christ, we are still required to love them.

Speak the truth in love.

You may think, “how can I love someone, and I don’t like them?” I used to think the same. Before I was born again, I thought it was a disservice to my heart and society if I suppressed my feelings. So, if I didn’t like you, I would tell you. There would be no questions in your mind regarding how I felt about you. I had no regard. I was blunt and carefree. People said I was mean, and the truth is, I was. It wasn’t godly, but in my eyes, it was right. We can do things as people that may feel right to us but are not pleasing to the Lord. For some they are unaware, others are just rebellious.

When I accepted Christ and learned of Him, I found that this was wrong. It was hard for me to understand that this wasn’t right in the eyes of God. I felt like I was telling the truth to people. What was wrong with being honest? But Paul said while all things are allowable not all things were beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23).

I had to learn that the heart had issues of its own (Jeremiah 17:9). It takes God to do substantial work from the inside to show us ourselves and how we really look through the mirror of the Word. Sin is corrected, and if a person’s personality is not sinful then it’s a personal preference. God is not concerned about our personal preference if it will cause us to disobey His Word.

We are family.

Those who do the will of the Father are family (Matthew 12:50). One thing we cannot choose is our family. I have said this for a long time. People cannot select their family naturally or spiritually. We cannot tell God who to save and engraft as His children. This is no different than you or I not being able to choose our parents.

It is a sin to have the respect of persons (James 2:9), so we cannot have selective love. We have to love equally. We are an imperfect people made by the hands of a perfect God. However, what you view as a personality flaw (because of your own preferences) is not necessarily a character flaw. There are flaws in us all – we are commanded through the Word to love despite our differences.

So how does all of this tie in together?

God began to tell me that many teammates are loving based on personality. The body of Christ is making spiritual selections based on personality (which is natural). They promote and support who they like, not those who do the will of the Father.

Many teammates choose whether to receive the Gospel based on the personality of the one delivering the message. They have decided that the Gospel is “truth” only if it appeals to them. But, we cannot reject truth because we don’t like the delivery package. God chooses His vessels, not man. God will hold us all accountable to the commandment to love, even if we did not like the person.

SO, WHAT’S THE PLAY CALL?

Teammates, I wish it were possible to tell you that we will all harmoniously flow. The truth is – we won’t. Our personality may flow better with some than others. My personality may bother someone, and their personality, someone else. But we have not been commanded to like one another; we have been commanded to love one another (John 15:12). We have even been instructed to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). If we can make exceptions for our natural families by overlooking all their flaws, why can’t we do the same for the household of faith?

I’m not telling you to be “buddy-buddy” with everyone. We are all sisters and brothers, but not all of us are friends (I’ll save that article for a later date). Abraham, our patriarch of faith, understood love in the midst of disagreement. In Genesis 13, we find that Abraham and Lot, who were family, had to separate following a dispute within their camps. While they went their separate ways, the very next chapter (Genesis 14), Abraham, in his love for Lot rescues him when he is captured (Genesis 14:16). Love will cause you to put aside the differences whether they be offenses or personality and seek the best possible outcome.

All acts of love do not call for physical involvement or proximity. At times the only love you will be able to perform is spiritually by praying. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was able to set aside the crimes of the very people that persecuted Him and pray to the Father for their forgiveness (Luke 23:24) — proving even the more that love is not based on feelings. It did not feel great for our Savior to be crucified for a world that would betray Him, but He did it anyway. So, why can’t we do what He has instructed and love as He loves?

My teammate, I share this with you to encourage and mature you in God. Today, I am a different person because of the transformation of God. I’m still blunt and straightforward, but now in the love of God. The Lord allowed me to keep my personality but shaped my character to be pleasing to Him.

Is it a struggle to love those who you don’t like? Indeed. I will be the first to shout this out. But what gives me the strength to love and pray for those who I do not necessarily flow with is understanding the love that was shown to me by God. Because He did it for me, I can do it for Him.

I pray this helps someone.

Be blessed.

When You’re the Strong Friend, But You Need a Strong Cry

By

Alecia M. White

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Feb 1, 2022

Dear Strong Friend

In life, there are always many opportunities for us to put into play and practice what we’ve once or twelve times preached to others. You know… that ever so helpful advice that we pass out for free, but never take the time to follow. I’ve had these experiences before, but this time more than ever, I have had to practice what I’ve preached. This time, I really haven’t had the choice to do otherwise.

See, ten days before Thanksgiving, my daddy passed away. Any parental loss… loss period, hurts and I’m a daddy’s girl.

It shattered me.

His passing was also nine days before my birthday and I just wanted to cancel the entire day (I know, it sounds like a kindergarten request) because it was the first without him.

It became necessary for me to sit back and rest my own mind; it’d been going nonstop. I have had to be honest with myself and others about how I’m “really” doing… something I rarely ever do. It is a terribly strong habit of mine to say that I’m doing okay; an auto-response, I guess. I have had to allow others to carry the weight that I once bore so easily. Things that came so naturally, I’m now learning to take my time and ask for backup when I feel like I just can’t.

Take time to grieve.

It’s what they keep telling me, and I have needed to hear it because I didn’t really know what that meant. I’d gotten so used to rushing my way through tough times by working harder and focusing on tasks, but that wasn’t cutting it for me this time. There will come a time in your life, if there hasn’t already, when you must be okay with taking your own, sound advice. This has always been the hardest for me because I have grown accustomed to being the general “go to” strong friend for everyone else. Now, I have had to “go to” those that I trust. The same goes for you – let those who you trust help you.

So, What’s the Play Call?

It’s tough being the “strong friend”, and not necessarily for the obvious reasons that others may think. Sometimes, it’s tough because you simply don’t know how to handle help when you are the one in need. I had to learn to fully accept that most people don’t check on the strong friend, and I’m good with that. What I had not learned is how to allow myself to be the friend that needed support, hugs, texts, and phone calls. Here are a few things to keep in mind when your pain causes the tables to turn:

It’s okay not to be okay. One of my amazing friends continues to remind me of this because I always expect myself to be “alright” and “okay” for everyone else’s sake. This time, think of your well-being and be okay with not being okay. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1
Be honest about your pain. It is important that you be honest with them and with you. The easiest response will always be “I’m doing alright” or “I’m good”, but I have challenged myself to, in a way, let others know that I am not alright. Often, not admitting that we’re hurting causes us to take on loads that we aren’t quite capable of handling. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
Let them help you! My mom always tells me that I can block other’s blessings by not allowing them to help me when they feel led to. And no, it’s not as easy as it sounds, but it’s necessary. I have had to make myself accept gifts, extra hugs, and offers to be there for me… because I need them. I have received journals, flowers, and cards that are currently helping me cope because I see and feel the love behind them. I hate to break it to you my dear, but you can’t always be the “strong one”. “We then that are strong are to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Romans 15:1
It’s alright to cry. Some folks will tell you (especially for men) that crying is a sign of weakness. Not true! I’ve seen my daddy cry, and if he did it, then it’s acceptable (laugh a little). Anyhoo… I would like to think, in cases such as these, that crying is my body extracting part of what is hurting me. Whether it be fear, anxiety, sadness, the list goes on. Stop holding it in and let God heal you. “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Psalms 34:17
One moment at a time. Sometimes, that “one day at a time” theory is a stretch and you can’t seem to think that far ahead. Don’t beat yourself up because your doses are minimal right now. As I am constantly reminded, “do what you can”. And right now, more than a moment’s worth is too much. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34 (NLT)

Healing is a process. I am praying that you do not choose to skip any steps, for they are all necessary.

More Americans Want Religious Funerals as COVID-19 Death Tolls Rise

By

Christianity Today

-

Jan 13, 2022

The trend toward secular memorials reverses for the first time in a decade.

Death abounded in America in 2020 and 2021. According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 570,000 more people died in 2020 than in 2019, with about 350,000 of those attributable to COVID-19. Another 350,000 people died from the coronavirus by the fall of 2021, bringing the death total to 700,000—and counting.

When roughly that number died over the four years of the Civil War, it had a widespread impact on American culture. Historians such as Drew Gilpin Faust, author of This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, say changes included increased attention to cemeteries, the rise in the importance of family photographs, and rapid growth in the popularity of practices of spiritualism, a new religious movement that claimed to help people communicate with the dead.

What impact today’s pandemic deaths will have on American culture remains to be seen. But one shift is notable now: The percentage of people age 40 and older who say that religion is “very important” in the funeral of a loved one has gone up for the first time in a decade.

The importance of religion at funerals jumped 10 percentage points in 2020, in an annual funeral industry study. It went up another 2 points in 2021.

The majority of Americans still don’t think religion is important at funerals, but a growing number are feeling a new need for it. Sarah Jones, an atheist raised in a strict evangelical home, wrote about this experience in New York Magazine, reflecting on the lack of a memorial for her grandfather.

“I could plant a flag for my grandfather … but the gesture feels thin,” she wrote. “I don’t know what exactly I would want from a memorial—whether …

Think On These Things: 3 Ways to Know When to Purge Old Memories

By

Kim Brightness

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Jan 13, 2022

I Remember When…

My mom is the Queen of manilla folders, color-coded labels, and file cabinets fully organized from front to back, top to bottom. She finds beauty in the flow of organized tabs, all at clearly defined heights and patterns, so her fingers can easily walk from A-Z whenever she searches for something.

Ask my Mama for anything – a receipt, a bill, letter, or notes – be it from last week or 3+ years ago – and lickety-split! She’d produce the artifact in record time and in pristine condition. See, it’s one thing to have an old receipt, but another to still be able to read the receipt details – dates, items purchased, and time bought LOL!

This, Team, is organized archiving at its best.

Does Your Archive Need a Good Purge?

Are we giving Queen Archive herself a run for the money – by the way WE file, organize, and protect OLD memories, events, grudges, conversations, “what they did”, “what I used to do”?

Allow me to explain.

Some of our internal file systems would put Mama’s system to shame. We can tell someone the date, time, AND the weather of the day they offended us. We have painstakingly filed, labeled, and color-coded events in our lives, and at any moment, re-play the entire situation as if it were happening at that very second. We feel and re-live the agony, disappointment, pain, or frustration we’ve protected in our mental archives for weeks, months, and years.

Team, it’s time to stop archiving – and start PURGING!

Think on These Things: How to Know What and When to Purge Old Memories

Does every memory, event, conversation, or situation deserve to be archived in your heart and mind? Of course not.

Ask yourself these 3 questions about your artifacts from the past:

**1. Does this artifact make me feel joy, happiness, or wholeness?**

If the thought causes you discomfort and pain, it needs to go. If you lose time, energy, or any ounce of peace, that thought is doing more harm than good. Keeping harmful memories bottled up is like having your own personal torture chamber – with YOU as the warden. Purge it!

**2. What good has this past artifact brought to my life?**

You’ve put in some tremendous time and energy remembering, referencing, looking back at that thought, memory, or situation. What has been your return on investment (ROI)? Was there any benefit to being able to pull it out of the archive for reference? If it has not been useful or produced any good results – Purge it!

3. What do you lose, how would you suffer by getting rid of it?

If you woke up tomorrow, and could never find this piece of the past – what would you lose? How would you suffer? Think about it… it’s gone, irretrievable. Are you honestly better off? Then, PURGE IT!

Sidebar: Yes, the brain’s function is to remember, and we can’t “magically” erase neurons nor alter our hippocampus. But, we can address the response that our spirits, emotions, and health have when those thoughts and memories surface. As our healing matures, those memories will wane in importance and relevance – until they’re, in essence, purged.

So, What’s the Play Call?

A beautiful archive is a noble thing when the protected artifacts bring utility, goodness, joy, and truth (Philippians 4:8).

Take an honest look at your mental, emotional, and psychological archives. If you need to, seek professional help to guide the purge and re-organization process and clean out the clutter that’s been holding you down. Imagine what it feels like to free yourself from the time and energy it takes to “maintain pain” and shift your focus to living in joyful abundance.

Know that sometimes the best organized spaces are the ones that are stripped and emptied – ready for a fresh, clean start.

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1. Does this artifact make me feel joy, happiness, or wholeness?

2. What good has this past artifact brought to my life?

3. What do you lose, how would you suffer by getting rid of it?

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**1. Does this artifact make me feel joy, happiness, or wholeness?**

**2. What good has this past artifact brought to my life?**

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