Connie Greenwood
Encouragement for the long haul! Join me in articles and news about staying the course.
Sabbatical
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Hello, everyone! I had surgery on my right hand on June 27th. I have a splint halfway up my arm; therefore I'm typing with one finger on my left hand. Sooo, no newsletter for a couple of weeks. Praising God for a great doctor, for my sweet husband Gene taking care of me, and for the prayers of friends and family. I look forward to sharing what I'm learning through this experience. May God bless you as you fix your eyes on Jesus and rejoice in our...
Forgiveness
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Issue #16 Forgiveness “The difference between holding on to a hurt or releasing it with forgiveness is like the difference between laying your head down at night on a pillow filled with thorns or a pillow filled with rose petals.” Loren Fischer,More Stories for the Heart. Compiled by Alice Gray, Multnomah Publishers, Inc. 1997, p. 102. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 I...
Nuggets From "Waiting on God" Conference
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Issue #15 Nuggets From "Waiting on God" Conference I returned last night from an inspiring and deep-thinking conference taught by Dr. Wayne Stiles, author of the book, Waiting on God1. The book is based on the life of Joseph and showcases how God uses pain, trials, and hardships in life for His purposes. Joseph spent much time waiting on God after he had been sold into slavery in Egypt. God had incredible plans for Joseph’s life. But first he...
Running Our Race
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Issue #14 Running Our Race Running Our Race Prior to the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania was just another marathon runner. An Olympic caliber runner, yes. He had won marathons in Africa, running with times under 2 ½ hours. He easily qualified for the Olympics. But in Mexico City, Akhwari encountered an obstacle he had never faced before: the altitude, which caused his legs to cramp severely. Still, he kept running....
The Already and Not Yet
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Issue #13 The Already and Not Yet Read story As a student at Dallas Theological Seminary, I kept hearing that we live between “the already and not yet.” I had been a Christian for 20 plus years but was not familiar with this idea. As I came to understand this phrase, I learned the value of living with an eternal perspective. The “already” refers to Christ’s work on the cross. He defeated Satan and triumphed over the powers and darkness of this...
Memorial Day
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Issue #12 Issue #12 Memorial Day What or who do you think about this Memorial Day? I think about the men and women who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor on May 7, 1941. My dad served in the Navy and was sent to Pearl Harbor after the attack. Thankfully, he made it home safely after the war. Watching movies about Pearl Harbor brings back the horror of that surprise attack as men and women scrambled to find safe shelter. We hear the phrase “ultimate...
Issue #11 - Abiding in Christ
What does it mean to abide in Christ? In John 15:15 Jesus told His disciples: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing”. I love God’s creation, especially beautiful flowers. We have lots of potted plants along the entryway to our home. Because I don’t possess a green thumb, I’m grateful when flowers bloom. My flowering plants are a visual lesson of abiding in Christ. I know when I water them and feed...
Issue #10 - When Problems Overwhelm You
Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California, said that for many young people, claiming an anxiety crisis or post-traumatic stress disorder has become like a status symbol. Saxbe said, “I worry that for some people, it’s become an identity marker that makes people feel special and unique. That’s a big problem because this modern idea that anxiety is an identity gives people a fixed mindset, telling them this is who they are and will be in the future.” (from...
Count Your Blessings
We often take for granted the many blessings that God bestows on us daily. Remember this old song: When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your many blessings, see what God has done. This sounds easy but...
Learning to Live with Imperfections
Worth It All! Encouragement for the Long Haul Issue #9 Learning to Live with Imperfection In his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, Richard Carlson wrote the following: The need for perfection and the desire for inner tranquility conflict with each other. Rather than being content and grateful for what we have, we are focused on what’s wrong with something and our need to fix it. I admit to being a recovering perfectionist which diminishes peace and joy in life. God has had to take drastic...
Encouragement for the long haul! Join me in articles and news about staying the course.