There are just some weeks where you feel like you are being bombarded by events outside of our control. Often times we can control our surroundings but sometimes we can’t. Maybe it is wacky weather, or a family matter, or a job layoff or just some serious prayer requests that are weighing heavy on your shoulders, or maybe it is as my friend Skeet Savage describes, "the pull of this world’s unholy gravity."

Here are some tips and reminders of ways to stay focused and keep your smile during weeks where it seems near impossible.

• prayer, start you day with it everyday, and you will be prepared for those tough times
• worship, when you focus on God’s goodness rather than needs
• exercise, can do wonders
• sun and fresh air, it is amazing what a walk outside can do
• serve others, fastest way to be blessed yourself
• eat good, healthy food makes you feel your best, avoid junk
• drink plenty of water, it is easy to forget but helps relieve stress
• vitamins, some vitamins are destroyed by stress, be sure you are taking what you need
• plenty of rest, tired = grouchy
• stepping back, sometimes you need a little distance from a situation, tragedy in the world? turn off the TV
• see what God’s word says about it, when you look at a situation through his perspective things often look a lot more bearable

love to y’all

While the world and many who claim to be the Body off Christ are "playing evil" this weekend the real thing is happening. There really is no such thing as playing anyway.

If you are celebrating Halloween you are right there at the party with satan himself. It doesn’t matter if you see it as real, he knows it is.

While folks are donning costumes and carving pumpkins and supposedly having fun, children that have been born for the purpose of sacrifice are being killed. Blood will be spilt and it isn’t fake blood.

While folks are having fun, the partying will go a bit far and some will drink too much, all in the name of fun of course, and innocent lives will be taken, run over by someone who had a bit too much fun.

While you are trick or treating you will deny Jesus, because that still small voice despises evil, and He will tell you so but you will make an excuse not to listen.

And while you are having all this innocent fun the Kingdom of Darkness is being advanced, and you are helping it. Cheers to Satan the world says. And most of what is supposed to be the church lifts it’s glass too.

Then Monday comes and they get back to the prayer chain praying for the unborn, and the sick and the needy. There is a word for that, hypocritical.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."   ~  Joshua 24:15

I tell the truth because I love you.