Depression Must Bow!

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Ruessell, reminds us that depression is a state of fear. This time of year, depression is quite prevalent. I encourage you, if you are depressed, seek the Lord, and seek outside help. Whenever I read this message, I think of my own battle with depression. Jesus never let me down. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for His love during that time. Depression must bow to the Lord; and in His Name, we have authority over it! I love this song so much! I hope it blesses you as much as it does me! Thank you, Josh Groban, for such a beautiful rendition!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

It Counts As Victory To Him

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that each and every little victory is still counted as victory. Each one is just as important, and celebrated as all the others. Our Lord does not compare us to anyone; so, we shouldn’t either.

Jesus sees the loving and striving; not the imperfections. Every effort you make toward progress is a victory in itself. Did you know that? Yes! You might be trying to win a battle, and only get half of the stuff right, or only go a few steps before you’re stumped, or tired. You still made progress, didn’t you? Yes, you did! Never, ever discount any step forward-never!

There was a time, when I was fighting depression, that I celebrated the victory of having the bed made and the breakfast mess cleaned up in the morning. Boy, you should have heard the whoops and seen the war dance when we had three or four mornings in a row under our belt. Do you know what? The more celebrating I did, the easier it got to keep going. I also was somehow infused with a new energy, for some reason. LOL Was that you, Jesus? Yes, it was!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Rejoicing In Your Weaknesses

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2Cor. 12:9)

There was a time when I believed that was some mystical event that happened; that by some miracle, God would infuse me with supernatural strength. Over the years, I’ve learned just how much of a naturally occurring result of my accepting, or acknowledging that weakness-(truth), seeking the way to overcome it-(way), and rising up to walk in that way (life). Are you getting a picture of how simple it really is? Jesus said, “I am the truth, the life, and the way.” He is that in every situation.

Acceptance is the key to the whole thing. We all too often try to deny the weakness, or to fake our way through it. Notice the two words, “our way.” That’s what it is that gets us into trouble. If it’s your weakness, it’s obviously not the way to go, is it? Accepting the weakness empowers you to seek the way(s) to overcome it. This opens the door for God to work, and opens your mind and heart to receive insight, inspiration, and instruction. What went wrong, why, what’s your part in it, what can you do to fix it, or improve it, etc. These insights inspire ideas and creative energies. Then, the instruction(s) bring us up to the next level; to overcoming power, and to progress.

God is a creator, we are created in His image, after His likeness. Therefore, we are creators, and creative beings. We can resurrect, rebuild, restore, etc. That’s the power of God being perfected in us, in our weaknesses. This is why we are told to rejoice in our weakness; to see it as an incentive and an opportunity to rise to an even higher level. We aren’t to walk in denial, deception, depression, and all the other stuff that comes on you when you’re trying to fake your way through. Just be you; be the best you you can be. Accept yourself just as you are, and work from there. You can only work with what you’ve got; and, as they say, “God don’t make no junk!” Celebrate every step forward, every step upward, every step taken. God does; because He loves you!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

His Hand Is Not Shortened At Any Time

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we are always rescued and guided. We must cease the struggling, as it were, and let the Rescuer do His work.

“My hand is not shortened that it cannot save,” says the LORD. That truth is the rope we need to take hold of in the midst of the storm. That’s the rope we need to keep hold of all throughout the storm. Interestingly, the message tells us that not all storms and tempests are of life. “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (Psalm 40:2)

Those slimy pits represent some of the situations we get ourselves into. They send us slipping and sliding into disaster. The mud and miry clay represent the things that stick to our souls and, as clay does, harden around us. When I read that, I think of the facades, the airs we put on. One day you look in the mirror and don’t even recognize yourself anymore. You’ve spent so much time trying to be what everyone else will accept; their version of you. Am I right?

But God doesn’t just pull us out of the fire to let us burn. He sets our feet on solid ground and guides us from step to step; all the way. Let me tell you, I found out some time ago that truth is not one dimensional. First, there’s the truth of what the situation or circumstance is. Then there’s the truth of how you are in the situation; what’s going on inside. Finally, the truth that is the rope to take hold of; God will save you wherever you are. His hand is not shortened; He can reach you. Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us that, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Those three truths are all at play in any situation-good or bad. But it is the truth of God’s Word that will dispel anything negative in the other two truths. That truth will also empower anything positive, and magnify it to give you the victory.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Calm is Trust in Action

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that it is not our rushing into action that stops the storms. Rather, it is firmly and deliberately remaining calm that gets it done. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it this time too. I believe when Jesus said, “Peace, be still,” He was talking to the disciples just as much as He was to the storm. They were frantic and raising a clamor. There was total disquiet within and without.

“Master, don’t you care that we’re perishing?” Can you see the two statements their making in that question? First, “Jesus doesn’t care about us. Second, we’re going to die. Neither one of those was the truth. In fact, both were lies. The truths are that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God said, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you.” How then, could they align themselves with falsehoods, and panic like they did? “Oh, you of little faith…”

I believe that doubt and fear is that unclean spirit that’s always there, just waiting for the opportunity to jump on us. It’s the very same question that was posed to Eve in the Garden of Eden…”Did God really say?” We don’t think of it this way, but when we doubt God’s Word, we are doubting Jesus Christ, Himself. He is the Word of God. That’s why it’s so important for us to know the Word. “First be still and know that I am God,” says the message. That means when stuff is hitting the fan, I need to remind myself who God is and what He has to say. Then, do what He tells me to do. He says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; get wisdom. And with all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7) That means I also need to educate myself about the situation I’m facing. Knowledge is power. I actually was able to get this systemic inflammatory disorder to go into remission by applying the things I learned about diet and lifestyle modification. I learned those things through research; I educated myself about the condition. We can obtain that power in every situation. But we have to absolutely refuse to panic. The message tells us that calm is trust in action, and that only perfect trust can keep one calm. The only way to cultivate that perfect trust is to get to know your Savior. The better you know Jesus, the stronger your faith will be. Jesus would rather die Himself to save you, than have you die –even when you might deserve to.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Always Spirit; it is the Life Within

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we need to live from the inside out. There’s a statement in the message that reads: “Once you are born of the Spirit, that is your Life’s breath. You must never doubt, never worry, but step by step, the way to freedom must be trodden. See that you walk it with Me.” That’s what I want to address today.

When you’re dealing with a bondage of any kind, be it depression, addiction, negative emotion, or even confusion/indecision, etc., you must realize that these are spiritual in nature. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:4 that, ” the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;” I used the KJV translation because the word “carnal” is more accurate in this case than worldly. It points both to our physical being, and to worldly ways.

In the Spirit, there is now for us power and authority. That’s where it all starts. Jesus addressed unclean spirits coming in, and going out. (Matt. 12:14) That’s a heads up to the fact that the devil’s not going to give up on you just yet. We need to remain vigilant, and we need to be stubborn as oxen, or persevere. 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This is what Jesus means when He says, “see that you walk it with me.” That’s why He promised, “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you.” So, bring every thought into obedience to Jesus, means that we refute all the negative and doubtful stuff, all the stuff that tells us we’re weak, unworthy, and unable.

Once we realize that that craving for alcohol or drugs is an imagination (Satan likes to project things onto us), you can take authority over it in Jesus’ Name. Projecting is when someone projects their own flaw or faulty characteristic onto you. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. (Rev 12:10 -11) Verse eleven tells us just how we do take authority over that thing. Always in the Spirit is the victory. That’s why praise and worship is so powerful; the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. The Holy Spirit draws near to us when we praise Him. (Acts 13:12) Since it begins in the spirit, it must be your spirit that you deal with. (3 John 1:2) For me, that meant that when I felt that heavy weight that wanted to keep me in bed, or otherwise immobilized, I put on the praise music. I have actually prayed and asked Jesus to help me get up out of bed. I’ve also put the devil on notice at times, saying, “alright, if you insist on being here, stay, but I’m driving the stereo!” (In my partying days, my boyfriend would sometimes tell me to drive the stereo) But, do you see who’s got the authority and power in that statement? Yeah, my house, my rules!

The key is recognizing and acknowledging the truth about what’s going on inside you. If you can’t admit it, you can’t quit it, right? And there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus, so you don’t have to be ashamed or feel guilty for being human and having limits. (Romans 8:1) But, you can transcend that humanity, take on His divinity, and conquer that thing. You have authority over spirits. (Luke 10:20)

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, April 23, 2019, 11:17 a.m.

Holding the Lines You’ve Drawn

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to hold the fort. Simply put, we’re being admonished to be unwavering about the standards we set; for ourselves, and in regard to others.

When I think about this, I think back to a life of turmoil, insecurity, and constant chaos. I think about my struggle to grasp, once again, the concept of peace and harmony, of balance and security. Then I think about my battles to put standards and boundaries back in place, and to maintain them. At times, I had to battle with myself. I would get frustrated or depressed, and want to give up; I’d want to let things slide. I’m not talking about one morning of not making the bed, or one night of not doing the dishes. I’m talking about morning after morning when I didn’t even want to get up, and had to actually struggle my way out of bed. Then, making the bed was just me going through the motions. My emotions had me distracted and kind of disconnected. As soon as I caught what was happening (the routine was coming apart, I was giving up ground, etc.), I grabbed that standard and held it up. I clung to the standard with all my might, until I felt the ground beneath my feet was once again steady. “Never yield any point you’ve already won.” (quoting directly from the message)

When we give up ground, we end up losing to the tide. The way to avoid doing that is through obedience, prayer, and perseverance in both. Even if it feels as if you’re only going through the motions, do it. Don’t break the routine, don’t give up, don’t back up. Those things are all powerful statements to the spirit, and in the spirit realm. Even those who don’t believe have draw lines and put standards into place. To keep what you’ve gained, you have to refuse to yield to anything less than the standard you’ve set.

When we do this, we cultivate peace, harmony, balance, and security within and round about us. These things are well worth the struggle to achieve and to maintain, as they are vital to a good life. Sometimes that means saying, “no.” Sometimes it means closing the door to certain things or people. Sometimes it means opening the door to certain things or people. When we are honest with ourselves we are empowered to put such standards into place, to draw the lines we need to draw, and to maintain them.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, April 10, 2019, 2:56 p.m.

The Cure For Anxiety

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell bids us to firmly choose to trust God’s eye. He guides us every step of the way. I know that’s very hard to believe sometimes, but it’s very true.

I’ve found that when I feel like God’s not there, it’s because I’ve wandered off; not Him. God goes ahead of us to prepare the way. He’s our rear guard, and He’s with us every step of the way. We must choose to trust Him, to trust His Word, and to refuse to fear or doubt. And we must determine to hold on to that faith with all we have. When my daughter was little, she would cover her ears and sing, “la, la,la,” when she didn’t want to hear what you were saying to her. I used to laugh at her. You know what? I’m sure God laughs at us, because we do pretty much the same thing when we don’t want to hear Him. We don’t always like the way He’s telling us to go, do we? I’ve always regretted when I didn’t listen. Thankfully, God is a way maker, and He has a plan B, C, D, E, and F…until we finally get it. Psalm 32:8 is referenced by today’s message: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

The message also tells us to go one step at a time and not to worry about step 52 when we’re at step 3. Jesus put it this way: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” He’s not saying don’t think ahead. But He is telling us to think positively and not negatively, or with fear, worry, or doubt in our hearts. Look for the blessings, not the bad stuff. You’re blessed to be a blessing. If you have another day, have a good one!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, March 25, 2019, 10:41 a.m.

Keep Life Simple

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sim·plic·i·ty

/simˈplisədē/ According to Dictionary.com

noun

The quality or condition of being easy to understand or do.

Example: “for the sake of simplicity, this chapter will concentrate on one theory” clarity, clearness, plainness, simpleness, intelligibility, comprehensibility, understandability, lucidity, lucidness, coherence, directness, straightforwardness, accessibility; informaluser-friendliness. Example: “the simplicity of the everyday language” the quality or condition of being plain or natural.

Example: “the grandeur and simplicity of Roman architecture” plainness, lack/absence of adornment, lack/absence of decoration, lack/absence of ornament/ornamentation, lack/absence of embellishment, unpretentiousness; a thing that is plain, natural, or easy to understand. straightforwardness, ease, easiness, simpleness, lack/absence of complication, effortlessness, manageability

Example: “recipes will be judged on taste, appearance, simplicity, and appeal.

I posted the definition of simplicity for us, because it encompasses different things and states. Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to revere and choose simplicity. We are admonished that the world’s standards of beauty, wealth, peace, joy, etc., are not to be ours. We have a higher standard; a heavenly standard, by which the humble and the simple things are respected and even honored. “Simplicity,” the message tells us, “is the keynote” of God’s kingdom. Confused yet? LOL I was until I looked up the definition of simplicity, and applied it to my life, and my daily living.

One of the greatest helps I found for keeping things simple is routine. Doing things in the same order, or even just simply, getting them done (making bed, washing dishes, other household chores, etc.) is also a great help. It saves time and energy. This works anywhere-home, workplace, even camping, traveling. I know that because I’m an Army brat, and my parents each had the routine down. When it came to departure times and arrival times, rest stops and such, Dad was in charge. Mom was in charge of meal times, preparations, baths, packing and unpacking, etc. Each had their routine, and with the two working as a team, we got to where we needed to be on time and intact. Well, mostly, anyway-Mom didn’t fool around with discipline when it needed to be doled out. LOL

When it comes to home furnishings, finances, beauty, transportation, etc., we are to seek simplicity as well. God doesn’t want you to live in humdrum surroundings; don’t get me wrong. What God doesn’t want, is for us to go broke and harm ourselves financially, emotionally, and especially spiritually, by trying to “keep up with the Joneses,” or getting into competition with our neighbors, or others. This is envy and fear based thinking. We are not to compare each other to one another; we are to build one another up, and help each other, rejoicing with one another over each other’s blessings. The Bible tells us that where there is envy, there is all kinds of evil and strife. And let me tell you, you can’t keep that merry-go-round under control very long. Pretty soon, it has you dizzy, and falling down. We can, and should have beautiful things, and we should be surrounded by beauty. But, we should never let anyone else dictate to us what beauty is, and get caught up in bondage to other’s opinions, or the latest “fashions,” etc. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” applies here too-the love yourself part. You see, you know yourself better than anyone else-except God, does. When we get caught up in all that competition and stuff, envy and strife have a door to get in through-as well as stress, and all manner of “dis-ease.” We are supposed to have life abundantly, enjoying everything we have. Simplicity whispers, “What touches your soul? What makes you feel happy, peaceful, joyful, etc.? What works for you?” When you honor these things, you will be and have the most beautiful life, within and without.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Seeing the Good…Loving the Good

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that our five senses are needed for communication with the material/physical world. But Spirit communication requires us to shut our the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations in order to facilitate the quietness, the stillness for us to “hear.”

We are bid to pass on the joy that comes from these communication times with the Spirit. “See the good in everyone; love the good in everyone,” we are told. Doing so is like tossing a pebble into a pool. The ripples reach outward from the point of impact, every wider and widening. “Centuries after,” we are told, this will still bear fruit.

As I thought about this message, I thought about how many lives have been changed just because someone looked for, and at, the good in someone. Someone took the time to encourage and build that person up. Someone took the time to pick that one up and dust them off, set them on their feet again, and encourage them to keep going. I remember someone who did that for me day after day after day when I was a child. I thank God every day for my grandmother. The things, treasures, we store up from such encounters, have the power to break generational curses, to propel a person to great heights, and even to change history-history of one person, a family, a nation….Yes, the characteristics that made those leaders great were fostered, nourished, and cultivated by someone who cared enough to sow them into their spirits, and encourage and build them up in those things.

Sometimes we don’t have someone to do that for us. -Or, so we might think. But we have the Word of God. There are so many wonderful treasures in the Bible that, when received into one’s heart and cultivated, can break off generations curses, turn your life around completely, and lead you to places you never imagined you could get to.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, March 9, 2019, 10:55 a.m.