Monthly Archives: June 2017

Worry & Hurry

Everyone already knows that stress is the leading cause of killer diseases, yet we seem to be unable to curb our appetite for worry and hurry.

Why is that?

I would suggest three key reasons why people ignore what seems to be reasonable thinking. We used to call it “Common Sense” operating from the assumption that every reasonable person would both know and practice this. One of the big reasons we miss it so sadly today is that our general population does not possess such practical knowledge anymore. Here are the three key reasons I believe we have so little in common.

We have an Identity crisis. We simply do not know who we are! What do all Americans have in common? As a country, are we united under any set of solid ideas that every single one of us would charge hell with a water pistol to uphold? Once common among us all were our morals, beliefs, standards, and basic values. What do we have in common today? Because we do not know who we are, we worry and hurry.

We live in an ocean of lies. Integrity is almost totally gone. Words mean nothing at all. There was a time in our history when someone gave you their word you could literally bank on what was said. Commerce actually transpired upon a man’s integrity to the point that a verbal contract was binding. Today it is accepted and expected that whatever is said means nothing! This desensitizes us to the truth and sets an expectation of deception and dishonesty. Trying to sort through all the lies, we worry and hurry.

We are self-centered to a fault. Our pursuit of rights instead of righteousness is refocusing the fabric of our nation. Selfless service and goodwill charity have become something more often scorned than praised. The attitude of the World War II generation versus today’s mindset is markedly different. One group united under hard times and rose up to a common cause and a world crisis. Would this generation be capable of the same? That thought is far from most people’s mind, yet our world is extremely volatile. Focusing on self is a way to ignore other issues, but it causes us to worry and hurry.

Please understand that I am not condemning our great country. I fully believe in our capability to rise to greatness, but I see the 3 things listed above as very destructive to us a nation. America was founded on unity, faith, and family. I am not suggesting that we return to those times (even if we could). I am suggesting that we return to some of those values and unifying principles the nation was established upon, grew and prospered under. I am sure of one thing: worrying and hurrying will not get us there.

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? look as verse 27, Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (Add one inch to your height.) verse 31, Therefore, do not worry…

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your cares (Worries) upon Him (God) for He cares for you.

Worry leads to hurry and hurry always makes the dumbest choices.

Don’t Worry! Don’t Hurry! Trust God … He will make a way, He really does care!

Fred Hughes, M.Photog.

Read this and other blog posts on our websites.

www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org

The path to fun and fulfillment

The world beats a path for all to follow the fun and fulfilled life!

However, there are a few issues people encounter along the way they neglected to tell you about! The composite picture I created to illustrate this fantasy world I titled, “Eat It All” has something of a double meaning.

What path are you following in life? How is it working? Is there be a better way?

Great questions! Do you really want answers, or are you comfortable enough where you are right now? There are some wild rides and tasty temptations out there, but there are more that seem to float away in the air than offer stability over the long term. What path do you choose or avoid? What rides do you take along the way? What is the price you will pay? I see a landscape of more dry bones than real success stories, so where do we turn for the real answers and victories we dream of seeing?

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel saw a strange vision of Dry Bones coming to life! He was told to prophesy to those dry bones, or to speak life back into them.

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. (27) “I will put My Spirit within you…

Many times God gives us visions, pictures, dreams or ideas that are not always clear at first. Daniel, Joseph, and Paul all had visions like Ezekiel’s “Dry Bones” (Ezekiel 37:1-14), but in time clarity came. Then these men knew what to do, and so will you. How will you know? The same Holy Spirit who led them will lead you! When you start to speak or prophesy what God gives you, those dry bones start coming together. Life starts returning to what you may have given up on as dead and gone. Suddenly, life comes back into some idea or business venture. Suddenly, you see what you have been looking at with a whole new heart! Suddenly, you see the traps in front of you, and the wisdom of how you really can get to “Eat it All!”

There is a path to fun and fulfillment as the world offers it! (Be sure to read the fine print! “Some restrictions apply.”)

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The true fun and fulfillment of life is to discover the path that God has for your life — to be reconciled to God and to be given a word of reconciliation and a ministry of reconciliation. Dry bones are out there waiting for you to show up and start speaking!

The Holy Spirit is in you waiting to show you how to speak life into people and bring a word of reconciliation. As you go and function in the ministry of reconciliation God has given you, the answers and direction you need will come. If God can get something through you, He can get something to you! Trust God!

Blessings!

Fred Hughes, M. Photog.

EatitAll-Composit copy (Large)

Read this and other blog posts on our websites.

www.byfredhughes.com ~ www.decision1.org