No! Thank heavens for Christian friends who will hang
out with you in those discouraging times. But there's no room to build a
shelter here. The juniper tree is not a
place you want to LIVE!
So where do you go when the juniper tree begins to look too inviting?
Go...to God's Word!
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God...Eph 6:17."
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart..Heb 4:12."
If you can't read it, listen to it! Watch for discount prices on the Bible on audio tape. Or listen to praise music and sing along if you can. I sometimes have trouble paying attention when hanging out under the juniper tree, so to make myself listen, I read aloud. Try it. See if you can daydream while you're reading God's Word aloud!
Go...to a friend!
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Prov 27:17."
Especially if you've been under the juniper tree alone! I recommend developing several relationships with positive people and talking about how we can encourage each other in the down times. You may want to add a couple of other destinations here: Go...to coffee. Go...to lunch. Go...to the park. The trick is to do it with a friend.
Go...for a walk!
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork." Ps 19:1
Look at the sky (even if it's raining!). Look at the colors all around. Begin to thank God for the beautiful world He made. Remember how your walk will encourage the good little endorphins to chemically brighten your mood and keep walking away from that juniper tree as fast as you can!
Go...to prayer!
"Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you..."
"For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to Him, he will hear you... Job 22:21, 27."
Not the wallow-in-my-pain kind of prayer. Try praying for other people: missionaries, people in the hospital, unsaved family members, government (well, maybe that will depress you). You get the idea. And while you're at it, remember to praise God for His greatness. Get your eyes off yourself and onto Him!
Go...to bed!
"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep...Ps 127:2."
Yes, really. Sometimes, we're just plain tired. When we're tempted to stay in the shade of the juniper tree, a nice warm bath and cup of milk could head us instead to dream land. Recent studies are pointing out that we need a lot more sleep than we think. Nine hours is not too much. Maybe rest is just what the doctor ordered. And speaking of the medical profession, you may need to...
Go...to the doctor!
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers...3 Jn 1:2."
If you find yourself thinking more about the juniper tree than anything else, maybe it's time to see if there are other reasons that the juniper tree is so appealing. Do you have a blood sugar problem? Are your hormones out of balance? Do you have a low-grade infection or thyroid disorder or some other medical problem? This is important. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and very complex biologically...
Celebrating God's goodness . . .. . . 15 million and counting!
Note: Counter keeps a running total of "page views" for the
entire site. --It jogs around the world and around the clock--to find
YOU!
This Christian home has been visited a zillion times
since December 26, 1995! Well, not quite, but there HAS been a houseful--and
STILL room for one more--YOU! The Christian Counter scans the entire site--and there's plenty of chocolate for everyone--so enjoy!
Most of the music playing at Peggie's Place originates from Songs of Praise.
Visit their great Web site to hear beautiful tunes by many talented artists. CDs are available.
Please note that while I strongly adhere to major tenets of the
evangelical Christian faith, I may not personally agree with every specific doctrinal belief set forth in other
Christian pages. I do want to provide a diversity of links and resource material
for the entire Body of Christ to enjoy, and trust you will view it as such.
A safety tip: Internet links and material may include other links and/or material which do not reflect my Christian views or yours. Please choose wisely and use with discretion! And if you find an ugly spider hiding in a dark corner,
you may smash it with a broom from my BROOM
CLOSET--I hate offensive stuff too!
"'Twas the Night before Easter!" - popular parody at Peggie's Place! . . . More Easter resources
