Thirst with Sheryl: season 2- Holistic Change

3 Body Essentials

Today we will continue with our holistic transformation sessions with a brief discussion on 3 Body Essentials
Sunshine- Everybody seems to have a better attitude when the sun is shining. The sun makes us want to get out and do things, like garden, thrift, ride bikes, sightsee, go to the park, grab lunch etc. Eccl 11:7 CEV says Nothing on earth is more beautiful than the morning sun.
A breath of fresh air…the biblical concept of fresh air or breath is used to represent God’s presence and lifegiving power. 3 scriptures in the bible that point to this are Eze 37 depicts God breathing life back into dry bones symbolizing revival and restoration; John 20:22 where Jesus breathes on the disciples and says “Receive the Holy Spirit, signifying the impartation of God’s power and presence  and  Phil 2:14-15 where Paul encourages the believer to be a positive influence in the world, like a breath of fresh air in a corrupted society.” All these scriptures represent God’s presence and lifegiving power.
Water. The body is made up of 50-75% water. Water lubricates and cushions the joints, regulates body temperature, transports nutrients, eliminates waste through urination, perspiration and bowel movement, supports digestive processes and maintains hydration.

The 2 T's

Today, we are going to continue our session on the body, with our discussion on the senses involving the 2 T’s which are Taste & Touch
Tasting occurs in the mouth gate and is described as the 
sensation
 of flavor perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance. We can say that this is eating and drinking. Now the enemy traps many Christians with this being an inroad.  For example, some of us who love, let’s say, apple pie, but instead of us eating one slice, we may opt for 2 slices or even 3. Then we wonder why we have gas, bloating or gut discomfort! And don’t forget those of us who love to go out to lunch or dinner and have that glass of wine with the meal.
In addition to tasting, we also use our mouth to speak. We have discussed watching what comes out of our mouths in Season 1 and this Season.  The bottom line is, your words indicate where your heart is and if you just blurt anything out of your mouth, it shows the condition of your heart and what you believe. We have to be very careful…
Prov 18:21 NIV says The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
 
Touch:
Touch is the deliberate contact with something or someone. There are touches that indicate positive connotations which have numerous physiological and emotional benefits, including reducing stress, easing pain, and boosting mood.
 
However, in contrast, touch can also be used to depict negativity. Negative touch makes one feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or violated. 
 
Isaiah 43:19 where God is reminding listeners that He is doing a new thing with us. It says: 'See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

The 3 S's

Today, we are going to discuss the body, by beginning with emphasis on the 3 S’s: Sight, Sound & Smell
Sight: Sight is what you see or observe. When you enter your space where you listened to your podcast sessions, what do you see? How does what you see make you feel? Is the space cluttered again? Sometimes what we see and how we perceive our space, affects our mood.  For example, if we see a child giggling and playing with a puppy, this makes us smile; on the other hand, if we see a dog has bitten a child, it makes us feel sad. Mat 6:22-23 NIV says the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. Additionally, the eye gate can be understood as a point of vulnerability where the enemy can make an inroad through the thoughts, emotions, and actions of a person, ultimately leading to their spiritual or emotional destruction. 
Sound: Sound is what you hear externally. What sounds do you hear during the day? Sounds of nature, praise & worship, rap music, heavy metal, piano music, water falls, construction? What sounds do you hear when you’re listening to this podcast? Sound is also what you hear internally? What is your self-talk like or internal chatter like? You know sounds can impact our focus, relaxation or stress levels. We can create a soothing environment by listening to nature sounds, spa music, rain or praise and worship.  Sounds like an infant crying, traffic, construction, or your neighbors quarreling can cause you to become a little stressed. The ear gate can also be a point of vulnerability where the enemy can make an inroad. We have to watch what type of music we listen to. There is some music that disrespects women, some that uses profanity; on another note, sometimes we may hear voices that may tell us to do something contrary to the word of God; for example, you may hear the enemy whisper to you, “go ahead, you only had one drink; go ahead and get behind the wheel.” We know that is the enemy because the Holy Spirit would not tell us to do anything that would harm us. Mat 11:15 NIV says Whoever has ears to hear let him hear." Now this scripture isn't referring to physical hearing but rather to spiritual understanding and receptivity. I mention this scripture because remember our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit as discussed in last weeks podcast.
Smell:  to smell means to perceive or detect odors or scents. Different scents impact memory, emotions and physiological responses. For example, what do you smell when you walk into your room. Do you have the window open and smell the rain? Do you have your window open and smell your honeysuckles? Or do you have your window open and smell the neighbor’s strong scent of marijuana? Does the scent of the honeysuckles remind you of when you were a child sucking the sweet honey from the flower? Does the strong scent of the marijuana send a physiological response and cause your allergies to flare up? 2 Cor2:15-16 NIV says we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing are an aroma that brings death; This scripture describes both believers and unbelievers, to those who are saved, believers are a "sweet aroma of life". To those who are perishing, they are a "stench of death.”  The nose can also be an inroad for the enemy to creep into our lives.  For example, what if you used to smoke weed, but you’ve been clean for years, the constant smell from your neighbor might stir up memories of when you used to smoke and lead you to relapse.

Our Body, His Temple

We are spirit beings, with a soul, and live in a body. This statement highlights our three distinct but interconnected parts of our being. Today, we begin our sessions on the body.
 
Physique, frame, soma, build, figure, shape. These are some of the terms used to describe or identify the body. No matter what term you use, Our body is HIS Temple. 1 Cor 6:19-20 NIV says Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
If we back up a couple of verses, Paul describes that when one joins to a harlot or commits fornication, the two become one flesh; but in verse 17, Paul says “he that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit with HIM.” Our body, HIS Temple.
 
In the Old Testament, God’s presence resided in the temple which was in the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. When we accepted Jesus as our Lord & Savior the Holy Spirit came and made His home in us. Our body, HIS Temple.

The Recap

For the last 4 months we have been working on building our spirt and soul. Prayerfully, you have been participating, by not only listening, but also doing? Also, you should be acting with intentionality.  Additionally, I am hopeful that you have been working in a decluttered space with your necessities of your bible, your journal/notebook, pen/pencil, & highlighter; and your intangibles of faith & expectation. We began with the Spirit first because it sets the tone for the entire journey. By focusing on spiritual growth first, individuals can establish a deep connection with God. Additionally, building the Spirit provides a strong foundation of faith, purpose, and inner peace.  Not to say, this can also influence and inspire changes in other areas of your life. 
Then we progressed to building your Soul. The soul, which includes your mind, will and emotions. The mind is pretty much the control center for our actions. Thoughts enter the mind and then we act on the thought by saying or doing. The will is the part that does the “choosing.”  The will has 3 perspectives:  God’s will, Human will and Free will. For more, please circle back and listen to Podcast Episode 10 of this Season 2.
Finally, we discussed the emotions, which is the 3rd part of the soul. Emotions are the voice of the soul. Now our emotions can lead us to sin, while God’s emotions or feelings are righteousand come from a place of love for His people. For more on this please circle back to Episode 11 of Season 2.
And let’s not forget the practices to build our emotional resilience, the 4 P’s, R.A.I.N. and the “Let Them” theory. These practices are discussed in episodes 14, 15, & 16.
Listeners, my prayer is that you have been following along & intentionally making choices that are leading you to a more holistic state. This is a good time to revisit the previous podcast episodes and tighten up and/or modify your notes/journal.  Straighten up your area, if you some clutter has crept in during these last 4 months. I know I have. Are you feeling, or have you noticed, that you have changed in any way? Remember one of the necessities for these sessions is expectation. You should be expecting change for the better. It is a process and if it is just one small change, we can celebrate!

Let Them

The Let Them theory helps us expose our controlling nature. Why are we so concerned what others are doing? Why do we feel the need to control them, because you cannot control anyone, but yourself; so, the Let Them theory is important and can be very liberating. Some of you listeners might be saying, “I don’t struggle with the problem of control.”  Everyone has this struggle in one way or another. So…
Here are 3 reasons we need, the Let Them theory
When we control & ruminate about something, we are showing a form of anxiety. When you act with overbearance with someone, or you cannot stop thinking about something, this is a form of anxiety. And anxiety is an alarm inside of you, going off & saying to you, “something is wrong!” And why are we so overbearing anyway? Because sometimes we think that forcing, manipulating, pushing people, etc. is showing a sign of love. “Don’t forget your wallet,” “don’t forget your umbrella,” “did you remember to take your headset to church?   In our minds, we are looking out for the person, but in reality, we are suffocating them.
Another reason we need the Let Them theory, is because it is easier to focus on other people. You see we trick ourselves into thinking that we are going to be in control if we control other people.  But it doesn’t work that way, Sheryl, because we cannot control other people; we can manipulate them or guilt them or shame them. However, we can’t control them. Every time we use the Let Them theory, we immediately turn the control back on ourselves. 
Another reason we deal with controlling behavior is because it distracts us from what is really going on with us, on the inside. The controlling is triggered by the way you’re used to things being, and you are not comfortable with the uncertainty; which is why you jump in and out of control.

R.A.I.N.

We have been discussing and placing emphasis on managing our emotions and building emotional resilience. We were given emotions from God, but if not careful, our emotions can lead us to sin. So, lets discuss this stress exercise, RAIN, which was created by Michelle McDonald and is a popular tool for developing emotional resilience.
R= RECOGNIZE: Acknowledge and name the emotion you are feeling. Don’t judge yourself for having it, just acknowledge it. Take note of what it feels like in your body. For example, I’m feeling anxious and there is tightness in my chest when I feel anxious. To get rid of this tightness, take a deep breath in and exhale slowly several times to calm down your nervous system. My friend Gayle usually repeats the name Yahweh with the in/out breaths. Yahweh.
A= ALLOW: Let the emotion exist without trying to push it away, change it or suppress it. Now of course with the example above, anxiety and the feeling of chest tightness, the deep breaths help calm that nervous system down to rid the chest tightness, but you are still aware and except the fact that you are anxious. It is okay to allow your feeling to exist
 
I= INVESTIGATE: Be curious about what caused this emotion. Were there any bad or negative thoughts that crossed your mind? What kind of sensations did you experience in your body? Like above, you experienced chest tightness.
 
N= NURTURE: Don’t beat yourself up for feeling this emotion, specifically if it was a bad feeling. Be kind and compassionate to yourself. I mean, you are a human being and not a robot!
 

The 4 P's

Pause. When you feel like you are overwhelmed, anxious or upset and someone asks you something, step back and take a moment to reflect. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Be still, and know that God is God." Pausing creates space for calm and allows us to refocus on God’s presence instead of reacting impulsively. So instead of that, Pause & take a moment to breathe deeply and ground yourself. This will allow you to resist the urge to respond emotionally and gives you time to compose yourself. We don’t want to say anything that we may regret. Psalm 141:3: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."
Pray. Now what if someone says something to you and you are insulted or offended?Before reacting, pause of course, but say a small prayer. Maybe, “Help me Holy Spirit!” You see, in moments of emotional intensity, prayer will help connect us to God’s peace and guidance. But we have to act with intentionality! Don’t just think about praying, be intentional about praying. Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:6 not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, pray and make your requests known to
Process. Now really think about why you were insulted or offended. Is it touching on a past wound or insecurity? Also, consider whether the person’s words say more about them, than about you! Remember, you just prayed, and by inviting God into this, you gain clarity and discernment to handle your emotions with wisdom. This means you will have some self-control. Proverbs 16:32 reminds us: "Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city."
Proceed. Now we’re ready to respond or make our move; but do so with poise; whether it’s addressing the situation, setting boundaries, or choosing to let go. It is a must that you act in a calm & honest manner. If it is not worth addressing, walk away, but make sure you are letting it go period. Do not bring it back up again later on. Now if you want to respond, maybe you can respond, “Let’s keep this conversation respectful.”  The key is to stay grounded, avoid reacting impulsively, and focus on maintaining your peace and values. Managing the situation with grace often leaves a greater impression than reacting with a salty attitude.

Emotional Resilience

 There are several practices that can assist with building your emotional resilience; however, we will just review 4:  
Now faith was one of the necessities that was mentioned earlier in the season that was needed for all of these podcast sessions.  Heb 11:1 LIV bible version Faith is the confident assurance that something we want, is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Read with my emphasis!  Practice prayer, reading scripture and meditating on the word to help with supporting and building your emotional resilience. Faith provides a foundation of hope and trust, allowing you to see challenges as part of a greater plan.
Unforgiveness or holding onto anger or resentment can block not only prayer but also, healing. On the other hand, Forgiveness creates a space for peace and renewal towards building emotional resilience.                                                                                    
Change your mindset! Embrace the belief that every challenge is an opportunity for growth. Instead of focusing on what the heck went wrong, ask yourself, “ok, what can I learn from this experience?”
Build a support network. Surround yourself with people who uplift and encourage you—whether that’s family, friends, or a faith-based group. Be very careful to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to your network. Everyone you think is for you, is not!

The Importance of Stewarding our Emotions

Emotions were given to us by God as a gift, and we should do our best to manage our gift; In last week’s podcast, we discussed that not only are emotions the voice of the soul, but emotions also reveal what is in our soul (i.e. the heart.) Additionally, our emotions can lead us to sin; thus, the importance of managing them. Today this podcast episode will discuss the importance of stewarding over our emotions.