Anxious Thoughts

PDF Version:
AWA Weekly 230218 PDF

Taste and See (Psalm 34:8)

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul.

- Psalm 94:19 (NASB)

Twenty-four-hour “what bleeds leads” news reporting takes a toll of the human soul when not engaged with a prayerful, trusting spirit. Anxious thoughts abound among many these days, even the young. Ancient yet effective disciplines get maligned and neglected as those created in God’s image get inundated daily with alarms like the thousands dead from earthquakes, spy balloons sent to menace nations, toxic wastes intentionally let to permeate soil, water, and air, and threatened escalations of war. Carrying the weight of the world’s woe every hour, every day, overwhelms the unequipped soul (see Ep.6). If we start and end our day with only broadcast and rumor-milled news, anxious thoughts plague us and create long-term stresses.

When Verlin began nursing studies, we noticed how rapidly thoughts from Christian and secular perspectives now converge about better ways to start and end each day. We refer to such convergences as the Word of God revealed in Creation (i.e., General Revelation). [The meeting of minds gets validated for life choices by matching up to God’s revealed Word through history, the Bible, and affirmed by experiences within the church body built together in the Holy Ghost appointed to speak truth (1 Ptr 1-2)]. Secularists now recommend that we not reach for the cell phone or begin the day with news but rather spend time meditating and mentally rehearsing attitudes to exemplify and actions to accomplish during the day. Then, before sleep, 2:1 breathing combined with ten minutes of mindfully giving thanks encourages restful recovery.

Hibiscus, moringa, and papaya leaf teas
with cinnamon, cloves, and lime juice
are part of our dietary changes made.

When the misled who know not or reject God’s ways adapt ancient Christian habits by force of evidence from the Creation, believers can confidently claim historical precedent and grow God’s kingdom by demonstrating the changes brought in using these habits. We’ve an advantage since we're enabled by the Holy Spirit. When meditating upon His Word and effectively communing in prayer for regular and focused periods, anxious thoughts fail to gain footholds, let alone establish any strongholds leading to psychiatric crises (though we know by experience that dietary habits must get addressed too to evade the latter, usually). We’ve tried several approaches to integrate Biblical meditation and deep breathing. Suppose you would like help establishing a Christ-focused daily morning and evening routine that incorporates some perspectives from church history; in that case, you might enjoy a free site or app like Lectio 365 that we presently evaluate to share in Cote d'Ivoire. It facilitates deep breathing during an orally shared meditation with foci for morning and evening meditations. Scriptures used reflect a different Biblical theme for disciples each week. While not replacing our separate times to read or hear the Word and pray, it does help us calm and gather scattered thoughts to leave them with Jesus and increase our mindful thankfulness.

Come and See (Psalm 66:5)

As the time for the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) Internship in Ghana approaches, anxious thoughts can trouble Ivorian CHE trainers we send. What will others think? How can I afford this time away? Will it be worth my time? Neither of the two we have discipled speak English. The prospect of some courses being in English while in English-speaking Ghana for several weeks is daunting. While these have a long day’s travel to arrive, several other participants will have longer, less comfortable routes to arrive at the training center.

Debbie had a few anxious thoughts this week as she pulled a muscle in her lower back and spent three days in bed. She has three speaking engagements in Michigan this upcoming week and wants to attend them. Thankfully, with home remedies and a muscle relaxer as a nighttime backup, she finishes driving the ten to twelve or so hours north as you receive this update Saturday afternoon or evening.

While resupplying before traveling to Ghana, Verlin met with newly arrived missionaries who are charged with responsibilities in their two separate denominations within which we have discipled church leaders to use Community Health Evangelism (CHE) strategies like Discovery Bible Studies (DBS). Both couples, with 9 children between them, verbalized appreciation for the experience and context Verlin provided them to live and minister in Cote d’Ivoire.

Prayer & Praise

• 🙏 Ask that Debbie’s back heals fully and that the pain will not hinder her visits to friends and ministry partners.
  
  

• 🙏 Keep Verlin in prayer as he hosts and prepares exchanges with CHE leaders. In a correction to last week’s update on leprosy, 58 rather than 56 of 60 village committees form and integrate believers while using CHE to promote the Zero Tolerance for leprosy campaign. Pray these called succeed accomplishing more than one set goal.

Your Partners in the Gospel,

Verlin and Debbie

Christian Health Service Corps (CHSC) is a mission of dedicated medical professionals who participate in the CHE Global Network. Together, in a loose affiliation of individuals, churches, denominational, and nondenominational agencies, we share God's Light and Truth through Community Health Evangelism (CHE). Verlin and Debbie accept donor partners to contribute as led to provide support as we maintain residential ministry to expand CHE ministries in Cote d'Ivoire under the auspices of CHSC & Ivorian partners. Tax-deductible contributions by check are to be made payable to the CHSC with Andersons #0118 written on the memo line. Mail to CHSC - PO Box 132 - Fruitvale, TX 75127. Give online via the CHSC @ www.che4a.org (3% fee) or TDF - specifying Verlin and Debbie Anderson in the optional Memo.

Prior: Zero Tolerance
        - 230211 PDF
Prior Videos: Reflect and Rejoice
        - The Great Story

2022 Q3 & Q4 Reports: Reckon
  -  3Q|4Q 2022 Report 230121 PDF

2022 Budget Info:
CHSC-0118_ANDERSON-2022-Budget.pdf
 
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Andersons Witness in Africa.
It is also a brand of bottled water in Cote d'Ivoire where we serve.

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