As the New Year kicks off, do you find yourself making another list of resolutions or goals? Before you start down that path, give yourself the next fifteen minutes to hear Dr. Paula’s advice on how to ensure your successful from Day 1. As she often does, she offers us a helpful acronym found in the word START. Grab a pen and paper, or save this episode to your library, so you can refer to it often! Visit drpaulamcdonald.com to learn more.
Transcript
Well, hello everyone.
Speaker:I'm Dr.
Speaker:Paula McDonald, and I'm very excited to be here with you again on another podcast.
Speaker:And today we're talking about your missing piece, peace.
Speaker:Do you feel like that's missing in your life right now? Well, you're not alone.
Speaker:I feel it too.
Speaker:This world is spinning, crazily out of control, you guys.
Speaker:There's so much fear mongering going on.
Speaker:When we turn on our TVs, when we look at the comments on social media, there's just so much hatred, so much meanness out there.
Speaker:And so for me, I know that I crave.
Speaker:I just crave peace and quiet.
Speaker:And I love my times that I'm able to escape into that peace.
Speaker:And so please hear me when I say this.
Speaker:I'm not talking about everyone and everything that doesn't have any peace.
Speaker:But I bet you would agree that peace is missing big time in our culture.
Speaker:And we've got to find our way back to it.
Speaker:Our bodies and our minds and our hearts and our spirits, they desperately need this piece.
Speaker:So in a previous episode, we explored the importance and we talked about rest and how being still is really, really important.
Speaker:And the piece that we're going to discuss today regards an inner piece, and it provides you with entranquility and calmness.
Speaker:And so the verse that I love, that is perfect to set us up on this comes from Philippians four seven.
Speaker:And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Speaker:That's Philippians four seven, the peace of God right there off the bat.
Speaker:And we see this kind of peace being unlike any other that we will experience on our own because it doesn't come from us, it comes from above.
Speaker:And so just as the word love can have many different meanings, peace can also have many different meanings.
Speaker:And so I have four different types of peace that I'd like to talk about.
Speaker:The first one is a calmness, and that's the piece of tranquility and being clear in your mind and in your emotions.
Speaker:And then there's a conscious piece.
Speaker:And that's a piece of understanding and being aware, being awake and really knowing what's going on.
Speaker:And then there's a confident piece, and that's a piece of knowing no matter what is happening in this world and what's going on around you, that you're safe and secure in the Father's arms.
Speaker:And then there's the comfort type of peace, and that's relaxation, rest, and an ease in your own spirit.
Speaker:So we had the calmness, the conscious, the confident, and the comfort types of peace.
Speaker:And we see in these words four different descriptions of peace.
Speaker:And when God says his peace which transcends our or exceeds our understanding, this is the peace that can only come from Him.
Speaker:And so just imagine being able to possess the four types of peace in your own life and you can.
Speaker:And the people I know who have learned to have true inner peace within their spirit.
Speaker:They exude a calmness, they enjoy a confident inner security and they find comfort within their own mind, their body and their spirit.
Speaker:And being around these people, it just brings a calmness to my own spirit.
Speaker:Their spirit of peace can truly be felt.
Speaker:And as we know, being able to achieve this kind of peace is easier said than done.
Speaker:The world continues to nip at our heels with responsibilities, demands and difficulties.
Speaker:Often the problems we experience rob us of our joy and of our peace.
Speaker:And so we've got to find a way back.
Speaker:We've got to find a way to pick up that missing piece that's just gone right now.
Speaker:So on this show we've also talked about connecting to God, connecting to other people and to connect to yourself.
Speaker:And as you continue to connect to God and work to remain in this state of theosynthesis, which is the balance of the mind, body and spirit, peace can and will be achieved when things are completely upside down in your life.
Speaker:The spirit of my entire message of this podcast is to be able to find a balance in these important areas of your life.
Speaker:So allow me to share the word balance.
Speaker:I'm going to take it apart and use it as an acronym, an easy way to remind you of how to find your missing piece.
Speaker:So we're going to start with the letter B and it stands for breathe.
Speaker:Breathing is typically an effortless experience and those who have breathing difficulties understand the importance of breathing when they are unable to take in the needed oxygen.
Speaker:Have you ever noticed that when you're under stress you can find yourself actually holding your breath? Well, I lost a lung eleven years ago and therefore breathing for me took on a whole new meaning.
Speaker:And if you have any kind of breathing issue such as asthma, COPD, or any kind of other illness, you understand better than most the true importance of being able to take in a good breath.
Speaker:So learning to breathe deeply is an excellent method to relieve stress and regain your balance.
Speaker:Deep breathing calms the nervous system and it delivers more oxygen to your brain and to your cells.
Speaker:And when you find you're under tremendous strain, take a moment to breathe slowly and deeply so that you can get yourself restored back to a calmness.
Speaker:Well, I named the Bible study that I teach exhale, and I recently had someone ask me why I named it this name.
Speaker:And I told them that as each week we gather together, we are actually able to sit together and exhale the junk in our lives while we breathe in God's word.
Speaker:And we allow the Holy Spirit to breathe within us.
Speaker:So I love that exhale that we're able to just get it out.
Speaker:And another aspect of breathing is merely taking a moment to stop and smell the roses.
Speaker:Don't get so busy in your life that you miss the small moments that are right there.
Speaker:Many of us are missing so much simply because we are whizzing through this life in warp speed.
Speaker:And I'm right there with you.
Speaker:I get it.
Speaker:But you have to learn to minimize the minutiae in order to maximize the moments.
Speaker:I need to make that into a T shirt.
Speaker:So take a moment right now to just focus on your breathing.
Speaker:Thank God for the ability to breathe.
Speaker:Thank Him for his goodness and for the blessings in your life and for the life that you have.
Speaker:So that's the letter B for balance, the letter A, we're going to talk about attitude.
Speaker:And so I have to share that, being a former high school educator.
Speaker:Well, I witnessed a lot of not so great attitudes in these teenagers.
Speaker:And we know teenagers can certainly cough an attitude.
Speaker:But your attitude absolutely says so much about you.
Speaker:An attitude absolutely is a choice.
Speaker:No matter what is going on in your life, it is never all right to have a selfish, mean, spiritual or hateful attitude.
Speaker:And what happens when we carry these bad attitudes is they absolutely not only affect you deep down at a cellular level, but they affect the people around you.
Speaker:And it is not another person's fault when you choose to carry negativity around with you.
Speaker:And so don't pass it along.
Speaker:It doesn't belong to them.
Speaker:And you shouldn't be cramming it down somebody else's throat because you've had a bad day.
Speaker:And as this relates to peace, having a sour attitude will most certainly not provide you with a peaceful spirit.
Speaker:And those who choose to hang on to the nasty attitudes will not experience the peace that transcends all understanding.
Speaker:It just ain't going to happen.
Speaker:And so why not be the person who spreads cheer in the midst of hard times? And I'm not saying that you have to always be cheerful, but you don't have to snap somebody's head off.
Speaker:Exude the peace that defies human understanding.
Speaker:You be the attitude of gratitude that really does make a difference in this world.
Speaker:And so the L in my Word balance, I have that standing for love.
Speaker:And as we know, Jesus said in Matthew 22, 37 and 38, love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, and all of your mind.
Speaker:This is the first and the greatest commandment.
Speaker:So to discover the missing peace in your life and to find God's peace, which means you need to have a lot of love for yourself and for others.
Speaker:And this love must be demonstrated daily.
Speaker:So the next A in the balanced word is for acceptance.
Speaker:And this means being accepted by others or within society.
Speaker:And acceptance, true acceptance does give you a wonderful inner peace when we can accept who we are and accept where we are right now in this life.
Speaker:Only then can we begin to find the elusive peace that is missing.
Speaker:If we're always wishing for different circumstances for our life, it's going to lead you down a path of never having enough.
Speaker:And so the peace that God provides in our lives is enough.
Speaker:When you allow the other things to take a back seat and to just accept the love he has specifically for you, you cannot fix everything or everyone in your life.
Speaker:And when you accept this fact, you can then rest in the peace of Christ.
Speaker:So the end of balance stands for nurture.
Speaker:And caring for your mind, body and spirit is essential to finding peace.
Speaker:Make sure you value yourself enough to nurture each of these areas.
Speaker:When you nurture your inner self, take the time you need to rest and take a breath and you are then nurturing the spirit within you.
Speaker:And this is why we need to take breaks, go on vacations, take a walk or whatever it is that brings you peace.
Speaker:And then the sea in the balance is calm.
Speaker:Jesus gave us a great visual of remaining calm in a storm.
Speaker:So remember that story in Mark 439.
Speaker:Jesus was awakened while he and his disciples were out at sea in a boat and this massive storm whipped up and of course everyone got scared, everyone, that is, except for Jesus.
Speaker:And he, jesus got up and he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, quiet, be still.
Speaker:And then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Speaker:So learning to calm your spirit will help you when your storms of life come and go and they will come and go.
Speaker:We know this.
Speaker:And as a Christian, genuinely knowing that he dwells within you is such a knowledge of peace and it gives you a calmness.
Speaker:So sure, we're going to experience scary things in this life.
Speaker:We're experiencing them right now.
Speaker:But we have to remain calm because we need to lean in on him and we will experience an incredible peace from him when we do this.
Speaker:And so the last letter e energy.
Speaker:Protecting your energy is vital to be able to experience peace in your life.
Speaker:When you are rested and healthy and whole, it is much easier to experience peace.
Speaker:Peaceful individuals radiate energy unlike anyone else I know, I can feel the energy of other people around me.
Speaker:It's palatable.
Speaker:And recently I had a man approach me whose intent was to intimidate me with his presence and his words.
Speaker:And as he leaned into me, I'm five foot four and he may be close to six foot, his eyes were squinty and he sneered and spewed a message to me fully meant to intimidate me.
Speaker:And he was so close to my face that I could smell his breath.
Speaker:And trust me, this man's energy radiated of hatred, loneliness, misery, even though he was trying to impose himself upon me, my spirit.
Speaker:I I could feel it recoiling.
Speaker:I could feel his negative vibe and energy.
Speaker:And his intent to harm was evident as it comes from his own place of missing peace in his life.
Speaker:And this man does not like my spirit, which comes from God.
Speaker:His lack of God's presence in his own life, it can be felt.
Speaker:And there is an absence of love that has been replaced by self imposed power.
Speaker:And I'm sure there are a lot of you out there who have dealt with people like this and they want to suck the energy right out of you.
Speaker:There's a great book called Energy Vampires.
Speaker:Get it and read it.
Speaker:It will help you understand those people who wish to just steal your energy right out from under you.
Speaker:So don't allow it.
Speaker:Say no.
Speaker:Recognize it and don't allow it.
Speaker:So balance.
Speaker:It's the key, you guys.
Speaker:And I hope this acronym will help you remember how to maintain and preserve your inner peace.
Speaker:Your words, your actions, and your thoughts all affect your inner peace.
Speaker:Be mindful as you evaluate the selftalk that's running through your mind of the words that you choose to speak.
Speaker:Words and thoughts have energy.
Speaker:Choose your words carefully as they can either bring negativity and hate, or they have the power to bring joy and peace and healing.
Speaker:So which words will you choose today? Are you missing your piece? It's there for you, my friend.
Speaker:Seek it out.
Speaker:Seek out God's guidance earnestly as you ask Him to show you his unique peace.
Speaker:And I'll close with this verse.
Speaker:Luke 750.
Speaker:Your faith has saved you.
Speaker:Now go in peace.
Speaker:So, you guys, I love spending time with you and I thank you for downloading my podcast and listening.
Speaker:It just brings me great joy and peace.
Speaker:So for more episodes, head over to my website, Drpala.
Speaker:mcdonald.com.
Speaker:And don't forget, we have a phenomenal one night event in Granbury, Texas, thursday, October 14 for the Live Today Summit.
Speaker:Go to my website, Dr.
Speaker:Paula mcdonald.com Events, and buy your tickets.
Speaker:Only $45.
Speaker:So worth it.
Speaker:So, as always, have you fully lived today? And now I'm going to go right into my segment that I call Ask Dr.
Speaker:Paula.
Speaker:And so we're going to continue on with this same vein that I was talking about in the podcast today on those people who wish and try to rob you of your joy or even to do you harm.
Speaker:And so, as I mentioned, this man who approached me in a very threatening manner, I thought I would share how I work through an encounter like this.
Speaker:Because in our world today, I feel like there is a lot of anger that's coming out in people and it's like I've never seen it before.
Speaker:It has ramped up.
Speaker:People are angrier and many of them don't really even know why they're angry.
Speaker:And of course, a lot of people are walking around without Christ in their heart and therefore, they have a big old gaping hole that I call the God gap.
Speaker:And so how do we navigate the angry water that is all around us? If we allow it to drown us, it will.
Speaker:However, if we learn to swim in the rough water and to call upon our only power in the name of Jesus, he will extend his hand and bring us up out of that drowning pool.
Speaker:It's such a beautiful reminder.
Speaker:And that first step though, in dealing with what I call the energy vampires, or those who wish to steal your joy in any way, the first step, recognize them.
Speaker:Open your eyes.
Speaker:Recognize them.
Speaker:When you see them and you understand their motives, which are not from God, your eyes are now opened and you're aware of them.
Speaker:And once you recognize them, it is really important to then rebuke them.
Speaker:So first recognize them, and now you've got to rebuke them.
Speaker:You rebuke their energy and their motive.
Speaker:You shut it down out loud.
Speaker:And I do this by myself in a quiet room.
Speaker:I rebuke the enemy, who is the real culprit here.
Speaker:And remember, the enemy cannot read our thoughts.
Speaker:It is important that we rebuke him with our words out loud.
Speaker:So I go into my little quiet place and then I just start proclaiming in the name of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker:And I order and I authorize through the Holy Spirit that these people are the entities that have them in a bad way to get them out in the name of Jesus, because I am covered in the blood of Christ.
Speaker:And guess what? Those demonic beings as enemy, they hate it and they run.
Speaker:They cannot stay in your presence.
Speaker:So recognize and then rebuke.
Speaker:And then you guys, as believers, please understand, you do have an amazing power of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker:I have a whole chapter on this in my book, and it's there, but you have to call upon it and you have the power in Jesus's name of the Holy Spirit that he gave us and so utilize it.
Speaker:And then finally, we've got to remove anything in our lives that may be causing us to remain in sin.
Speaker:Is there something that you need to purge? Thoughts, acts, habits, removal could also include people.
Speaker:Are there people in your life who are bringing you down rather than lifting you up? And if so, either you might need to remove yourself from them or ask the Lord to remove them from your life.
Speaker:And if physical removal of a person is not possible, such as a family member, then ask the Lord through the prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit to remove their negative energy and their impact upon your life.
Speaker:Just ask him, shut it down in the name of Jesus.
Speaker:Shut this down that their arrows hit your shield of faith and just melt and just go right on down to the ground.
Speaker:Ask for a supernatural wall or shield to just block everything that they try to throw at you.
Speaker:And remember, recognize, rebuke and remove any and all negative energy from your life.
Speaker:God is in control and never ever forget this.
Speaker:Blessings to you all as you continue to strive for balance of theosynthesis in your life.
Speaker:Contact me at Dr.
Speaker:Paula mcdonald.com and connect with me.