Tag: stress relief

For People Who Need Faith – A Free eBook Awaits

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Dear friends,

Firstly, I hope this finds you healthy.

The last two years have been wall-to-wall fear, fear that is almost impossible to get away from. But for peace of mind, we must.

The last six months of the pandemic, I found the worst. The constant fear daily took its toll and affected me greatly. Always a person that would encourage and motivate others, I became a person that needed to be inspired.

If it wasn’t for a close friend’s phone calls, I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. My mental health was at an all-time low. So many people had a different view of what was happening, and the constant negativity got the better of me.

Fast forward to now.

There is no point trying to sugar-coat current events; they are still not looking good. But that does not mean we must allow ourselves to be sucked into the narrative the mainstream media want us to believe.

The world news at the moment can be summed up in one word. FEAR. And with so much fear, people are fearful for the future.

Now, feeling fearful is perfectly natural, but if you are not careful, FEAR can take over you’re thinking to the point that you speak fear over your life and the lives of others.

Many people look to us for guidance, and we must be strong for those people knowing that God is in control. But unfortunately, it is so easy to lose sight of this FACT.

It’s so easy to get lost watching the news, reading the latest stories on social media, and speaking with people about the current state of the world. But, sadly, all this will do is erode your faith, making you doubtful and fearful for your future.

In my new book, For People Who Need Faith, I would like to share with you methods to increase your faith and keep it at its highest level so you are prepared for any problem or difficulty that comes your way. Share stories that will inspire you, motivate you, and encourage you. And recommend simple prayers that will give you comfort in times of worry or distress.

Faith is like a seed. Without the right conditions, the seed will not grow. It is up to us to feed our faith; the more we do, the stronger our faith will become.

Give a little space for God today, and notice how your fears subside.

Forever in my prayers,
Rev J Martin

To download book click on image below

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The Question That reveals So Much About You?

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Maybe you are stressed or frustrated and you dont know why… ‘you just don’t feel yourself,’ you are short with people and easily irritated.

If you can relate then you need to ask yourself this question…

Are your thoughts positive or negative?

If most of your thoughts are negative? Worrying about the virus, about your family, friends work etc. Then the negative thoughts will soon wear away your faith. Soon you will start talking negatively and not have much hope for the future.

Many people look to you for encouragement its important that you stay strong for those people.

So, how can you do this?

Well, a good starting point is, you must purposely do the things each day that gives you the most enjoyment. If you enjoy painting, paint. If you enjoy reading, read. Running, run. Sounds simple but often it’s the simple things that we overlook. Choosing instead to put our attention on the wrong things, and when you’re surrounded by negativity its impossible to be positive.

So instead of looking at the news or going on social media first thing int the morning, wait until lunch. Make sure you go for a walk each day or get some sort of exercise. As exercise has so many benefits:

  • Improve your memory and brain function (all age groups).
  • Protect against many chronic diseases.
  • Aid in weight management.
  • Lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
  • Improve your quality of sleep.
  • Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
  • Combat cancer-related fatigue.
  • Improve joint pain and stiffness.

With so much fear on media networks and all-over social media, we must also actively feed our minds with faith. We must seek out positive information to lift us up and make us feel better.

When you arise in the morning, I recommend, investing the first hour in yourself, take a walk in nature, spend some time in the garden, start your day with prayer. You will be amazed at the difference in the way you feel and in the results you will get. You will gradually transform your thinking about yourself and what is possible for you. You will become healthier in both mind and body and your faith will grow.

To help ignite your flame of faith today I would like to offer you the chance to get my new book for FREE. Lord, Light My Path, is now available on Amazon. Click on image below.

Enjoy your day.

A Pearl of Wisdom That Took Me 25 Years To Learn—3 Minute Read

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My brother once said to me, “you take your own level of intelligence for granted.”

A man of few words he only said it once but it stuck with me.

The wisdom within them words have been revealing themselves over the last 25 years.

We assume so much. We assume that everyone has the same common sense, empathy, compassion, and faith that we do.

Guess what, they don’t.

From today don’t assume anything. Just because something seems logical to you doesn’t mean that the other person sees your logic. 90% the time they don’t.

So if someone is always annoying you, always seems to do what you asked them not to do. Do not let it stress you out.

Very often they can not see the reasoning behind your words. As my brother said, don’t take your own level of intelligence for granted. Some people are not that intelligent.

Just because someone as a PHD or other fancy letters behind their name does not mean that they view the world the same as you. You may put them on a pedestal because they have a better education.

Don’t.

Yes, education matters but never feel inferior to anyone. Know who you are, a child of God, graced with many talents and abilities.

Never Take Your Level Of Intelligence for Granted

Your mind is unique, you can process information in ways that no one else can. Your life purpose has to be finding out— in what way.

It could be as simple as communication, you might have the ability to instil faith into peoples hearts in a way that no one else can. When you speak others listen.

Don’t hide away from that gift, don’t silence the David that is within you.

Stop 100 people on the street and ask them, “what is your gift, talent or ability?” 99 will say they don’t know, and if that is the case for you.

Let it be your life purpose to find out.

Chances are everyone around you already knows and probably have told you, many times— you’re great with people, a great listener, great with numbers, great with computers, with the written word…

but you have taken your level of intelligence for granted.

Your gift in life is effortless to you, so effortless that you can completely dismiss that gift and spend your entire life unhappy thinking that God forgot about you.

Im telling you today that you were not forgotten, you have seeds of greatness within.

If you’re still unsure what your gift in life is, that you can do effortlessly then you don’t want to miss my next post where I will reveal how to find it, and also what to do so that you can live out your divine destiny.

Until the next time…

RJM

Can Faith Really Help?

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Many haven’t got the time to even think about faith, and to be honest; I don’t blame them. This year has been one of the craziest that I can recall.

So where do we go from here?

Do we just hide in our homes and wait for our governments to sort everything out for us? Or do we take it upon ourselves to actively pick up the pieces left by hurricane Corona and start to rebuild?

Maybe its because I’m Irish, but I have a fighting spirit. I’m not used to lying underthings. No matter what happens to me, I get back up and try again.

It’s the only way I know. And it’s impossible to do that if you are in the grips of fear.

You need faith.

So where does that faith come from?

Well, the first step in strengthening your faith is cutting off all sources of fear. Now fear can come in many forms, the main ones, of course, are mainstream news and social media, but I have talked about them already at length.

You might not think that your relative or friend that gives you the latest news each day on the coronavirus is negative, but it is. Over time that negativity will affect you.

Negative news is such a good conversation starter. But all negativity does is hold you back.

If you are looking for the energy and faith to move forward, then the first step is to minimise your time with negative people. Something that I’ve had to do this year. Otherwise, negative thoughts will creep in, thoughts of doubt, and worry, which can quickly lead to fear.

Fear then leads to anxiety.

Anxiety can lead to depression…

and the cycle continues.

To break that negative cycle, we must connect with God daily. That could happen through reading, praying, or by simply having a walk in nature— something that breaks the negative, depressive narrative that seems to be all around us.

Something that reminds us of the fact that we are not in control, the governments are not in control; the coronavirus is not in control.

God is in control.

The only control we have is over ourselves.

We have to be the voice of faith, confidence, positivity that we want to hear. That, in turn, will inspire the people around us to be more positive and optimistic.

And if each of us does that, then the world would become more positive, faithful and optimistic.

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Are You Feeling Negative?

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What none of us need is negativity.

Well, 2020 has dished up a lot of negativity. So don’t feel that you’re alone if you are feeling anxious, depressed or lonely.

For once we are all in the same boat. With the current state of the world, it is hard not to worry. 

As with all situations in life, you have two options you can let it get you down, or you can rise above it. Some worry is healthy. Too much worry, however, can cripple you, meaning you are unable to move forward.

If you listen to the news, they paint a negative picture, but in reality, times like this creates a wealth of opportunity.

But you need to be prepared. 

There is a famous saying; Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Now is the time to get prepared, and preparation starts with knowing the truth.

Truth then leads to faith.

We all have gifts and abilities that few of us use. The main reason for this is that many of our gifts we take for granted, or we dismiss them, thinking they’re not relevant. 

An example, listening. You may not believe that listening is a talent, but it is a great gift. Expertise that many will need after this pandemic. Now I’m not writing today to tell you to change jobs or get more education. I’m here to open your mind up to new thoughts, to help you think more clearly.

There is so much fear around at the moment that its hard to avoid it, everywhere you go there are people trying to make sense of it all. Many are trying to come up with their own reasons.

The questions are endless…

The answers to most of them; no one knows or will ever know.

There is so much that we can worry about: work, relationships, money, health . . . but instead of panicking over what could happen, why not choose a different path?

A path of faith.

One where you let go of worry and focus on getting the most out of life. As I mentioned in previous posts, taking exercise, healthy eating, and using effective ways to relieve stress.

No matter what you have to face when you have a healthy body and mind, you are more than prepared to overcome it. 

Over the last few months being at home, many of us have got out of shape, added with anxiety, stress and tension our bodies need some attention. 

So I welcome you to feed your mind this weekend with content that builds you up and avoid anything that tears you down— into feelings of worry and doubt. Its good to stay informed but equally essential to look after your mental, physical and emotional health.

Take a walk or run, and connect with mother nature. Have a detox from all media and feed your mind, body, and faith with nourishment for the next few days, and notice the difference it makes.

Until the next time, take care.

Find Peace of Mind And Inner Calm in Tough Times — Free Relaxation Audio Download

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It is a very stressful time for everyone at the moment. Some people are more stressed than others. Many have lost their businesses; millions around the world have already lost their jobs.

Usually, a person that likes to keep up with current events I have stopped watching the news altogether as its just a wall of fear.

We all know that we need to relax, but this is easier said than done.

Many months ago, I was working on a project that, for one reason or another didn’t get finished. The main idea was to do an audio cd for relaxation but only one track got finished

Listening back today, on the first listen, I was very judgmental thinking it was narrated too slow, but on the second listen, I decided rather than judge the delivery. I would follow the instructions so pressed replay.

Until I listened to the piece, I knew I was a little stressed by the lockdown. It’s only natural. But It was only listening back did I realised just how much stress I was holding in my body.

By the end of the audio, my mind was more peaceful than it has been in months. It’s hard to describe. Often stress can build up so slowly that we can be unaware that it there.

Daily Rituals

It’s more important than ever to take time daily to do something that relaxes you. It could be taking a warm bath, listening to some soothing music or walking along a beach listening to the water crash on the shore. Whatever works for you.

We all need time to relax, time to release all the tension and stress that can build up. Otherwise, you can become withdrawn, indecisive or inflexible. Stress can make you feel angrier or more aggressive than usual, which can affect the way you interact with your close family and friends.

As we all have experienced stress for a prolonged period in the last three months, you may notice your sleep and memory are affected, your eating habits may have changed, or you may feel less inclined to exercise.

Stress is often overlooked but just as important to treat as any other ailment.

If you have a spare 5 minutes, I highly recommend that you give the audio below a listen, and let be know any changes that you felt in the comments.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy your weekend.

7 Wonderful Things that You Gain When You Let Go and Let God Take Control

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let god take control

When you try to control too much, life becomes much harder to enjoy.  Sometimes you just need to let go and let God take control. Relax, take a deep breath and be grateful for what you have.

Last week I met up with an old friend, someone whom I care about deeply. Someone I worry about constantly, as they take no care of their health. Over the years I have watched them turn from someone that could run a half marathon to someone that is out of breath walking up a few flights of stairs.

All I want is for them to eat healthier and take some exercise to give them a better quality of life but sadly that’s not reality.

When I reflected on the situation I realise that there is nothing I can do. Because I’m not in control of anyone but myself. I want to help my friend, but they’re not interested in being helped.

So I made a decision, to let go. to surrender.

Not “let go” as in “let them go.”  I “let go” as in I stopped trying to control them, I’ve stopped trying to change them. What is the point of me getting stressed and worried if they are not willing to change.

And this, I’ve learned, is the best way to be in all walks of life…

When you let go of control, you stop trying to change people, and just dissolve into their presence, just noticing who they really are, just appreciating them, faults and all.

When you let go of control you will notice just how much time you spend trying to control. Not just people, but the events in your life.

Don’t get me wrong, you will still get stressed and worry, but you will notice that you snap out of it sooner. So instead of being stressed, for example, for the rest of the day, or week. Your only stressed for a short time.

You’ll start to notice just how much pressure you put on yourself by trying to have everything work out exactly as you would like.

When you let go of control and let God take control here’s what you gain…

1. You fall in love with people for who they really are

It’s OK to disagree with the thoughts or opinions expressed by those you love, but you must accept their opinion. Learn to appreciate different perspectives, lifestyles, and opinions, even if it means overcoming your pride and opening your mind beyond what’s comfortable.

Love is about letting those we care about be 100% themselves, and not distorting them to fit our own ideas of who we think they should be.

2. You grow beyond everyone’s judgements

How often have you been judged?  How often has the direction of your life been shaped by such judgements? Think about it.

How many opportunities have you been denied — or, for that matter, been granted — because someone failed to understand you completely? And how often have  you let other peoples judgements make you upset or stress you out because you thought you could control the way everyone sees you?

The truth is, people will see what they want to see whether you worry about it or not.

It’s time to let go of trying to control how everyone perceives you.

It’s time to let God take control, and just do the best you can.

3. You get to enjoy the peace that’s already within you

Realize that, somewhere within you, there exists a spirit that is eternally at peace. Because inner peace does not depend on external conditions — it’s what remains when you surrender the need to control.

The need for something to be different is nothing more than worry and worries like this only lead us in circles.

Peace of mind arrives the moment you come to peace with what’s on your mind, and this happens when you let go of the need for things to be different than they are. What’s happened has happened, and no amount of complaining or worry is going to change that fact.

4. You learn more about how life really works.

When you attempt to control the uncontrollable you create resistance.  You resist how everything works rather than learning about it.  So here’s a simple challenge for you:  Instead of trying to make things work exactly the way you want them to work, just watch them work today.

You’ll learn much more about human nature and the inner workings of the world.

As you see things working without you controlling them, the way you see what you see will gradually change.  Because YOU will gradually change.  You will begin to understand that things are a little different than you wanted them to be.  And that’s perfectly OK.

5. You experience more of life’s pleasant surprises.

Would you really want to be in control of everything, and know your future every step of the way?

If you’re thinking, “yes,” think again.  Not knowing is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Life is so full of changeable beauty and magnificent surprises.  And sometimes the unexpected arrival of this beauty is almost too much to handle.

Do you know that feeling?  When you get a breakthrough or some good news that gives you the lift you need to restore your faith…

Do you really want to miss out on them moments for the rest of your life?

6. You free your mind from needless worries.

The world around you is going to spin one way or the other.  So why not allow God to bless you in surprising and joyful ways?

Think about it…

What if, instead of pushing so hard to make life happen every second, you decided to let go a little and allow life to happen to you sometimes?

What if, instead of trying to be in constant control, you simply surrendered control to something bigger than yourself?

What if, instead of working so hard to figure out every last answer, you allowed yourself to be guided to the solution in perfect timing?

And what if, there was no solution needed at all?

7. You get more of what you want, by doing less.

When you let go and let God take control instead of trying to tightly control everything, you will be happier and have more peace.

You will notice that things will take care of themselves.  You will have less stress, less worry, and more time and energy to work on the things that matter — the things you actually can control — like your attitude about everything.

Let God Take Control

The mind is the place where the greatest conflict resides.

It’s where… half of the things you thought were going to happen, never did.

It’s where… your expectations always get the best of you.

It’s where… you fall victim to your cravings to control the uncontrollable.

And if you allow those thoughts and cravings to dwell in your mind, they will succeed in robbing you of peace, joy, and ultimately your life.  You will think yourself into a nervous breakdown, into depression, and into defeat.

Truthfully, there’s so much about life that you can’t control, it makes no sense to waste your energy on these things and then neglect everything you can control.

You can decide how you spend your time, whom you socialize with, whom you share your life, money and energy with.  You can choose to love and appreciate the people in your life for exactly who they are.

You can choose how you’re going to respond to surprises and disappointments when they arise, and whether you will see them as curses or opportunities for emotional growth…

And most importantly, you can choose to let go of control and adjust your attitude in an instant, which dictates pretty much everything else.

Thanks for reading.

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Its A Necessary Part Of The Process

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process

We can get impatient when it comes to Gods will for our lives. We want everything to work out on our timetable. The truth is, a great deal of time usually elapses between when God calls us and when we’ve fulfilled His will for our lives.

And until we accept that, we’re not ready to go anywhere.

We need to understand that the journey is an important part of the process. It matters to God what you become on the way to where you are going. And following Him in obedience through many unknown, trails, and difficulties is an integral and indispensable part of the preparation.

God uses the journey to teach you faith, refine your character, and equip you for greater challenges that lie ahead. In fact, if you’re in the process of seeking Gods will right now, you’re already fulfilling part of it in your life.

God said, ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the ways you should go.’

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because you don’t know all you’d like to, you’re not making progress.

Something is happening right now. Your faith is being stretched; your patience is being developed. Your doubts are being confronted and conquered, and your relationship with God is growing deeper. He always prepares us in advance for what He has planned for us.

Yes, the struggle is uncomfortable — but its a necessary part of the process.

 

Thank God for the way that He uses everything to transform you and deepen your relationship with Him.

How to Remove Your Problems?

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mountainsns

Jesus said: whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them’ (vv 23-24 NKJV).

Now, Jesus didn’t relocate any physical mountains during His ministry, so what was he talking about here?

The problems we face in life! And notice something important: He talked only once about our need for ‘faith’ — and three times about our need to ‘speak’ His Word. Why? Because if you don’t have enough faith to move your mouth and speak God’s word, you won’t have enough faith to move your mountain!

The bible says, ‘faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God’ (Romans 10:17 NKJV). Something wonderful happens when you verbalise Gods Word. Your ears listen to it, your mind is renewed, your focus is changed, and the thing that God responds to – faith – rises up within you.

And when you hold that position of faith, refuse to budge, and keep speaking God word, the mountain in your life starts to shift. As long as you keep saying what you think and feel in your natural mind, the mountain will keep standing like an immovable object.

But when you stand on God’s promise and declare, ‘I may not know how or when, but I know that you are coming down in the name of Jesus, ‘your mountain will move.

Enjoy your week.

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To Change Everything Simply Change Your Attitude

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Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” Philippians NKJV

Cheryl continually complained that she didn’t make enough money, couldn’t afford the things that she wanted, and therefore wasn’t going to amount to anything.

Her counsellor said, you’re wasting your energy complaining, instead of using it to get ahead. Cheryl countered, “You don’t understand. the job is the problem, not me.”

The counsellor said, “Your low-paying job may be a problem and your boss may demand to much, but when you’re continually upset, you’re causing yourself more harm than either your boss or your job.

Cheryl asked, “what can I do?” the counsellor said, you can’t control your boss or job, but you can control how you feel about them. Change your attitude. Cheryl took his advice.

When she stopped whining about her life, people noticed. She got a promotion, and with her new job statue she was more marketable.

Within a few months she was transferred to a position with higher pay and a more supportive boss. Good things happen for people with a good attitude. And your attitude is something that you can choose regardless of circumstances.

Paul wrote, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Where was Paul? In prison! Who was he writing to? People outside the prison! Why did he repeat himself and say? Again, I will say, rejoice? Because we forget and lapse back into negativity so quickly.

True joy is an inside job that’s not subject to people or outside situations. Jesus said, “These things have I spoken onto you, that you might be full.” (John 15:11 KJV)

Enjoy your weekend.