Brave~Hoda Kotb’s new inspiring video with Sara Bareilles and Cindi Lauper

28 September, 2014 by Leave a Comment

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I happened to catch The Today show this week and Hoda had a story that just made my heart melt. Cancer is very close to her heart since she’s dealt with it, so she decided she wanted to make a video to raise money and awareness for cancer. She had the idea to mix Cindi Lauper and Sara Bareilles that will make your heart melt. I just had to share it, so here it is:

If you’d like to donate to pediatric cancer research, you can go to Crowdrise.com/hoda. Having two friends whose children have pediatric cancer makes me realize just how close it is. It can happen to anyone, but even though they may be suffering now, Christ has already overcome the battle for them. The family I wrote about a few posts back illustrates that so well. They have taken every opportunity to let the light of Christ in spite of, through, and beyond cancer. God is always in control. We live in a sinful world, and sometimes we must suffer, but Jesus is right beside us holding our hand through every step of the way.

Josiah, the friend of Trevor’s who is battling leukemia (click here to read what I wrote of his story) and his family have been amazing how they have used his battle with leukemia to witness to those who don’t know Christ. They have been one of the bravest families I’ve seen struggling through this disease and give it to God at the same time.

[Tweet ” “So parents and children alike, where any disease is involved, we must be BRAVE.””](Feel free to tweet!)

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(This is a photo of Josiah’s friends with their orange bracelets on in support of Josiah. Printed on them is John 11:14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Handling Stress, Have an Eternal Perspective, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer, Worship Through Music Tagged With: , , , , , ,

When we wonder “Why?”

8 June, 2014 by 4 Comments

 

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In my last post, I wrote about a book I was reading called, “Fly a Little Higher” about a teenage boy diagnosed with a difficult type of cancer to cure—osteosarcoma. His mom wrote the book and even though Zach died, his mom’s prayers were answered. The death of her son through this cancer was for something much, much bigger. I also indicated that I hoped God never chooses to allow that opportunity for my children.

Then Friday night Miranda comes in and tells us that one of her best friend’s little brother, Josiah, has Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia—ALL is a common abbreviation and his is the T-cell type. Josiah is Trevor’s age, so this hits quite close to home. Josiah’s family is one of the most kind and Godly families I know. They truly radiate the light of Jesus. I couldn’t help but ask myself ,”Why?” As a mom, I can’t imagine what his mom, Lynette, is feeling right now. I’m sure Satan is doing his best to put doubt and fear into her heart, as well as those of her family. Why this family? Why Josiah? 

Tomorrow, the doctors will put in a port, begin chemo, and begin to decide how they will approach the bone marrow treatment. Josiah undoubtedly will have to endure some pain through this treatment, and his family will be right by his side going through it with him. Satan has chosen the wrong family to pick on. 

Satan’s going to fail. God will prevail.

Josiah has been on my mind since the minute Miranda told me about his diagnosis. She went to the hospital yesterday and said everyone is being very positive. Just what I would expect. Not to mention that yesterday was Josiah’s birthday. This post hasn’t been well thought out, or rewritten several times as I tend to do. It’s just straight from my heart.

We need an army of prayer warriors for Josiah. We don’t need to give Satan even an inkling that he might have any satisfaction through this diagnosis. Here’s a link to a Facebook page created to keep people updated on his condition and for the prayers needed: Pray for Josiah

This is a picture of Josiah with his brother, Ben, and his sisters, Brooke and Hannah. (Josiah is on the far right)

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God has a plan. We need to pray to keep Satan’s army suppressed and allow God’s perfect plan unfold before our eyes. Let’s watch as God destroys the cancer and Satan’s evil plans as well.

Please share this post and like Josiah’s Facebook page. In this case, Like = Prayer.

If you want more on why bad things happen to good people check out another recent post HERE.

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Filed Under: Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, God-Sized Dreams, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer

Beyond the horizon

9 May, 2014 by 2 Comments

may9rx

Why God chooses to heal some people and not to heal others is always a heated question. Especially when it comes to children. No parent should ever have to watch a child die, yet it happens every day.

I always think of a quote by a friend of mine when considering the gifts of my children. “God doesn’t give us children to make us better parents, he gives us children to make us better children.”  He gives us our children on loan to raise until he’s ready to bring them home to Him. But death seems so final. As humans we think of everything as having a beginning and an end. God has no beginning or end, and our lives, regardless of how long they are lived on earth, have no ending. We are eternal beings. Since we can’t actually “see” eternity though, death feels final.

During the seven years I was sick with seizures, depression, and addiction, I was ready for The End. Obviously, God wasn’t finished with me yet. He chose to heal me. My healing…somehow…is part of his bigger plan. The death of a child is also…somehow…part of his bigger plan. Honestly, I don’t even feel equipped to write about a loss so horrific, and I pray it’s not part of any bigger plan in my life.

When God healed me, part of His healing was to give me an eternal perspective. Although I’d been taught that our life on earth is nothing but a drop in the bucket of time as compared to eternity, I never really got it until God reached His all knowing hand down to me and pulled me from my pit of despair. As a result, I’ve shared my story—every fun little detail—in order to further His kingdom. I’m thankful He chose to teach me through me and not through one of my children. In this case, though unbeknownst to them, my children work daily to  make me a better child of God! (You know how people tell you never to pray for patience because God might just give you something to strengthen yours?)

I’m currently reading thebook, “Fly a Little Higher” by Laura Sobiech. She lost her teenage son to osteosarcoma…a very difficult form of cancer to defeat. While being in a Christian writer’s group, I’ve met numerous women who’ve lost children. The word that comes to mind first is “brave.” To survive, to live, to move forward seems as if it would be impossible after the loss of a child. Yet God has given all of these women a supernatural strength to move forward, sharing their stories to give us a little glimpse of Heaven, as their children are all waiting there with open arms. In no pain. Happy. Wrapped in the warm, never-ending light of Jesus.

When I was approached to participate in this blog tour, I was hesitant, because I wasn’t sure I had time to get the book read. Then I learned I didn’t have to have it all read, Thomas Nelson just wanted blog posts on topics similar and then somehow linked to the book. But I got the book a few days ago and began reading.

It hits a little too close to home.

Zach, the 9th grader who learns he has osteosarcoma reminds me a bit too much of my own 9th grader, Trevor. They both just happen to love their friends, playing frisbee, and the guitar. Before Zach died, he was able to record a few songs he has written, one of which was an answer to his mom’s prayer—for Zach’s death to be for something big. One of the songs Zach recorded is called “Clouds” Though I haven’t had a chance to finish the book yet, I see where Laura is going, and God took me to a similar place during my illness. She says, “Hope is something much bigger than anything physical we may desire. It is about raising our eyes from a point on the horizon to the heavens and into eternity.” Oh, how I get that! I’ve written numerous blog posts about having an eternal perspective. Honestly, we will all die. It’s just a matter of when. So it’s eternity I look toward. I will live out this life on earth as best as possible, but eternity in Heaven is my final destination. I’m sure Zach waiting to see all the lives he has touched, guitar in hand.

Set your eyes beyond the horizon and aim to fly a little higher.

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I dare you to get through THIS VIDEO without tears…and with a little more hope.

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This post is part of the Fly a Little Higher Blog Tour which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of bloggers raising awareness and giving hope to those with cancer. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE!

Fly a Little Higher is written by Laura Sobiech, the mother of Zach Sobiech. Laura spent the last three years walking the road of cancer with her teenage son, Zach, and blogging about their battle with the disease. Zach wrote the song “Clouds” which hit #1 on iTunes the same week he passed away in May 2013.

Grab your copy HERE.

A new video with Zach’s family and friends has just been released if you’d like to see how they are doing a year later. Just click HERE.

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Have an Eternal Perspective, Living with Purpose, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

“Where is God when bad things happen to good people?”

11 September, 2013 by 11 Comments

 sept11rx

We seem to be in a season of suffering. And we are especially sensitive today since it’s the anniversary of 9/11. It seems that bad things are happening to people all around us. Finances, divorce, drugs, death…and the list goes on and on. Just this week a friend of my daughter’s drowned at Lake Keowee trying to help another girl.

So the age-old question, once again, is asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Is God punishing us? Does he not care? Is he too busy for me?

The answer to all of those questions is unequivocally NO. God loves us beyond what we could ever imagine. We are his children.

…For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13: 5-6 NLT)

My friends Betsy and Bob (who I visited this summer) are missionaries in Prague, Czech Republic. So many people think, “Wow…what a great place to be a missionary. How hard can it be in comparison to Ethiopia or India or another third world country.” Believe me. It’s hard. I saw it first hand. Europe is not a third world country and most people in Europe don’t think they need God. Why would they when their lives are hunky-dory? So actually convincing people that having a relationship with God is a good thing—that it’s necessary—is very difficult. To even broach the subject requires months of developing a personal relationship with them. That’s love, people. And it takes a lot of it.

Here’s the thing. Our suffering increases our awareness of God’s presence.

Sometimes we need to emptied of our own resources and pride so we can rely on Him.

Does he cause our suffering? I don’t think so. But he does walk through it with us, whether we realize it or not. He will dwell with us through the pain.

And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? (Matthew 6:30 NLT)

Often when we are in the midst of a trial we may feel underserving of God’s love. It’s certainly not uncommon for our own sin to be the cause of our suffering. In my case, even though I ended up dependent and then addicted to a narcotic from a medical condition, the desperation shame was there, none the less. Even though I knew better, on a subconscious level, I pulled away from God because I felt underserving of His love…and His grace and mercy.

Nothing we can do can make us unworthy of God’s love. We may feel like He’s not there when we are suffering, when in fact, we are the ones pulling away from Him!

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1 ESV)

But why? Why have our sins separated us from God when He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins? When Jesus’s blood covers our sin? It’s us. What if we separate ourselves because we don’t feel worthy?

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; (Isaiah 59:1 ESV)

God loves you. No matter what. 

Don’t let the trickery of the enemy deceive you into believing you are not worthy. All of God’s children are worthy in His eyes. He didn’t send Jesus…His only son…for someone he didn’t love. He sent His son for you.

Let Him walk beside you during the hard times. Let his peace flow over you. I’m a believer in imagery. When I’m in the shower, I will often pray and imagine the water as the peace of God flowing down over my head. Crazy? Maybe. But it works.

And a final thought that brings it home for me is this: There is only ONE person in all of history that was perfect. That was Jesus himself. He walked and lived on this earth as a human for 33 years, not sinning even once. And what happened to this perfect human being? He suffered the most horrific death I could imagine…being nailed to a cross and left to die a slow, painful death in front of a crowd of people some cheering because He was being put to death, and some His faithful followers, crying tears of sadness. But what happened when this horrid thing happened to this perfect human? The world was saved. By God sending his son Jesus to willfully let the Romans and Jews hang him on the cross to die, He gave us the opportunity to have eternal life with Him in Heaven. He gave us…horrible sinners…a way out of this sinful world. What better example of what CAN happen when bad things happen to good people.

The Shower

Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

Never forget….

He loves you. He is with you. You are worthy. 

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Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God

Five-Minute Friday~ “Brave”

3 May, 2013 by 8 Comments

may3rx

Five minutes: Go

When I think of the word “Brave,” I think, “What does it take to be brave?”

Fear. Without fear, there would be no need for bravery. So it takes fear to be brave.

Courage. Without courage, it would be impossible to be brave. So it takes courage to be brave.

Then there’s that verse: If God is for us, who can be against us?  That verse that we hear so often, but it’s so hard to really believe…absorb…down deep to the core. But it really takes God to be brave.

Of course there are people against us. Sometimes, it seems like the whole world is against us. But when all is said and done, who is the One that really matters? Who is the One that we will spend eternity with in Heaven? Who is the One that created us for His pleasure?

So many things in this world require us to be brave.

  • Sending your child to college away for the first time
  • Watching your daddy die of cancer and your mom carry on without him
  • Announcing to the world that you have an addiction
  • Explaining to your child the process of having to put her beloved pet to sleep
  • Flying across the ocean in an airplane

And those are big things. Life…every single day…requires us to be brave.

But because we have the hope and power of an almighty God on our side, we really have nothing to fear.

Fear + Courage + God = Brave. Click HERE to tweet that Wink

Because if Him, we’ve got this!

 

Five minutes up: Stop.

(That one took more thought than usual…didn’t get too many words out in those 5 minutes!)

What does it take for  you to be brave?

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Linking up with Lisa Jo over at the Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday. Click on her button to check out some others thoughts on “Brave.”

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Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Five-Minute Friday

Dream God-Sized Dreams…”Dear Chihuahua of Fear…”

9 April, 2013 by 4 Comments

 

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I’m linking up today with Holly Gerth, author of “Dream God-Sized Dreams. Here’s the writing prompt to write this post:

“Fear hangs out right next to whatever it is you’re most called to do. That means the closer you get to your calling, the louder fear sounds. Keep going–fear is a chihuahua that sounds like a Doberman.” — You’re Made for a God-sized Dream, Chapter Five

It’s in letter format, and she wants us to begin with an odd phrase… (I’m really not fond of chihuahuas since they are the only breed of dog that’s ever bitten me, and I live with two great danes. But that’s too deep for me to even think about, so here goes)

God-Sized-Button

 

Dear Chihuahua of Fear,

I have some things I’d like to say to you. You are a pain in the rear. You are constantly “nipping” at me getting on my nerves, when I know that I’m doing exactly what I should be.

Sure, I became a pharmacist so I wouldn’t have to deal with little chihuahua’s nipping at my feet. I’d be protected behind that great big counter in the pharmacy. I’d have people to back me up. When all else failed, I’d have the big doberman boss to take care of me. But no. God had other plans. Apparently, little chihuahua, He wants me to face you…even if it required stooping down a little—a lot.

So  with the onset of grand-mal seizures, depression, and resulting prescription drug addiction, I found myself down on your level you little pest! For seven years, I felt about as low as you are. Maybe lower. No independence. No driving. Constant migraine headaches. Pills, pills, and more pills. Some necessary for my migraines and seizures, and some because I’d become addicted to the stupid stuff and would start never-ending vomiting if I stopped taking them. Uggghhh.

So finally, after I gave you a swift kick to the curb and prayed for God to show me his purpose in all of this (as opposed my prayer for healing or the rapture), He gave me an honest-to-goodness, overnight miracle. Yes-sir-ee. No more seizures, no more headaches, no more depression, no more pills, and best of all—no more desire or need for pills. So little chihuahua of fear, you were outa there.

Until…

God had to go and ask me to write and speak to share my story! So now I’m not only in front of the pharmacy counter, I’m in front of the world. The Internet world, the speaking world, the conference world, not to mention the world that would love to see me fall flat on my face back into addiction. Yes, believe it or not, they are out there.

I hate promoting myself, but what I must remember that I too often forget is I’m not promoting myself. I’m promoting God. I’m giving Him the glory. I’m writing for Him. I’m speaking (though very reluctantly) for Him.

So chihuahua, I’m much more afraid of you than I am dobermans, but it’s time I leave that fear completely behind and let God take over.

I recently heard Alex Kendrick speak. He is the actor/director in the movies Fireproof, Courageous, and Flywheel. He prayed for God to let his little church films be shown in like 40 churches. But look what God did. His films have been in theaters all over the country, on DVD, and have reached millions—even billions 0f people.

So I’m not putting any limits on my dream. It’s God-sized…God-initiated, God-constructed, and God-controlled. (You may tweet if you like…just click here)Wink

Get out of my way little chihuahua, God has me!

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Here’s a short interview with Alex Kendrick and how his dream became God-sized. It’s worth the watch. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose

Serving a Supernatural God in an Ordinary World—Is He Your Superhero?

25 September, 2012 by 10 Comments

 

For seven years I sought the help of medical doctors, psychologists, chiropractors, and other natural healers to cure me of grand-mal seizures, migraine headaches, depression, and opiate addiction. I hate the think about the thousands upon thousands of dollars I spent doing so.

All that time, I had a direct line to a Superhero. I kept relying on worldly resources when I really needed the Great Physician. The creator of the universe. The ultimate healer. The one who holds the answers to every question. The one who holds the master plan.

As is human nature, I looked for answers myself. I failed. As a Christian, I had direct access to the supernatural. Being born again give you access to the spiritual world. I mean think about it. “Born Again.” You certainly can’t be stuffed back into your mother’s uterus!

 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NLT)

Born again = Born from above.

I just had to get past myself to realize it. Which apparently took seven years, because apparently I’m fairly stubborn. Once I finally stopped looking inward, and began looking upward, asking God his plan, he healed me overnight. Exactly two years ago today.

On September 25, 2010, I woke up completely free.

Seizures? Gone.

Headaches? Gone.

Depression? Gone.

Addiction? Gone.

He reached his arm down into this ordinary world, and lifted me up to a supernatural place. Other than a few minor headaches, I can honestly say I’ve been completely free from seizures and all medication.

Happy Birthday to me!

Do you have a problem that is beyond your control? Release it to God. Seek out his plan. He can handle it. He’s THE SUPERHERO.

 

From my heart,

Celeste

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, Miracles Do Happen, Overcoming Addiction, The Power of Prayer, Uncategorized, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Freedom

7 June, 2012 by Leave a Comment
What does the word “freedom” mean to you? 
  •      You’ve just been released from prison? 
  •      You are finally out of that abusive relationship you’d been in? 
  •      You are free from the bonds of an addiction? 
  •      You’ve finally paid off those student loans from school? 
  •      You finally got out of your three year old daughter’s room that she locked you in            with the lock you put on the door to lock her in? (Yes, that really happened…but thank goodness not to me!) 
One of the worse traps people put themselves in from childhood to the grave, is worrying about what other people think. Someone once gave me some very good advice, and at the time I never realized how much I would cherish it. “What other people think of you is their problem, not yours.” 
There are hundreds of ways we feel trapped, and I want to share with you the way to freedom from everything. Twenty-one months ago, I was trapped. Once God freed me from a seven-year struggle with my health, he has shown me how to have freedom in everything. Now stick with me here, I’m not saying it is EASY, but once you get a taste of how sweet freedom in Christ is, you’ll never want to turn back. 
    
Freedom in forgiveness—In Matthew 18:21-22, God tells us to forgive those who have wronged us. How many times? Seventy times seven. When you can let go of a grudge…truly forgive the person who has wronged you and let God be their judge, you would be amazed at the weight lifted from your shoulders.
Then Peter came up and said to him,
 “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? 
As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him,
 “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.”
He also tells us in Mark 11:25, in order for God to forgive our sins, we must forgive those who have sinned against us. Now if that isn’t enough reason to forgive, I don’t know what is! 
And whenever you stand praying, forgive,
 if you have anything against anyone, 
so that your Father also who is in heaven 
may forgive you your trespasses. 
Freedom from worry—God tells us not to worry. By worrying about something does it do you any good? Does the situation change by worrying about it? No. Action may change it, but worry doesn’t. 
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin… (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)
Freedom from fear—Everyone is afraid of something. But just like worry, does fear really do us any good? An action that helps us with that fear is good, but the fear itself is in vain. In a previous blog (Life is good, Eternity is better) I shared a story about Jeff Strueker faced with a life and death situation during the gulf war. He could fear death, but instead he chose to look at it like this: If he died in battle, he would get to receive his award in heaven and begin his eternity with Jesus. If he survived, he would gain his reward here, go back home to his wife and continue God’s work. Win-win.  
For God gave us a spirit not of fear 
but of power and love and self-control. 
(2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)
 So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:26-33 ESV)
Fear of the Lord himself is the only fear that should drive our actions. He is our creator, our judge, and our savior, and is the only one who decides our eternity. 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; 
fools despise wisdom and instruction. 
(Proverbs 1:7 ESV)
In the prescribed verse of the day, God tells us that we will have troubles in this world. We know that. The part we need to remember so well is “I have overcome the world.” We get so easily caught up in our troubles of this world. And while we must deal with them accordingly, if we can remember that someday this world will be no more and look at the bigger picture, maybe our grudges, worries, and fears will be a little easier to let go. Freedom in Christ is an amazing way to live.
I have a little leather bracelet that helps me remember not to let my thoughts imprison me. Embossed in the leather are the simple words, “Change your thoughts and you will change your world.” 

Freedom. 
From my heart, 

Celeste
P.S. If you are a blogger and post a blog about freedom, be sure to enter to win a free blog design that Ashley and George are offering over at Tekeme Studios. Click here for the link 😉 Just by commenting on this blog post you’ll be entered for the drawing once! Just be sure and leave your e-mail address in the comment. (No spam, I promise!)
Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~What are you afraid of?

2 June, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There really is an app for everything. My kids were playing with my phone the other day asking me things like, “Do you know what Astrophobia is? Or what about Didaskaleinophobia? Katasaridaphobia?” They found an app that listed all known phobias. A smorgasbord of all of the crazy—and not so crazy—things people are afraid of. Did you know there are over 500 identified and named phobias? Here’s a small sample:

  • Astrophobia– Fear of stars or celestial space.
  • Katsaridaphobia– Fear of cockroaches (Who isn’t?).
  • Didaskaleinophobia– Fear of going to school (I had this one in 6th grade).
  • Amnesiphobia—Fear of amnesia (Wouldn’t you just forget you were afraid of it?).
  • Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia—Fear of the number “666.”
  • Mageirocophobia—Fear of cooking (This is a current one for me!).
  • Alektorophobia—Fear of chickens.
  • Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia—Fear of body odors.
  • Consecotaleophobia—Fear of chopsticks.
  • Vestiphobia—Fear of clothing. 
  • Disposophobia—Fear of hoarding (Now I NEED this one).
  • Gymnophobia or Nudophobia—Fear of nudity (I’m thinking the Gymnophogiac wouldn’t get along too well with the Vestiphobiac)
  • Asymmetriphobia—Fear of assymetrical things (If you ever saw the show “Monk,” you know it was one of his top fears). In fact….
Enjoy this clip from “Monk,” one of my faves 😉

Now some phobias are a little easier to understand: 

  • Thanatophobia—Fear of dying or death.
  • Ochophobia—Fear of being in a moving Automobile.
  • Ichthyophobia—Fear of fish (Miranda has this one).
  • Hadephobia, Stygiophobia or Stigiophobia—Fear of Hell.
  • Dementophobia or Maniaphobia—Fear of insanity. (I experienced this once when I had a drug interaction. I thought I was going to end up in a straight jacket staring at four white walls!)
  • Aviophobia or Aviatophobia or Pteromerhanophobia—Fear of flying. (I recently overcame this one!)
If you are fascinated, amazed, or just want to find the name of your phobia, they are ALL listed on The Phobia Index for your convenience 😉
I’m thinking there are a LOT of people scared of a LOT of things for there to actually be crazy names for this many fears. 
Why? 
If we say we believe in an almighty God, the creator of the earth and everything in it, can we not take him at his word? One of my life verses is John 16:33:
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart, I have overcome the world.
And in today’s prescription verse from Philippians, Paul (who experience trouble and persecution around every corner) tells us not to be anxious or afraid of anything. Just let God handle it. He has it all under control, even though it’s beyond our understanding.
That’s where our faith comes in. 
I know I have quite a few blogs about fear, but I didn’t realize the prison of fear I lived in until God showed me that He has it under control. I had to learn the hard way, and I’m hoping I can take what I learned and make things a little easier for someone else. 
So today’s {tip to a happier you} is to let go of fear. I realize that’s easier said than done. Just think of the song we sang in Sunday school when we were little…
It’s a good video, I promise…these guys must have created it? 
He’s got this! All of it! 
We just have to let Him have it…
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Plane Crashes, Drug Addiction, and Tomorrow

3 May, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Sitting here in tears. I just finished reading Heaven is Here, a memoir by Stephanie Nielson, author of the blog, NieNie Dialogues.
In my last post, I told you I’d share a funny story about our flight to Florida last week—the one where I overcame my eighteen-year-old fear of getting on an airplane with my hubby while leaving our kids at home. 
Since I am attempting to write a book and actually get it published, I’m doing a great deal of reading memoirs. While at Wal-Mart doing some last minute shopping for my trip, I noticed a new book on the shelf: 



I made the cover of the book really big for you to see…it is a memoir of inspiration and hope. Not unlike the message I am conveying in my book. So I bought it. 

I was feeling pretty good about our trip. We gave the kids a loving, “so long” as we dropped them off at school, and off to the airport we went. We boarded the plane; I said my trusty trust prayer: 

“God, I’m putting my trust in you today. 
No matter what happens, good or bad, I know you have it under control,
 and it’s all part of your plan to create an eternity beyond my wildest dreams.”

…And off we went. 
There was quite a bit of turbulence, so I pulled out my new book to keep my mind occupied. There really should have been a little more information on the cover of this book, or maybe I should have turned it over to read the back. Here’s how the book starts: 

 

 

A voice whispered, “Roll.”          

I fell to the ground and crushed the brilliant flames that licked at my clothes, my skin, my hair. The mangled wreck of our airplane blazed nearby. 

Really God? Of all the books I had to bring with me to read it had to be a memoir about a horrific plane crash? And she had gotten on a plane with her husband and left her four kids at home. Literally, my biggest fear. 
But, as all great writers do, Stephanie Nielson had me hooked with the first sentence. So I kept reading. I couldn’t put it down until I knew that she would be okay. I realize since it’s a memoir, and she actually wrote it, that she is alive and well today, but I had to hear it from her. Life has been crazy since we returned from our trip, so I just got a chance to read the Epilogue, and I think she has convinced me to take my book in a different direction. 
My story, a seemingly perfect life as a wife, mother, and pharmacist turned up side down by grand-mal seizures and depression, my desperate search to cure myself, and ultimate realization that God is the ultimate healer, is a book in itself.

And it was originally what I’d planned to write.

As you know, prescription drug addiction plowed uninvited into my life and turned a snowstorm into an avalanche. God had to really work on me a while on the whole “transparency” thing for me to be able to make addiction part of my story. Some of my closest friends didn’t know I was dealing with addiction until recently. And I don’t know if I’ll ever work as a pharmacist again. What pharmacy would hire me?

But God didn’t tell me to worry about my future. He told me to be transparent right now. 
In writing about addiction, I thought my job was to draw people in with my story and finish the book with the miracle God gave me. I hoped to appeal to a secular audience, so I have not written much about God’s part in my life before he healed me in 2010. But God has always been a huge part of my life, even though I didn’t realize it. He has always pursued me; I just had not always pursued Him back. My life was perfect. 

It’s hard to realize that you need God when everything is hunky-dory. 
In Heaven is Here, Stephanie tells of her life before her accident, during her immediate recovery in the hospital, and life after she returned home. God was a part of Stephanie’s whole story, and through the heart changes He walked through with her, her relationship with Him was deepened to a whole new level. 
So in my book—and my blog—I hope to share on a more personal level. It’s easy to share the lessons I learned on this journey, and I will continue to do so. But I hope to share more of myself with you. 
I think Satan loves to get in our heads and tell us,” People don’t really care about that. Why do they want to know about you? You’re not famous, just an everyday person. People will just laugh at you.” 
Stephanie Nielson was just an everyday person who had to overcome extraordinary circumstances. She writes that she never would have survived without God. I’ve never had to survive a plane crash (thank goodness), but I learned so much from her journey…only because I got to know her personally through her book. If I’d simply read a newspaper article highlighting the details of her accident and recovery, I’d have learned nothing of her heart and her relationship with God. And it was God that saved her…completely. 
Prescription drug addiction is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States. In 2010, enough painkillers were prescribed to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for an entire month. Although most prescriptions are deemed necessary for medical use, many end up in the hands of people who misuse or abuse them. In 2010, about 12 million Americans over the age of twelve reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers in the past year.
There are a plethora of self-help books out there on addiction. There are tons of memoirs about drug abuse—mostly by famous people addicted to illegal drugs. But prescription drugs are legal. Prescribed by doctors every day. To Christians who would never dream of misusing or abusing prescription drugs. Until they are addicted, that is. 
It won’t be pleasant digging up emotions that I’d really rather leave in the past or the constant struggle going on in my brain the entire time I struggled with addiction. But I want people to be able to read what I write and know me—like I know Stephanie now.

It will be hard to write; but today, I’m writing this post. 

Tomorrow will take care of itself.


From my heart,

Celeste

Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, Making Changes, Overcoming Addiction Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Road to a Flawless Experience

2 May, 2012 by 2 Comments

When we must endure hard times in our lives, it’s usually impossible to envision what good could possibly come of it. If you regularly read my blog, you may have read a recent post on Blind Trust.

Believing in God is easy. Putting our complete trust in Him is not. 

In today’s prescription verse above, Paul tells us how our trials and struggles actually make us better. 

You couldn’t say anything Paul didn’t have a comeback for: 

People: “You know preaching about this Jesus is going to get you killed. “
Paul: “To die is gain.”

People: “Okay, then we’ll let you live.”
Paul: “To live is Christ.”

People: “Then we are going to torture you.”
Paul: “I don’t compare my current sufferings to future glory.”

People: “We will put you in prison.”
Paul: “Then I’ll bring a hymnal and sing songs and convert all your guards.”

Here are a few of the “minor” ways Paul suffered for the sake of Christ: 

2 Corinthians 11:24-28~He received thirty nine lashes on his back for the sake of the gospel.
He was beaten with rods three times for the sake of the gospel.
He was stoned one time for the sake of the gospel (He was not HIGH on rocks. He was HIT with rocks! A group usually did this in the old days!)
He was shipwrecked three times in travels for the sake of the gospel.
He was thrown in the belly of a ship for a day and a night, (the deep), for the sake of the gospel.
He had many dangerous trips, (among highwaymen and robbers), for the sake of the gospel.
He had to travel through dangerous rivers for the sake of the gospel.
He was often in danger from his own people for the sake of the gospel.
He was in danger from Gentiles for the sake of the gospel.
He was in dangers in the city for the sake of the gospel.
He was in dangers in the wilderness for the sake of the gospel.
He was in danger from false Christians for the sake of the gospel.
He suffered toil and hardship for the sake of the gospel.
He spent sleepless nights for the gospel.
He was hungry and thirsty for the sake of the gospel.
He was in fasting often for the sake of the gospel.
He was in cold and nakedness for the sake of the gospel.
In addition to all of the above, as an Apostle, he had the worry of all of the churches daily on him for the sake of the gospel.
And yet he still trusted. He knew that all of the persecution he faced would be worth the day he would encounter Jesus and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  

David and I went to Florida last week. Yes, I overcame My Irrational Fear and actually flew on the same airplane as David…leaving our kids behind at home (I’ll share a story later this week about our flight—God definitely has a sense of humor). We stayed at a fabulous resort in Orlando where his convention was being held and we came upon this sign as we were exploring the hotel: 



I couldn’t help but apply that to life. 


Just like Paul, we are always under construction. God uses every situation to make us better…if we let Him. 


As we travel life’s highway, we need to remember there will always be construction paving our way to a flawless experience in Heaven! 

From my heart, 

Celeste


Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sometimes You Just Have to Suffer

5 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like God has left you or forgotten about you? Do you think Jesus thought His father forgot Him? 

Jesus did not want to endure the pain and agony of the cross. But He knew that His crucifixion must take place for God’s plan to be carried out. 
God never left Jesus during His suffering. When Jesus hung on the cross at the very end of his life, He separated Himself from God when he sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. He became sin, and where there is sin, there is not God. But at the moment Jesus gave up His spirit, He bridged the gap… 





…between sin and God—between us and God. God’s plan was that of a Divine Conspiracy and Jesus knew His suffering would end with the greatest miracle ever on earth. And it was his death and resurrection that would bring the gift of salvation and eternal life to mankind. 


Jesus was God’s son. God didn’t enjoy seeing His son in pain, but He knew the extreme measures that must be taken to wash away our sin—to purify the corrupted heart of man. After all, he did create us. 

Haven’t we all known someone—or been that someone—who had to hit rock bottom before he/she saw the light and decided to make changes? 
I look back at my seven years of hell and am amazed at all that I learned during that miserable existence. God taught me things I couldn’t even see at the time. And though there were many moments I wished I could cease to exist, I wouldn’t trade them for anything now that I see what God was teaching me. I’m guessing Jesus felt the same.
We are God’s children. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus. No one wants to endure hardship and pain, but God has a plan, and just as Jesus’s pain was necessary for the salvation of man, we must endure trials in order to carry out God’s plan for us.
Your pain and suffering could just be the best thing to ever happen to you. 

It was for me. 
From my heart,
Celeste 
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

My Irrational Fear

21 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later. I have to face my own irrational fear. 

God showed me his almighty power on September 25, 2010, in no uncertain terms. I know he has a plan. I know he is in control. 

I know it, I know it, I know it.
But…I don’t fly on the same airplane as my hubby if the kids aren’t along for the trip. I mean, if we all die together that’s one thing; or if one if us dies, they will still have the other. But when we are travelling together…. you get the picture.
In my head I know it’s irrational to fly on separate planes. Not to mention inconvenient.
If it were in God’s plan—for whatever reason—to take us at that particular time, our planes would crash into each other. Right?  I actually cancelled a free trip to Lake Tahoe one time because I was having a panic attack about flying on the same plane. Crazy!
So I knew it was bound to happen. David wants me to go with him to a conference in Florida next month. There’s no way the kids can go, and there’s really not an option to fly separately. But this time, I didn’t look for that option.
It’s time I let that fear go.
I trust God. I have faith in God. I know He has a plan. I know He’s in control.
It could not be any clearer than in today’s prescription verse:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.
Do you have an irrational fear?
From my heart,
Celeste

 

Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith Tagged With: , , ,

The only physician who can save your life

23 February, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This week I’ve been focusing on faith. If you didn’t read Saturday’s “Tip to a Happier You,” click here. 

I’m currently reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp…which will go at the top of my “Books that will change your life” list. She contemplates Luke 17: 15-19, where there seems to be some inconsistency in the scripture:
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Yes, thankfulness, I know. Next verse.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Wait. I trace back. Hadn’t Jesus already completely healed him? Exactly like the other nine who were cured who hadn’t bothered to return and thank Him. So what does Jesus mean, “Your faith has made you well”? Had I under interpreted this passage, missed some hidden mystery? I slow down and dig. I read Jesus’ words in Young’s Literal Translation, “And [Jesus] said to him, ‘Having risen, be going on, they faith has saved thee.’” Saved thee? I dig deeper. It’s sozo as being made “well” or “whole,” but it’s literal meaning, I read it—“to save.” Sozo means salvation. It means true wellness, complete wholeness. To live sozo is to live the full life. Jesus came that we might live life to the full; He came to give us sozo. And when did the leper receive sozo—the saving to the full, whole life? When he returned and gave thanks. I lay down my pen.
Do you see? This says everything about why I created Celestial Prescriptions. God is our great physician and is the only one who can truly save your life—your whole life.
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Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Have an Eternal Perspective, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , ,