Bless Your Heart

Pamela Christian had been working in ministry for more than ten years when she died and was revived through defibrillation. Now, with her Bless Your Heart Campaign, she devotes her life to increasing awareness, seeking to save not only physical lives, but spiritual lives too. I asked her to share this health UPGRADE.

"You could literally save a life simply by being aware," Pamela says.

When I first read about Pamela's campaign, I wondered whether I could ever help save a woman's life, but awareness is a great start. “Helping women everywhere become aware,” is the slogan for Pamela’s campaign and an excellent consideration for each of us.

Pamela continues…

In 2002, I joined three women for the first time to play tennis. I wanted to play well so they’d invite me back. As a result, I was very nervous, or so I thought. While warming up, my symptoms worsened. It became apparent that my condition was far more serious than nerves.

After a series of events, a call was made to 9-1-1. Six minute and twenty-one seconds afterwards the EMT’s arrived and began administering advanced life support. I heard the Paramedic announce that he’d inject fifty cc’s of lidocaine, not once but twice, in an effort to get my heart regulated.

The upper and lower chambers of my heart were beating out of sync. The EKG showed my heart beating around 300 beats per minute. A person my size, at full exertion, playing tennis on a good day, should have a maximum heart rate of about 190 beats per minute. After, my heart went into Ventricular Fibrillation, it then stopped. I flat-lined.

I was dead for about one full minute or more, during which time my soul and spirit entered a different dimension—one no human words can describe. I refer to it as the threshold of heaven.

I knew I was in the center of God’s sovereign care.

There was a white light off in the distance but it didn’t beckon me. I was aware that I was a wife and mother and that I was not able to be with my family, but I knew they were also in God’s sovereign care.

The EMT’s cut my clothing, then using the “zappers,” two-hundred joules of power surged through my body. I could feel myself being drawn back and I heard my name being called. “Pam, Pam, are you with us? Pam come back.”

I felt my soul and spirit returning, and in all honesty, I was utterly agitated that I was brought back. It’s an amazing story that can be heard in part on my web site. [Read it ... it's wonderful! - Dawn]

What I suffered is called sudden cardiac arrest. Until recently it was called sudden cardiac death, because no one survived. A victim’s chances of survival are reduced by seven to ten percent with every minute of delay until defibrillation. Now, with the greater accessibility to defibrillators about five percent of witnessed victims survive.

Here’s what you can do to help save lives:

• Encourage the women you love to care for themselves. Completing a Heart Disease Risk Assessment and getting a copy of Bless Your Heart, Your Health, Your Life! A Lifestyle Plan that Puts You in Charge are two good first steps.
• Learn how to use defibrillators. Today most public places have defibrillation kits easily accessible. Very literally, you could save a life.
• According to 2 Timothy 4:2, be ready in season and out, to share the hope of Christ. Consider getting Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies, to help you confidently share the Gospel, available through my site, in book stores or online.

Which of these awareness steps could help you during a heart-crisis event? Do you know how to use a defibrillator?

If you didn't read Pam's whole story about that eventful day, here's your second chance!

For over twenty years, Pamela Christian, “the Faith Doctor,” has compassionately helped people discover and live in life-giving truth. Teaching, as a keynote speaker, radio talk-show host and apologist (Biola University), Pamela uniquely helps people embrace confident faith and the eternal hope it provides.

How to Trade Away Your Fears

Author Rebecca Barlow Jordan loves to paint encouragement on the hearts of others; and in her Day-votions® book series by Zondervan—Day-votions® for Women, Day-votions® for Mothers, and Day-votions® for Grandmothers—that’s exactly what she does. In this UPGRADE Your Attitudes post, she encourages women by showing them how to trade away their fears.

“One of the most prevalent areas where women need encouragement is with fears,” says Rebecca: “Will my marriage fail? Will disaster befall my family? Can I really parent my children successfully? How can we ever meet our growing financial needs?" 

When I was a young girl, I (Dawn) struggled with fear. I thought my fears would leave after I got married. But they didn't. It wasn't a matter of growing out of my fears, but rather, of growing up into Christ.

Rebecca continues…

Fear is no respecter of age or season of life. As women, we’re challenged with fears daily.

 The reality is that some of those things could happen to any of us. Our world is changing daily. Instead of living in fear, I’ve learned—and am still learning—to choose another option.

A fear that used to plague me was that somehow I would reach the end of my life and not accomplish all God wanted me to. Then one day I read a familiar Bible verse in a new light: And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6, NLT).

I discovered that it was God who began the “good’ work in me, God who would continue it, and it was God who would finish that work, regardless of my fears.

When?

On the day Christ Jesus returns.  

Long after my life has ended—if I die before Christ comes back—the work God began in me will keep on going.

Yes, that means my salvation, but also everything God envisioned for my life. I can trust Him to finish it. He’s faithful!That’s when I decided to trade away my fear.

Here are some steps that might help you to do the same:

1. List your actual fears on a sheet of paper: every phobia or nagging fear that tries to steal your joy.

2. Confess those fears to God. You may even want to do a Scripture search to find a “faith-filled” Bible verse to place beside each of those fears, or several verses that remind you not to fear, like Isaiah 41:10, NIV: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Keep your list handy, and refer to those verses often, each time a new fear arises.

3. List times in the past when God helped you through a fearful situation, times when you can honestly say, “God was faithful to bring me through that.” You might even do you own Scripture search regarding the “faithfulness” of God.

4. Instead of focusing on your fears, trade away your fears for God’s faithfulness. He is trustworthy! Tell God you are trading away your fears, and invite His help to do so.

I love these encouraging words from the Psalms about God’s faithfulness: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart (Psalm 91:4, NIV).

What are your greatest fears? Will God’s faithfulness reduce your fear? Only you can answer that. He will if you let Him.

I do know this. There is no end to His faithfulness: For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies (Psalm 108:4, NIV).

Rebecca Barlow Jordan is the author of 11 books, including the Day-votions® women’s series, and 40 Days in God’s Presence. She has also written over 2000 articles, devotions, and greeting cards and writes an encouraging weekly blog. As a minister’s wife she lives in East Texas and has two grown children and four grandchildren. Find out more about Rebecca at rebeccabarlowjordan.com.

Rebecca adapted this article for UPGRADE with Dawn from her previous post. 

Living in the Light: The No-Fear Zone

Quirky humor and deep wisdom—that's Rhonda Rhea. One of her books, How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person? helps women live in God's light. In this humorous post, she encourages us to move out of the darkness of our fears.

“I don’t care what anyone says, I never laugh in the face of danger,” Rhonda said. “But sometimes, when danger isn’t looking, I point and make faces and call it a big stupidhead. Of course, then if danger looks over, I look down and pretend I’ve been picking lint off my jacket the whole time.”

Oh Rhonda ... I don't think I've ever called danger "a big stupidhead," but I will from now on!

Rhonda continues …

I decided early in life it might be wise to give a respectable deference to danger and fear, at least to their faces. I guess it’s partly because when I was a kid, Bozo the Clown used to sit in a dark corner of my room every night and brood creepishly. It was always in the same corner. Then in the morning he’d be gone and there would be a floor lamp there instead. Eerie.

Since I obviously know my way around the fear topic, here’s my helpful tip of the day: 

If you’re panicking, try taking deep breaths. Unless you’re panicking because you’re drowning. Because then you’re definitely going to need a whole different tack.

On the more serious side, though, isn’t it glorious that as we breathe in the presence of the God of light, we see our fears fade?

When the angel came to the shepherds to announce the birth of the Messiah, the glory-light must’ve been shocking. “The glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.” (Luke 2:9, NKJV) But the angel’s first words to the shepherds were, “Do not be afraid” (verse 10, NKJV). No need to fear! In fact, the angel brought the good news that the birth of the Messiah was ushering in our salvation.

Has there ever been a greater reason for rejoicing? And that’s just what happened. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” (verse 13, NKJV) What a sound and light show that must’ve been! But the shepherds didn’t stay frozen in fear. No, they got up and hurried off to find the Christ.

That angel chorus wasn’t the only Jesus-welcoming light party. When the wise men sought the Messiah, they were led by God’s magnificent starlight. “And there it was—the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshipped Him.” (Matthew 2:9-11, HCSB)

Light can lead us to that place of worship. Worship is the exhale as we breathe in His light.

Ever scared of the dark? When we get those dark fears out of the way, we’re free to worship and praise—the perfect response as we encounter the Lord of light.

Fear can be devastatingly powerful. It can rear its ugly head at the most inopportune moments. And when it arrives, it all but takes over our thoughts. It’s tough to think of anything else when fear makes its way into our gray matter.

In Psalm 27:1, David reminds himself of the God who chases away fear: “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom should I fear?” (HCSB) Fear may be powerful, but it’s nothing compared to our God.

Bozo? You got nuthin’.

When do your worst fears arise? When they surface, ask God to help you focus on scripture truth about God and His presence, and on Jesus, the One who conquers our fears.

Rhonda Rhea is a radio personality, speaker and the author of 12 books, including Espresso Your Faith and the newest, Join the Insanity: Crazy-Fun Life in the Pastors’ Wives Club. Along with her daughters, she hosts the weekly TV show, “That’s My Mom” on Christian Television Network. Rhonda and her daughter, Kaley Faith Rhea, have their first co-authored novel releasing in 2014 with the second soon following. She lives in the St. Louis area and is a pastor’s wife and the mother of five practically-out-of-the-house children.

The Things Challenge

When I saw a motivating article by Kathi Lipp about about cutting back on clutter in 2014, I knew I had to have her share an Upgrade Your Organization post.

“I feel like I’m drowning in stuff!”

Oh yeah … I’ve been there. And I know a lot of women who are going down for the third time, overtaken by their affluence—all their "stuff." But we can all simplify, pare down, make wiser purchases, get our things in order and, in the process, glorify God. It’s part of the “whatever” found in Colossians 3:17.

Kathi has some good advice to help us know what to keep and what to eliminate.

She continues …

"Drowning in stuff." This is a sentiment I hear over and over again when I talk to women about their homes. And there has been a lot of talking going on in my corner of the web since we launched the 2014 Things Challenge where we ask readers to get rid of 2014 things in 2014.

The challenge part? Not having too much stuff—it’s deciding what’s worth keeping and what’s worth living without.

“Clutter is postponed decision making,” says Barbara Hemphill of The Paper Tiger Institute.

Many people want to hang on to items that they no longer need or love, but never deal with the reasoning behind their choices.

If you fall into this large category, it might be because you have memories attached to that item or you think you might use it in the future.

When you are unsure of what to do, it feels easier to keep everything and avoid making a difficult decision that might save space or mental energy. You can end up with a whole room full of “Things I Might Need to Save.”

Want to avoid being continually buried in a pile of “But I might need it some day!”? Here are four tips to guide you in the decision making process:

1. If you love it and use it, KEEP IT.

This one is easy. If you have sweet memories that you enjoy thinking about when you use the object and you actually use it, this is an item that you will want to save.

That pasta maker that you have used once since you got married? (And even then, you got mad the whole time because the noodles turned into mush?) You get rid of it, which brings us to the second tip:

2. If you don’t love it and don’t use it, TRASH IT.

Although this seems to be the easiest category to deal with, it is sometimes that hardest. Let’s talk about the potholder your aunt gave you. You never use it, and you don’t want to, but you feel guilty giving it away? Ask yourself if it makes your space a happier place to be. If not, you can just let it go.

3. If you don’t love it, but use it, WAIT.

Ask yourself, why you are still using it? Is it something that you are just using until you get something that you like better? Maybe the one you would like is one that is too expensive right now. Have a goal in mind to replace it, and when you do, give this one away!

4. If you don’t use it, but love it, GRAB A FRIEND TO HELP.

It helps to have someone to process why you love something and if it is something that you will really love down the line. Memories can be strong reasons to save things, but if you do not even have the space to display them properly, you are not honoring the memories because the items get smashed, trashed and put aside.

These tips will help to get rid of your things you do not want, but save the ones that really make you happy.

What are some creative ways you use to display things you love?

Kathi Lipp is the author of eight books including The Husband Project, The Get Yourself Organized Project, and Praying God’s Word for Your Life, and she speaks at conferences across the US. Find out more at kathilipp.com.

9 Ways to Cultivate 'Lifetime' Married Love - Part 2

Today is Valentine's Day ... and I thank God for my "Valentine," my husband Bob. We've chosen for nearly 40 years to love each other through all the circumstances of this life, and our marriage has blessed us as we seek to honor God.

In part one of this post, I listed four characteristics of a "Lifetime" Love and encouraged readers to study some "Lifetime" marriages they know ... and their own marriages. Here are the first four points:

1. God is first
2. Giving 100%
3. Growth/ability to adapt
4. Granting freedom to fail

Let me continue ...

5. Good will: The sweetest marriages I've observed are those where partners offer each other their good will - kindness, graciousness, positive reinforcement and encouragement.

We all have "bad days" and meltdowns eventually. A Lifetime Marriage understands a partner cannot be perfect and reaches out with a gracious, encouraging spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:11), with the goal of building the marriage, not allowing the enemy or selfishness to tear it down.

6. Good times: Every marriage has its share of tough times. Financial struggles. Health issues. Problems with kids. Spats over little things that, in retrospect, didn't matter much.

A wise married couple will plan for plenty of good times, occasions to celebrate, opportunities to relax together (sexually and otherwise) and to simply play. These are way to bring some healing joy into the relationship.

(Read Song of Solomon and think about the joy and playful anticipation this couple enjoyed!) Don't lose the joy of your relationship!

7. Gratitude: When we're "used to" someone, we tend to take that person for granted. This can be a relationship killer.

Colossians 3:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 encourage gratitude in every part of life and all circumstances. There are many opportunities in marriage. Practice sincere gratitude; look for ways to appreciate your spouse or say a simple, heartfelt "thank you."

8. Guidance without Judging: It's been said we should not offer unsolicited advice. That's true in most relationships, but in this "oneness" partnership, a wise spouse can learn how to challenge unbiblical or ungodly thinking and encourage a biblical perspective. Preachiness isn't welcome. Neither is nagging.

Helpful tip:  Guidance in marriage is a sometimes a matter of speaking truth in meekness and love to help our partner "sharpen" his life or to "lift" him out of error (Proverbs 27:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10); but be careful - other times it's wiser to overlook a fault (Proverbs 19:11). Many women find it helpful to ask "discernment" questions to help a partner consider behavior patterns or needed actions on their own. The Spirit of God can use our motivating (not manipulative) questions.

It's not about judging our partner. Before you share a word of "guidance," read I Corinthians 13:4-8a and examine your own heart. 

Want to be a help to your partner? Be ready with practical assistance, especially after you've offered biblical counsel. God may use you to encourage your partner's growth, but He may also want you to come alongside to assist. But never pressure your partner to change. It's God's work to renovate hearts.

And I think the most successful Christian marriages have another element ... and it's a characteristic for all Christians.

9. Glory to God: The couple realizes the marriage is more than "about us." It's about Him! (1 Corinthians 10:31) It's about God's design ... His purposes ... His glory.

What about your own marriage? Is there a new or stronger "Love Choice" you can make, starting today?

[Note to Christians in marriages of 30+ years ... are there other tips that have helped your marriage last for a lifetime? Please share them in the comments.]

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. In these ministries and as President of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego), Dawn encourages, edifies and energizes women with  scripture so they can better enjoy life, bless others and honor God. Dawn and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons and three granddaughters.

Married couple Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net - adapted.