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What fills your heart today—confidence or fear?

14 Sep

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Fear

Admit it. We all do crazy things. Bizarre things, really.

I’m sharing mine. A while back, I attended a conference. A friend jokingly asked, “Do you want to drive?

“Yes,” I said with a grin.

“Are you sure?”

“No,” I said, “the question is: are YOU sure you want me to drive your car?”

“Why not,”.

I slipped behind the wheel. “Okay, here we go.” I turned the key to the ignition, and changed gears as she gave me verbal instructions.

Being completely blind, driving a car had remained but a dream. But not anymore.

There I was, gripping  the steering wheel, feeling a bit in control, I listened to my friend. “Keep it straight now, a little to the left, now to the

Right just a bit, not much.”

Oh what Fun! Maybe you’re thinking, “How foolish.”  Perhaps I agree or perhaps not.

The reason I was able to drive her car was because she was with me sitting on the passenger’s seat. I trusted in her ability to give me instructions. I trusted in her direction and her wisdom to tell me what to do, where to turn and when to slow down.

Sometimes we’re all blind in one way or another. We take the steering wheel of life and head forward. Thinking we’re in control, bumps of adversity  catch us off guard. Then when the road gets really rough, fear  robs our confidence.

Conversely, we have the confidence to do anything at all if we know God is by our side.  We’re certain He’s guiding us,  pointing to the next spot in His plans. Reminding of His purpose for our lives. Repeating that He goes before us. Whispering He will guide us over bumps. Talking us through the dangerous curves and reassuring that He will not let us crash.

How about you? Instead of taking the wheel and pressing the gas of human wisdom, are you  listening to His divine directions? He might be asking you to slow down, to keep it straight, to take a detour. To make a sharp U-turn. Or even stop and pause to breathe in His Word.

Breathe in because “…God has said, “never will I leave you…never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”(Hebrews 13:5-6).

What fills your heart today—confidence or fear?

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Three Ways to Exchange Fear for Faith

7 Sep

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Fear

The other day while my fingers danced on my keyboard, suddenly something happened. My muscles tightened. “Cindi, don’t know what’s wrong,” I wrote to my friend and ministry partner. “I’m stuck, really stuck. My computer says there’s no room on the disk and I’m out of memory.”

Even from far away, she resolved the crisis. “Sometimes,” she wrote gently, “this can happen when you have too many windows open.”

Duh! That’s exactly what happened. I, the queen of multi-tasking, had so many windows open at once that a mighty draft was probably blowing my way.

Why do we do that? It’s insane. We open windows in life too—our kids do something off-the-wall for the umpteenth time, we open the window of worry. When will they ever learn! Money problems don’t let up, so we open the window of anxiety. The doctor’s office leaves a message, “We found something abnormal in the test.” We open the window of fear. Our spouse still won’t understand us; we fling open the window of anger.

Then our life gets stuck, no more memory of joy. The files where peace was stored can’t be accessed. And the folder of security is empty.

Frustration led me to find a 3-step solution:

• Take a deep breath, look up. The God of the universe is watching. He’s listening and ready to point to the solution.

• Pull emotionally away from all those open windows.

• Inhale His comfort, repeat His promise and know that, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will bring me safely through them” (Psalm 138:7, The LB-Paraphrased).

Father, in the midst of fear that fuels my stress, how comforting it is to know that you, with your mighty power, will bring me safely through all those stages. Teach me to trust in you, in your timing and in your ways, as you show me how to purposefully close each window of adversity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Four Keys to Stop Worrying

31 Aug

Walking by faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Janet Perez Eckles

Hubby and I were enjoying a nice lunch at a local restaurant the other day. And as I munched on my salad, I noticed a taste of pasta.

“Hmm…” I thought. I don’t remember noodles being part of the oriental salad I ordered.

I made a comment. And that’s when hubby admitted. Without me knowing (advantages of having a blind wife) he scooped a portion of his dish onto my salad. I smiled because the blend of flavors was pretty tasty.

Did that ever happen to you? You’re going through life, enjoying pleasant events. When, without you realizing it, someone has dumped something you never expected. It happens to most of us. The only thing is that often, unlike tasty pasta, what was added tastes awful.

I’m talking about stuff the world adds to our day—fear, anxiety, stress. But the most common one is worry. I can almost guarantee that as you’re reading this, in the back of your mind, worry has come in. That pesky habit of worrying about something, about someone…until you cannot enjoy the salad of life anymore. That’s when emotional indigestion sets in.

Good news: seated across the table and observing as we go through our plate of tasks, goals and dreams, Jesus sees how the enemy slips worry on our plate.

According to Him, in Matthew 6, He tells it like it is regarding distasteful worry:

• Carve out all kinds of worry, big and small: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body…”

• Consider a more sound perspective: “Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

• Count on His provision: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

• Claim your value: “Are you not much more valuable than they [the birds in the air]?”

• Create a new motto—Jesus’ motto: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Father, I confess, worry comes in as an intruder that often robs my joy. I shall embrace your instruction not to worry. It doesn’t belong in my heart where you reside, where you rule and where you placed your peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

• What has you worried today?

• What promise in God’s Word speaks to your heart?

• How can you conquer worry?

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The Choice That Set Us Free

17 Aug

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Janet Eckles Perez

 

“Turn that off,” I finally said to my husband as I walked in the TV room.

The nightly news blared yet another angle of the George Zimmerman case. The sad details stirred painful memories of our own trial—the prosecution of the man who killed our 19 year-old-son 10 years ago here in Florida. The man who stabbed him 23 times pled self-defense and the verdict also declared: not guilty of all counts.

The rage, the injustice and the protest that has been dominating the media were familiar to us. But more importantly, the details remind us of the decision my husband and I made back then. After nights of diligent prayer for strength. After pleading God for comfort. And after claiming the victory He would bring, we made the choice. The decision to forgive the killer.

The process wasn’t easy, nor the task simple. We chose to forgive because God had instructed us to do so. Were we such good Christians that we would obey? Not really. But we were desperate to be set free from anger or resentment that could’ve held us prisoners.

God said to forgive. But he also said without Him we can do nothing. He said not seek vengeance. But He also said Vengeance belongs to Him. He said to find joy in Him. But He also said to have a heart free of malice.

We found the peace that goes beyond all understanding. We learned firsthand the freedom that forgiveness brings. We found that tragedy happens, evil abounds, but triumph through the power of God is possible.

Writing about this episode is not easy. But the price Jesus paid for murderers wasn’t easy either.

Media hosts have asked me during interviews: What words would you say to the mother of a victim to murder?

I would say three things:

*Seek God’s help for the grieving process. Although it’s impossible to overcome the pain without His help, the journey is different for everyone.

*Be careful to choose what fills your mind. The mentality of a victim never reaches victory.

*Honor your child’s life by turning this painful episode to a powerful message. I suggest inviting those who have a high profile and are outspoken folks to use that same energy, passion and efforts to teach, to encourage and show young people of ALL ages the evil of violence, the value of self-control and the power of forgiveness.

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14.

Since Jesus gave us the power to forgive, our family’s loss turned to the gain of God’s gift. The gift of freedom wrapped in forgiveness.

For we know that unforgiveness is the chain that keeps us bound. And Forgiveness is the choice that sets us free.

The full story is included in Janet’s #1 best-selling book Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta. http://amzn.to/pwDntn

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I Was Watching You the Whole Time

10 Aug

We are pleased to welcome Janet Perez Eckles to Old Things R New. She lives in Orlando with her best friend and wonderful hubby, Gene. They  delight in the love of their two grandchildren from their son Jason and his wife Rachel, and their middle son, Jeff. We wait in joyful expectation to the day when we’ll reunite with our youngest son Joe, in the glory of heaven. 

Janet Perez Eckles

My three-year old granddaughter gripped my hand. “C’mon, Nana. Let’s go jump over the waves.”

My feet sank in the hot Florida sand as I took each step, her tiny hand inside mine. Even at her age, she knows to lead her blind Nana.

For a long, long time, we jumped, giggled and wiped salty water from our eyes. Then like the splash of a huge wave, I realized we had walked far from where her Papa was.

Worry began to burn. What if we cannot make it back? What if he lost sight of us?

I got down on one knee and held her thin face in my hands. “Sweetheart, do you see Papa anywhere?”

“Uh…no,” she said. “Let’s jump some more.”

I heard a conversation nearby. “Excuse me” I said, waving in their direction. “Can you help me? I’m trying to find my husband.”

Before I’d finished my question, I heard a familiar voice. “I’m here, honey.”

That voice was my husband’s. “I was watching you the whole time.”

How similar to God’s voice when stress, fear or worry fools our heart to believe we’re far from Him. But in reality in the sea of life, when the sand of hardship burns, and when the heat of heartache sears, God is watching, aware of our every step. Though we may think we’ve wondered far, He’s close enough for us to hear the whisper of His love. And how life changes when we can feel the touch of His grace. We sense the power of His protection. And when waves of unexpected trials come, we count on the safety of His care.
Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Janet Perez Eckles, the blind Latina who helps you see the best of life.
http://www.janetperezeckles.com

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…
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