How Do You Handle Stress?

How do you handle stress? For me personally, I don't generally handle it well. I like to say I got both of my parents' stubbornness. My sister did too. Oh, we don't stand a chance, really. My usual strategy is to be stiff-necked. That's probably one of my favorite words in the Bible. I always chuckle when I see it. Because I can relate! So, I ignore this elephant in the room. Try to pretend it isn't there, while I'm secretly stressing about the elephant. I personally picture God laughing and shaking His head, because He knows what's coming next. I then get busy. Too busy for my own good. Then I get sick from being stressed and too busy. Then I finally give in, give it to God, and it works itself out. Sometimes it's big things, sometimes it's little things. I will be honest, these last couple of months I've been incredibly stressed. I am very lucky health-wise. I've never had high cholesterol or blood pressure. But in January, February, and March, I had high readings. One day I was shaking, and my blood pressure was 119/132. For a girl that's ALWAYS 120/80ish, that's high for me! So a couple of weeks ago I went to a conference about the power of the Holy Spirit. In a small group, I asked for prayer for stress. As they prayed, I literally felt the stress leave my body. So I was intrigued when I went to my pcp last week and my blood pressure was 120/87. As my best friend Maria sometimes says, DOUBLE FIST PUMP!

I was stressed because I had a lot of loose ends for different things in my life and I've been waiting. Sometimes when you're waiting for so many different things, it can get extremely difficult. God keeps providing. I was crunching numbers recently, and for 2016, I've already surpassed my income in 2015 for my little pet sitting business! Jobs keep pouring in because of your needs and referrals.

I always talk about how God provides, but I usually say it's just what I need. I think it's because I don't want to seem greedy, like I hit the lottery. But to be honest, I'm trying to compartmentalize God, or put limits on Him. Why do I doubt? Last week, a client contacted me about a new assignment. This time next month, I'll be on assignment, a couple blocks from the beach. For FREE.

Since receiving prayer, I've been able to just let things roll off me. No, not all of my problems have been solved. My life isn't perfect. But it's definitely easier taking it to God first. I am so incredibly blessed, more than I deserve. God is good.

How do you handle your stress?

I leave you with a passage from the Bible. It's my favorite. It's a little long, but it's oh so good.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ 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. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

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