All Over the Blogosphere: Death is not Dying

Since everyone else is posting this to their blogs, I decided to post it to mine as well. It is a video of Rachel Barkey giving her testimony. She has terminal cancer and, barring a miracle, will not live to see her 38th birthday. She is married and has two young children.

I watched the video on Saturday. Her testimony is incredibly powerful. You can watch the video here and listen to the audio here.

Rejoice, Soul!

I posted here and here on the idea of talking to yourself, like the Psalmist did in Psalm 42 and in Psalm 103. Well, I think I just completely failed the test these past few days! On Tuesday, I started feeling somewhat sad and 'low' (it happens to me here and there and is generally unexpected and not really related to anything) but instead of telling my soul to rejoice and to be glad, I just sort of agreed with my soul and listened to my feelings of sadness. May God help me! I want to tell my spirit to tell my soul the good news. I want my spirit to be boss over my soul!

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Psalm 42:11

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5

My spirit will now attempt to give my soul a good talking to. : ) Soul, rejoice! Put your hope in God and remember all the good things that He is and has done. He is good and His love endures forever. He is merciful and gracious and abounding in steadfast love. He is good. Hope in Him.

Preaching the Good News to Yourself

"...The end of Psalm 42 isn't happy, but it is hopeful. The psalmist is in duress. There are tears and turmoil. His soul is downcast, and he asks God Why?

He's fighting for hope. He thirsts for God and affirms God's love and preaches good news to himself. And even in the midst of his great discouragement, he has the wherewithal to sing."

(HT:Desiring God)

Talk to Yourself

Check out this liveblog synopsis of a message called The Troubled Soul: God’s Word and Our Feelings by CJ Mahaney. Here's a brief synopsis of the synopsis. : )

"C.J. highlighted that Psalm 42 is an opportunity to listen in on the internal conversation of the psalmist and to evaluate the content of the ongoing conversation we have with ourselves. This is critical to do, for, “You are more influenced by your internal conversation than anything else” and, “There is a direct relationship between this unending internal conversation and the state of your soul every day.”"

I actually do this when my soul is 'troubled' and it really helps! It really helps for me to talk to myself and remind myself of the promises and comfort of God. A lot of times, though, I let my 'troubled' soul take over. I have to make it a discipline to tell my 'troubled' soul to "hope in God" like the psalmist did.

FYI: There is a link on the liveblog to listen to the entire message.