Author Archives: Tracy Robbins

9 Tips for Overcoming Procrastination

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Do you have a problem with waiting until the last minute? Here are 9 Tips for Overcoming Procrastination

9 Tips for Overcoming Procrastination

*Repost: Originally posted 11/11/2014

Okay…I have a confession.  I completely procrastinated writing this week’s post.  Typically, that’s not a normal occurrence for me.  Time management is usually a forte of mine, but I do tend to slip into bad habits and have a lapse of judgment from time to time.  I know, shocking, right?!

Anyhow, I had good intentions of writing a little bit at a time and finishing up over the weekend.  However, I did everything BUT that…graded papers and essays from my college classes, watched TV, went shopping with my mother-in-law for my birthday gifts (who could pass that up!), ran errands, and just really enjoyed not having to sit at football practice nearly every night (even though I usually did get a lot of work done AT practice).

When I finally decided to sit down and write, I prayed about what to write first (as I always do).  I apologized and told God that I had been procrastinating and that I should’ve started sooner.  I asked if He had any ideas for what He wanted me to write about.  Guess what He said…Write about overcoming procrastination.  Ha!  He’s a funny guy.  I love that God has a sense of humor. 🙂

Procrastination is a trap

Procrastination is such a trap because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.  We may put something off until tomorrow, and then when tomorrow comes something unexpected may come up that prevents us from doing that thing we procrastinated.

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)

“Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].” James 4:14 (AMP)

Procrastination is such a trap because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. (Proverbs 27:1)

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Overcoming procrastination is actually a topic we spend quite of bit of time on in the college classes that I teach.  I love showing this comical video clip from Ellen DeGeneres because many can relate (maybe you can too):

I created a handout for my college students with some tips for overcoming procrastination since it was a problem that many of them said they were still dealing with.  That’s what I’d like to share with you (and myself!) today. So here are some practical steps to overcoming procrastination… Continue reading →

The “Right Way” to Practice Spiritual Disciplines

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The “Right Way” to Practice Spiritual Disciplines

I’ve been seeing and hearing a lot of Bible teachers (bloggers, speakers, influencers, etc.) teaching about the “right way” to practice spiritual disciplines such as reading scripture, studying the Bible, hearing from God, praying, praising, journaling, fasting, evangelizing, discipling others, teaching others, etc. While I know this teaching is usually good-intentioned, so much of it comes across like and feels a bit condescending and condemning…and honestly, even a little bit arrogant and know-it-all-ish too.

Recently, I’ve even been getting some chastising emails and comments about the “right way” to quote scripture and the correct translation to use. (Most remarks are reprimanding me for not using King James Version ONLY when I quote scripture.) People send emails and comments that I’m not leading people to Christ in the “right way” or not approaching how we should pray in the “right way”. I’m amazed that people truly believe there is only one “right way” to do things and that God leaves so little room for margin in how we should have relationship with him.

I don’t believe this to be so.

I really believe that God is not quite that rigid and will meet us where we are. What I’ve personally learned is that God is pretty forgiving, and there is a lot of grace. Even when there might be a preferred, better, more effective, or more efficient way to do any of these spiritual disciplines, God can and will still work regardless of any of our mistakes or misgivings. Jesus clearly demonstrated that he is not legalistic. Jesus is loving, not legalistic. Even if we are not where we might need to be, he will lovingly and patiently guide us there.

I say all the time… ”God will meet you where you are.”

Even when there might be a preferred, better, more effective, or more efficient way to practice spiritual disciplines, God can and will still work regardless of any of our mistakes or misgivings.

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Promoting a “right way” can lead to self-righteousness

As I was reading my Bible this past week, my belief that there is not only one “right way” to practice spiritual disciplines was reinforced.

Matthew 9:14-17 (NLT)

“One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”

Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.””

I was reading Matthew 9:14-17 where John the Baptist’s disciples came to Jesus and asked why his disciples didn’t fast. Jesus replied with comments about celebrating not morning when with a groom, not patching old clothes with new cloth, and not putting new wine in old wineskins.

As I read Matthew Henry’s commentary, I understood this better. Henry suggested that believing and professing that their practices were the “right way” was likened to being self-righteous because they boasted about the way they did things, such as fasting often. Henry states,

“There is a proneness in professors to brag of their own performance in religion, especially if there by any thing extraordinary in them; nay, and not only to boast of them before men, but to plead them before God, and confide in them as a righteousness.”[1]

Dependence on a “right way” leads to spiritual bondage

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Funny Friday: Golf bag dominos

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Funny Friday: Golf bag dominos

I ran across this great meme on Instagram the other day. Looks about like something I’d do!

“…so they fell down together…” 2 Samuel 2:16 (ESV)

Funny Friday: Me about to comment

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Funny Friday: Me about to comment

Does anyone else relate to this frog and chameleon meme? “Me about to comment”… “Holy Spirit: *grips my mouth shut*”

“Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” Proverbs 10:19 (NLT)

Scriptures About Hope

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Scriptures About Hope

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19a (NIV)

Hope is eager anticipation and expectation for something we desire that we don’t have yet. Hope is important in life because it can keep us stable and secure in an ever-changing and volatile world. The Bible says that hope is an anchor for our soul. Here we have a mental picture of an anchor holding a boat secure. Because of the anchor, it will not float away, get off course, or wreck.

Similarly, this is what hope does for us. It holds us and anchors us to be steadfast so that we don’t drift away or wreck, especially during the storms of life. When chaos surrounds us, hope holds us steady. Hope also helps us in the waiting process. The words “wait,” “wait confidently,” or “wait patiently” often go synonymously with “hope” throughout scripture. Sometimes the words interchange from translation to translation.

When chaos surrounds us, hope holds us steady.

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We can get our hope from God, his son Jesus, his Spirit, and his word (the Bible). The Lord will be our encourager and will give us hope. God’s word, the Bible, gives us hope through what we read, the examples we see, and through the promises contained therein. Additionally, we should put our hope IN God. We can see examples of this and encouragement to do this throughout scripture. This is especially prevalent in David proclaiming this throughout the Psalms.

Because hope will be an important component of a healthy relationship with God and others, I’ve put together a reference or resource page with some helpful scriptures about hope.

Sources of hope (the Lord, God’s word/Bible, Jesus, the Holy Spirit)

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5 (NIV)

“You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.” Psalm 119:114 (NLT)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“And his name will be the hope of all the world.” Matthew 12:21 (NLT)

“Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5 (NIV)

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (NIV)

“I say this because our hope of being right with God comes through faith. And the Spirit helps us feel sure as we wait for that hope.” Galatians 5:5 (ERV)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)

“This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.” 1 Timothy 1:1 (NLT)

Be steadfast in hope, hope when there’s no reason to hope

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Funny Friday: The Good Shepherd

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Funny Friday: The Good Shepherd

My mom shared this with me on Instagram this week. I thought it would serve as a good Funny Friday for this week! (Original post link on Instagram)

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 (NIV)

Make Others Feel Taller NOT Smaller

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Make Others Feel Taller NOT Smaller! - Great post from HappyHealthyandProsperous.com

Make Others Feel Taller NOT Smaller

Most people are drawn to the type of people who make others feel taller not smaller.  People like to be around other people who make them feel better about themselves.  In general, people pull away from and don’t like to be around those who make them feel bad about themselves.  Nobody likes to be around people who are cruel, mean, and rude (especially if that’s their typical nature most of the time).  This type of behavior is a sure-fire way to cut people out of your life!  It’s like the wrong end of a magnet repelling people…pushing them away instead of drawing them in.

People are drawn to those who make them feel good about themselves.  On a side note…Did you know that’s a significant factor in why many people have affairs?  It’s not that they necessarily like the other person that much.  It’s that they like themselves better when they’re around that person.  In affairs, those other people (i.e. affair partners) make them feel better about themselves.  

People like to be around other people who make them feel better about themselves.

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Someone made me feel smaller

I have been around people who have made me feel smaller NOT taller on a number of occasions.  Several years ago, I was involved in a situation that, quite honestly, made me feel like crap.  I was around someone who felt the need to “tell me the truth” because “true friends tell the truth”.  It made me feel very badly about myself, about how I looked, and about the mistakes I made.  I honestly felt I couldn’t do anything right, and even when I tried, that too was criticized.  It had a tendency to make me dread being around this person in particular.  Have you ever felt like that?  It’s pretty miserable.  Thankfully, I’m getting better about dealing with these feelings (okay…after a few tearful moments), but the initial feelings are very real nonetheless.

After being on the receiving end of hurtful situations like this, I wanted to make sure that I’M not a person who does this to others.  I wanted to be sure I was the kind of person that will make others feel taller not smaller.  So, I compiled a list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of practical steps that each of us can take to make sure we are NOT the kind of person that is like the wrong end of a magnet that repels people.  (I actually compiled this list on my phone at 3:00 am in the morning after the bad experience I mentioned earlier because I couldn’t sleep due to being so hurt and angry!)

I, too, have been guilty of making others feel smaller, not taller

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Funny Friday: My first cell phone

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My first cell phone meme

Funny Friday: My first cell phone

Oh my goodness…the first cell phone I used looked EXACTLY like this one! It wasn’t mine–it was my dad’s. It even had the magnetic antenna you had to stick on top of the car and everything!  This does look like it it should be used to call in an air strike due to enemy attack!

“When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm…” Numbers 10:9a (NLT)