Tag Archives: anxiety

Psalm 91 Prayer of Protection

Psalm 91 Prayer of Protection title image

Psalm 91 Prayer of Protection

Last week I shared some scriptures about protection and about how the Lord surrounds people and places with his protection. I used many of these scriptures as a basis for praying a hedge of protection. Today, I thought I’d share some more scriptures on protection, more specifically an entire chapter. This entire passage about protection is found in Psalm 91. We can actually turn this passage into a prayer of protection over ourselves or our loved ones.

In times of trouble, uncertainty, or potential harm it can be easy to fall into a pattern of worry, anxiety, or fear. In those times we can have confidence that we have a God who loves us and wants to protect us and help us in times of trouble. We can call on the Lord for his protection and remind ourselves of his promises in the Bible. Psalm 91 is a wonderful example of God’s promises and desire to protect us. Reading, meditating on, and praying this chapter can give us hope, confidence, and peace, in addition to renewing our faith.

Psalm 91 is full of promises and blessings from God

Psalm 91 is packed full of so many promises and blessings of God such as…

    • Protection
    • Safety from illness, disease, or disaster
    • Ease from anxieties and fear
    • Safety from evil all around us and things that are negatively affecting others around us
    • Justice; Punishment of the wicked
    • Protection for our home
    • Guardian angels to surround us and defend us
    • Promise of God’s presence
    • Victory over dangerous things that might seek to harm us
    • Promise of rescue
    • Promise of long life

Psalm 91:1-16 (NLT)

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.

8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,

10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.

11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.

12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

Psalm 91 Prayer of Protection for Others (insert their name)

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Anxiety and Stress in Younger Generations

Anxiety and Stress in Younger Generations

Anxiety and Stress in Younger Generations

Last week I shared about how I’m having to learn a balance of helping but not coddling my kids in order to help them build necessary life skills. Fortunately I’ve had some good teaching in this area from my pastors in addition to other helpful resources that I have either sought out or “stumbled upon” (i.e. led by the Holy Spirit). I often actively seek out resources in guiding and leading younger generations due to being a parent, educator, and church youth leader. I recognize my own limitations. Subsequently, I realize that my own perspective is definitely not unbiased and not shared by today’s younger generations and culture.

Some of the issues I have dealt with as an educator over the past 10+ years have also prompted me to seek out further counsel and guidance. One issue in particular is the rise of anxiety and stress levels in younger generations. Today, I’ll share some examples with you from what I’ve seen in my own classroom. Additionally, I’ll give you some resources to help in this area, along with other resources that I find extremely helpful when dealing with younger generations.

The rise of anxiety and stress

I’ve been pretty disheartened with the state of many of my college students lately. Although there are some AMAZING and desirable qualities in these younger generations, so many of them are so inadequately prepared for college and for life. I could get on a colossal soapbox about the sense of entitlement, apathy, poor work ethic, and lack of respect for authority that is so rampant among younger generations, but I’ll spare you that rant. My discouragement today centers around the rise of anxiety and stress (and really even poor mental health) among today’s youth and young adults.

Unfortunately, many parents, educators, and/or other influencers of youth and young adults have been a large part of the problem. I will include myself because I have personally been convicted about some of my previous parenting and teaching strategies that have enabled and even exacerbated this problem.

Recent examples of students crippled by anxiety

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Light a Candle in Darkness

Light a Candle in Darkness

Light a Candle in Darkness

I was talking with a friend the other day. She’s been struggling with some things in her life and is having a bit of a hard time. Darkness might be a good word to describe what she’s feeling or what she’s going through. I thought I’d write this week about an analogy that I shared with her about lighting a candle in darkness.

The smallest light

In dark situations, we need to find the light. Sometimes all it takes in order to brighten the dark is just the smallest light…like lighting a candle in a dark room. Candlelight is a very tiny light. Nevertheless, eventually that candle will light the room, and we can see other things. Our eyes will adjust, and the room will get brighter even though previously it was all darkness. Then that light will open our eyes to see that things maybe really aren’t as dark as they seem, and there is hope.

Things also become clearer in the light. In the light we can have a more realistic or different perspective. The light might grant us ability to quit seeing things from a negative point of view in order to see things for what they truly are. In a sense we are not “blinded” anymore.

Light in darkness…

Light dispels, disperses and scatters the darkness. Evil is exposed in the light.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5 (NLT)

“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:15 (NLT)

“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”” Ephesians 5:8-14 (NLT)

“All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.” John 3:20 (NLT) 

 

In darkness we are deceived.

Think haunted house. Things are worse than they seem in the dark. Continue reading