Update from Cindy…

September 11, 2001

You probably know that date. My beloved daughter turned 11 years old. It was her “Golden Birthday.” Everyone remembers Elisabeth’s birthday that year. In fact, our world will never be the same.

Oh, don’t worry. I know the you don’t remember Elisabeth when you think of 9-11. Instead, you think of a very decided, calculated, cunning, intentional attack on the American people, its leadership, and its economy.

I remember hearing the first responses– Read more

Stop!

Tired? Weary? Confused? Have NO idea which way to go?

STOP!

Stop, beloved. Pull back. Don’t do a thing. Don’t talk. Don’t change things around. Don’t make any decisions-yet. Simply STOP.

There are times that our enemy finds a weapon that takes us by surprise. The time will come. What do you do? You learn from Jesus. You study Him. You learn from Him. You learn to walk out His ways. They ALWAYS work.

It does not make any difference what weapon the enemy uses, the same tactics work against him. You don’t even have to read a big manual to get a huge plan. You just have to read THE MANUAL. Oh, let me help you find the most powerful tactic, the one that all of the others hinge upon. Turn to James 4:7… Read more

50+ Ideas for Taking Care of Mom! by Cindy Rushton

Tired? Weary? Need some fresh ideas for taking care of mom? Feeling that push and pull on you as you balance all of the many demands in your life? Are you great about taking care of others, yet not quite so good about taking care of YOU? Has it been a long, long time since you have done the little things to just fill your cup back up? How about a few fresh ideas for filling your cup and ministering to your heart! I promise that these will be easy for you to do! Here goes:
–>  Grab Your iPod and go for a long, long walk! I LOVE my iPod. I have it filled with great Praise and Worship music, teachings and workshops, podcasts, tutorials, etc. My iPod has become my “pocket pal” when I work on my chores, take care of business duties, or even get out for my walk. Talk about my best investment!

Read more

Depressed??? Try This…

Depressed? Down? A bit SICK-AND-TIRED? Weary? Desperate for a change?

Sweet friend, I have been there. Actually, I was so deeply depressed that the best way to describe it is to think about the Grand Canyon with no apparent way out. That is how I felt. I felt too tired and weary to even begin the ascent back out. I was overwhelmed with the load. I could not go on the way I was going any longer.

I do have good news!

God healed me from depression. He broke the chains that bound me for far too long. He gave me a new beginning. I have never gone back. Now, this does not say that I am living in some fantasy world. Sweet friend, I KNOW depression. But, I hate it. I do not ever want to go there again.

Wondering, how do you stay away? How do you stop its vicious attack right in its tracks? Read more

Destressing the Stressed Out Gal with Cindy Rushton

Stressed? Been stressed a little too long? Too often? Need some help? Well, try the following and see if they don’t help a bit!

–> Go on a Prayer Walk—regularly! Praise and worship the Lord. Pour out your heart. Talk to Jesus the whole way! Listen to His sweet “conversation” with you. Be refreshed!

–> Use a Daily “To-Do” List to operate from. List your TOP FIVE things each day the night before. Go back over each morning during your Quiet Time and pray about your day before you. Take it all to God and lay it before Him. Keep in your own “Brain-in-a-Binder” so you can rest your mind. Go over your list as you throughout the day to keep a tab on how you are doing (also so you will not chase rabbits). Watch how much more peaceful each day will be.

–> Turn on Praise Music—LOUD! Got an iPod? I call mine my “stress-buster.” I LOVE turning it on while I clean or while I work on my daily chores. Not only does it make the work much more fun and easy, but I also find myself taking the Lord into every aspect of my day. Priceless!

Read more

Never Give Up in the Battle by Lucia Claborn

Are you ever tempted to give up in the heat of the battle? Sure, you are! We (including me) have all wanted to quit at some point in time because life’s situations just got too hard, we could see no way out — no help on the horizon – and thought it better to find a cypress tree and have a pity party for ourselves.

However, you need to know that God didn’t draw you to Himself, and then anoint you with the power of the Holy Spirit to be a quitter! He made you to be a winner, an overcomer, in every area of your life.

You may have never been told that before, so I get the wonderful pleasure of telling you now…God created you to triumph! “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ Jesus…2 Corinthians 2:14a.“

No matter what life’s situation is that you are facing and need to conquer, you must make a decision that you are never going to give in or give up! (This is exactly what the devil wants you to do…give up and quit! Don’t give him the satisfaction of beating you!) One key to victory is continuing to do the right thing with the right attitude and refusing to quit! Read more

Forgive… by Elisabeth Rushton

Betrayal and hurt. They seem to come in a “bow-wrapped package” that life throws at you.

No matter how young or old you are, you have more than likely known a friend or two to betray you. But how did you handle it? Did you forgive them the second that it happened? Did you go on like nothing ever happened? Or did it take a little more effort?

If you have been really painfully hurt like I’m talking about, Read more

What a Way To Battle! Worship! by Cindy Rushton

“Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Habakkuk 3: 18-19

In the midst of a great battle? Hear it approaching in the distance? Just want power in your daily walk as a Christian? Want to stand firm regardless of the storm or battle that is raging against you? Worship!

One of my favorite “battle” stories in the Bible comes from 2 Chronicles 20. In this passage, King Jehoshaphat is sent word that a “great multitude” was coming against him and his people.

I don’t know about you, but as for ME, I would have just freaked out! Stress is not the word!

Oh, but Jehoshaphat did the RIGHT thing…he immediately “…set himself determinedly, as his vital need, to seek the Lord.” He proclaimed a fast in the whole land. What was the answer for the battle that was on the horizon? Praise! Worship! What a way to battle!!

Yes! The Spirit of the Lord came upon them. He instructed them to do just a few things:

Show up to the battlefield
Stand still
Watch God battle for them
And my point in sharing this passage: SING AND PRAISE God!

When we show up, stand still, look unto God, we please Him. However, nothing seems to unleash Him to do the battle like PRAISE and WORSHIP!

Oh, I am not talking about praise and worship like we have at most of our churches. I am talking about a lifestyle of praise and worship! Not just something we do for 10-15 minutes on Sunday Morning. I am talking about 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I am talking about praise and worship like David knew. You know, when he could soothe his enemy with his praise and worship? When he could dance in the streets in total abandonment as a worship to the Lord in spite of the opinions of those he loved the most (his wife)? When he could pray prayers and sing songs that could woo the heart of God?

I want this kind of worship! I want to praise God with all I am! Because of this, I make praise and worship a part of every day. You can too! How? Here are some QUICK and EASY tips:

1. Collect your favorite praise and worship verses from the Bible. Some of my personal favorites have been found in the pages of the Psalms. I also LOVE Bible prayers from the GIANTS of the faith. Begin your collection today! Copy them in your own Discipleship Notebook. Use them as your prayers. Read them when you need a word of encouragement. Memorize them. Hummm…I guarantee that whatever your situation may be today, you will find that this will be a key to warfare.
2. Collect your favorite praise and worship songs and hymns. I keep copies of my favorites in my journal. They are great for prayers and praise during those moments that I hear the rumbling of the enemies’ feet! I also have a wonderful collection of my favorite praise and worship songs. You may also want to CD’s or podcasts that feature your favorite songs and hymns. I keep all of mine on my iPod, ready-to-go with me anywhere I go (even to clean out the closet! ). I pop on my headset in when I am working on the computer, cleaning my house, riding down the road, or sneaking away for a walk at the park. Anytime, anywhere can easily become a place of worship of our God.
3. Write your own prayers/songs of worship! YOUR story is SO vital! One of my favorite NEW books is a compilation of simple prayers and thoughts written by the mother of one of my high school friends, Ginny Traylor. Ginny’s faithfulness is journaling through her life has inspired me anew to keep even more organized journals of my journey. What may seem simple, may actually bring the greatest glory to the Lord for those that come behind us.
4. Finally, KNOW the power of praise and worship! Just as we see here in 2 Chronicles 20, worship unleashes the Lord to battle FOR US. Our worship is a sweet, sweet aroma offered to our precious Lord. It is our ministry TO HIM personally. Only in the midst of battle can we offer the sweet sacrifice of praise, it is no “sacrifice” when all is easy and fun. Then, watch out for Jehovah Nissi, our Lord Who battles for us. He fights FOR US! Those battles are not ours—they are the Lord’s.

So, hear the enemy coming? Fall flat on your face! Inquire upon the Lord! Pull out those beloved verses…songs…and even your own feeble prayers of worship to God. Oh, then. Watch what happens. You can stand still, watch, and see the battle fought by your Jehovah Nissi!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever!” 2 Chronicles 20: 21