Three Steps to Overcome Your Bad Mood

Grumpy "This is my happy face!" Disney Creative Commons

Nerd Alert!

Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this son of York; And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Richard The Third Act 1, scene 1, 1–4

I am a Shakespeare fan. I love plays and iambic pentameter aside, Shakespeare knew how to tell a story. In high school as a freshman and sophomore I was writing A-level papers for my Senior friends on Macbeth and Hamlet. 

Today I shared this little tidbit for a reason: the quote above is less about Shakespeare and more about me. Last  night, well, this whole weekend, I have been in a funk! I wanted to start of this post like this: 

"Now is the hour of my discontent..."  

What About You? 

Have you felt ever like that? Discontented? 

(Why do I have a vision of Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter in my head right now? Are you raising your hand?) 

God loves me even in my foul mood. This good news begins to stir up in me a hope and a light-ness that dispels even the darkest mood. 

Funny little things like an encouraging tweet from Joyce Meyer Ministries in the morning remind me that I can take anything, even my bad attitude to God. 

"@JoyceMeyer: It's pretty easy to get negative, downcast and looking at your circumstances. But God is our glory and the lifter of our heads! (Psalms 3:3)" 

There are times when I get in bad moods. Everyone gets them. Hormones, circumstances, kids, bills, you name it, there is a reason for a bad mood around any and every corner. We have to learn to move past the bad attitude and into the peace and joy of the Lord.

How do we do that? Well, here are three things that work for me.

1. Read the Word - John 1:1 says the "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Reading the Bible allows me to get closer to God because it is filled with Him. It is His Word. It may only be a chapter or two. I may not get everything there is to glean out of it, but it preps my head and my heart to begin to change back toward God and away from my bad attitude. 

2. Listen to great music. - I don't espouse listening to just anything. There is some great music out there, but music that focuses on God, that edifies is what I love. Praise and Worship Music. Music can remind us of our smallness and God's perfect brilliance. It is something that takes our focus off ourselves and puts it back where it belongs: on the Father! 

I love Spotify. (I am not getting paid to say so.) There is a free version (with commercials) and an upgradable version as well. Check it out here.  On this program you can send playlist to friends on your Facebook account or tweet out what you are listening to.

(Add me to your Facebook friends here, and I will send you a song I love if you message me from Spotify!)

3.Pray. - Sounds easier to say than to do sometimes. I know that when I feel "yucky" I don't think God particularly wants to hear about it, but I would be wrong!  Even King David, who God delighted in, was downcast a time or two. 

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." Psalms 42:5

God wants to hear from you. Just be real and honest. Tell Him what is on your heart and mind. He is the lifter of our heads!

Join the Conversation

What do you do to get out of a funk? Share your answer below. (it does not have to be a "spiritual" answer, just share what works for you!)

Subscribe! 

Like what you read here? More great content is available several times a week, but I understand how busy you are. That is why I offer a free newsletter that sends you an email of the same great content straight to your inbox! You won't have to worry about missing a thing. I will never share your information with anyone, and if you sign up today, you can get a free copy of my children's eBook The Gardener and the Sapling: A Modern Parable. Click the link below and subscribe now!


Subscribe to our newsletter

How to be a Better Friend in 3 Steps

"Conversations" by Jason Schukltz Photo Creative Commons

Conversations in my life often inspire me. 

I was telling a couple of my friends I need a tee-shirt that says “Disclaimer: This conversation may be used later on my blog”. 

They laughed. Somewhat nervously. 

Nothing is Sacred

Life is about more than just our ministries or work, but sometimes I find myself looking around with one thought in mind: “How can I glean something here for the blog?” Since this blog is my ministry, it can become pretty all consuming. In the first days of MySpace and Facebook, this was a problem for some people too. Perhaps it still is for a few people. There is no filter on what people share on the internet these days. Nothing is sacred or private anymore. 

Take me for instance. My life is filled with fodder for the blog. I have 2 teenage girls who constantly do strange and wacky stuff I could turn into writing gold if I did not care about how they felt. I have considered it once or twice, but so far have abstained. I mean really- they have done some really funny stuff- it would be so easy. 

Then there are the ups and downs with friends, the ins and outs of marriage, and my life as a daughter-in-law whose mother-in-law lives two rooms over. Yet, I cannot take advantage of these relationships by constantly looking for antidotes for a blog. 

I cannot take advantage. 

I do not want to be that person. The one people have to be careful what they say or how they say it because they don’t want it on the internet for the world to see. I want to be the mother and the wife. I need to be the friend that anyone can talk to and that people feel safe with. 

I need to be this way because my peer to peer relationships are more important than written words on a page. I never want to be labeled as a “User”. 

Our friends and family should always feel like they got more poured into them than was taken out. This is what I strive for every time I am with other people. I do not always live up to this standard, but I try nonetheless. 

Be a Better Friend

You may not be a writer, but the principle is the same. It is, after all, more blessed to give than receive. 

Here are three steps to becoming a better friend. 

Step 1) Give- your time, your attention, your love, your service, your goods, and yes, sometimes your money. Give (not loan) to others without the expectation of receiving anything in return. When we hold out our hands to give and someone is blessed by that gift, then our hands and our hearts are open to receive. This is just how it works. 

Step 2) Leave them better than you found them. Speak into their lives with love and purpose. Always point the way back to Jesus. Do not worry whether they hear it all the time, but always speak the truth in love. 

Step 3) Communicate honestly. Transparency is paramount. When you make a mistake, own up to it. They will respect you more if you admit to being flawed. It also helps if Jesus is shining brighter than you. (That way we can see more of Him through the cracks in your pot) 

With these three things in mind, your peer to peer relationships will be more fruitful and satisfying and if by chance you get a funny story to tell along the way, then all the better to blog with…right? I kid, I kid. 

What do you look for in a friend?




 I always love to find new blogs. You can look for one by clicking on this icon! Have fun! 

Three Practical Steps to Self-Confidence

We have been talking about confidence and I cannot let the series go by without talking about self-confidence. 

There is room in this life to trust in our own abilities at times. This is what self-confidence is: trusting in our self. 

There is however a caveat: self-confidence should always reflect the Jesus in you. 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

1. Remember where your strength lies. 

When we rely on our own ability we sometimes forget to rely on Jesus. This is a dangerous place to be. It puffs us up, we can become proud and God will not allow pride to last long. He longs for a humble and contrite heart. 

God is high and lifted up. He lives forever. His name is holy. He says, “I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and sorry for their sins. I will give new life to those who are humble in spirit. I will give new life to those who are sorry for their sins. Isaiah 57:15

2. Understand God has gifted you with talents and abilities. 

Sometimes, in order to try to be as holy as we can, we throw practicality out the window. This is like throwing the baby out with the bath water: it defeats the purpose. We live in a world where practical and spiritual have to coincide. We must be in this world, not a part of it. 

You have abilities and talents. That may be singing, writing, public speaking, or teaching. It could be crafting, sewing, or cooking. Your talents could be accounting, administrative, or organizational. Whatever your talents, each of us can use those talents and have confidence when we do. 

Why? 

We can have confidence because we know God made us that way. 

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12

We each have something to contribute to the body and to the world. We are fishers of men. Our talents, when used with confidence and guided by the Holy Spirit should act like lures: shiny, impressive, and hunger inducing. 

3. Do everything with excellence. 

Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians3:17 

God left nothing undone. He does nothing half-heartedly. For you He sent His only child to die and take on your sins, and the sins of the rest of the world so that we could live. He gave His best. We need to give ours. 

Cain did not give his best, and God was displeased. God was not displeased with grain as an offering, but that Cain did not pick his best grains to offer to God, he brought God the leftovers. 

Do not do the same with your offerings of talent and devotion. Do everything with excellence. Where you lack, God will supply the rest. 

This is where self-confidence and confidence in God meet. This is where God bestows favor. 

Be faithful in the little things (the things you know how to do) and God will give you bigger better things that challenge you and help you grow. 

How did God make you? What is your special talent? 

If you like this post you may also like: Three Things to know About Confidence , Change Your Perspective, Finding Your Voice, Finding Yourself In Christ Confidence is Tricky, Confidence Changes Everything, and Confidence in Transition

O be Careful Big Mouths- 3 Steps to Bridling Your Tongue

"Oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little ears what you hear. Oh be careful big mouths what you say."

Why We Need to be Careful 

Words have power, and as Christians, they are a direct witness to the people around you. There should be a careful guard on our mouths at all times. 

As a friend of mine says, "engage the brain to mouth filter"! 

The Bible has plenty to say about our words. 

Matthew 15:16-20 (MSG) Jesus replied, "You, too? Are you being willfully stupid? Don't you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated? But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. It's from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing. That's what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands — that is neither here nor there." 

Psalms 34:13 says “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” 

James 1:26-27 (Easy-to-Read Version) says “You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless. The worship that God wants is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good.” 

When we fail to control our words there are consequences. We offend and we become stumbling blocks to those around us. Matthew says those that offend little ones (Small in stature but also small in faith) it is better that a millstone be put around their neck. 

There are three things you can do to begin to change the way you speak. 

STEP 1 

Repent. (This just means acknowledge your sin and ask forgiveness) 

Job said “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.” 

STEP 2 

Renew Your Thinking – we do this by reading the word and by submission to God. 

Ephesians says “change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.” 

STEP 3 

When you mess up and you will miss the mark repeat step 1 and 2. 

Do you have a hard time controlling what you say?  Leave your comments about your struggles and victories below.