Your Child's Self-Esteem | Help Child Develop Resiliency | Evidenced Based | Faith

Happy December!

For my regular readers and listeners, you know that not only do I have a passion for Jesus's teachings and Biblical languages, I also have a full time job. My full time job is as a child and school psychology specialist with over 20 years of experience working with children, tweens, their teachers and their parents. 

Over these two decades, I’ve witnessed both the incredible resilience of young people,  and I am also deeply aware of the avalanche of challenges they face in today’s world.



Through my work, I’ve seen how simple, evidence-based strategies can transform a child’s confidence
and resilience. 

I’ve also seen how adults and parents who learn these evidence-based strategies transform in their own level of confidence and happiness when learning to use the simple tools. 


Currently, these strategies are typically only learned in a private therapy room or in counseling sessions with licensed therapists. Even then, these strategies are taught over the course of several sessions with a counselor or psychologist trained in the latest research on positive child development and building resiliency.

However, these sessions often come with a price tag that puts them out of reach for many families—costs that can total up to $597 for just four weeks of support. Not many families have an extra $600 a month for therapy, counseling, or in some cases, life coaching. 

And even when they do have the financial resources, the therapists or counselors available in their area don’t specialize in supporting childrens’ positive development and resiliency. Instead, they specialize in the clinical model of services, in the treatment of those who are already diagnosed and suffering. The goal of the clinical model is to reduce suffering and dysfunction. It’s goal is not to prevent or to develop children and teens who thrive.

This full reality has weighed heavily on my heart. I know the incredible impact these tools can have, but I also know that many parents and grandparents simply can’t afford them or don’t have access to counselors or family life coaches with specialized expertise in preventative and positive child and adolescent development.

One day, as I prayed over this issue, the Lord genuinely provided the direction for the calling he had placed on my heart: to make these tools accessible to every family, regardless of their financial situation or geographic location. I created this first course as an affordable resource, blending evidence-based techniques with the truths of God’s Word to empower parents, grandparents, and caregivers to help their children thrive.

The four-step system I am sharing is rooted in solid psychological research. It is also infused with faith, designed to uncover your child’s God-given deep strengths, celebrate their successes, and empower them to build confidence and resilience. It’s also practical, proven, and easy to implement—perfect for busy families who need tools that they can readily fit into their busy daily lives.

For now - the first two video trainings are available for free, so you can sample first to decide if the course and resources are a good fit for your family at this time. 

If you do wish to invest in the short course, it is now available for $16 through the end of December, and there is also a 14 day no questions asked money-back guarantee. The course is hosted through the Teachable platform, so you don't even have to let me know you want a refund if you don't want to hurt my feelings! The refund is automated when requested through the Teachable platform. 

If your child is not currently struggling, then this course will help you lay a firm foundation of confidence and resiliency. You will be able to "get ahead of the curve" that comes in the tween or teen years when the barrage of negative influences most commonly rise up.  
If you child is struggling, this course can assist in potentially turning their focus around - rather quickly. I've personally worked with some kids and I have commonly seen positive turnarounds in struggling children in as short as 2 to 4 weeks. 

Whether you’re a parent seeking ways to strengthen your bond with your child, a grandparent looking to nurture your grandchild’s potential, or a teacher, educator, or church minister longing to equip the next generation with faith and confidence, this resource and the ones that follow will be for you. It’s my prayer that the strategies you’ll find here lay a strong foundation for children who aren't struggling - so that they will continue to thrive and develop a strong sense of identity and resiliency. I also hope that for children who are struggling, real change will be achieved, not only for the child or children in your care,  but to your family as a whole.

 

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And here are a few FAQ's I expect to receive:


Q. Will you continue to be teaching on the Bible and Biblical Languages?
A.  Yes, at this time,  I expect to continue. However, for the next 6 months at least I will be working primarily on this newer focus. 


Q. I don't have children, or my children have grown. Can I benefit from these resources!
A. Yes! In fact a parent or grandparen and child can do the course activities together! An adult can go through the course and complete the worksheet activities and reflections for themselves to determine their own "deep strengths" and improve their own confidence around decisions such as what tasks, projects, and/or volunteer activities to best give their time to. Perhaps in the near future I will re-brand the courses for adults; but at this time I will be focusing on how these resources can be used with our children, because that is where the crisis is, and that is where the Lord has pointed me.  


Gratefully and Faithfully, 

Sherry

 

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Exciting Updates, New Resources, and a Post-Thanksgiving Offer!

 


Dear Friends, 

 

I hope this email finds you well as we continue this beautiful holiday season of gratitude and reflection! For the past few months, I have been quietly busy over here with Gospel Life Learning, and I’m thrilled to share some exciting updates with you. When you subscribed to this email update list, I promised not to spam excessively, and I believe I have kept that promise. In fact, this is my first email of 2024; so therefore - it is a summary of the resources I've created this past year as well as a peek of what is planned next. 

 

1. Gems from the Greek 

The latest blog post series and teaching videos began going live this past summer! We’ve been diving deep into some of the “gems” hidden in the original Greek and Hebrew texts of Scripture. These treasures bring richness and clarity to familiar passages and offer new insights into God’s Word. If you enjoy uncovering the deeper meaning behind the words of the Bible this is a series for you! You can find most of these on the blogposts or blogcast audiocast from July,  or catch the videos at this playlist at the Gospel Life Learning YouTube channel.

 

2. Theology of Emotions Series Recap

Before the gems of the biblical language, we explored the Emotions, Mental Health, and The Gospel Life, beginning with a teaching on the Theology of EmotionsThis series unpacked how to steward our emotions for God’s purposes, turning what we feel into an opportunity for spiritual growth and connection. If you missed it, each segment with blogpost and audio is still available and listed on the blog  and there is also the YouTube playlist for the Emotions Series, so be sure to check it out

 

3. New Book Release: Words of Jesus Bible Study

It’s here! My latest book, Words of Jesus Bible Study: 10 Weeks on Christ's Teachings, is now available on Amazon in paperback and ebook formats. I also wrote a blog post about the background of the writing of the book - it took over 14 slow years to research, write, edit, and put it all together in the time I have around my full time school psychology job. The paperback version includes journaling space to respond to the reflection questions—perfect for those who love to jot down thoughts as they study. This resource is all about spending intentional time in the teachings of our Savior, and I pray it blesses you in your walk with Him.

 

4. New Short-Course for Parents (or Grandparents, Counselors, Children's Ministers, or Elementary Educators): Struggles to Strength

 My new short-course, Struggles to Strength: Unlock Your Child’s Confidence in 28 Days with Strength-Spotting Positive Psychology, is designed to help parents guide your children, ages 6-11, toward a stronger sense of self and confidence rooted in their God-given "deep strengths."  I wrote and recorded the course to parents; however, this course would be helpful for grandparents, counselors, children's ministers, or even elementary special or general educators who are working to support a child who may be struggling with their self-esteem or self worth. It is also for those who want to "get ahead of the curve" in their parenting or guidance of their children by helping their child establish a strong self concept and sense of confidence before the struggles occur in later elementary and middle school. 

 

This issue has been heavy on my heart, and about 2 years ago, the Lord put it on my heart to create affordable resources so that all parents and others are able to have access to evidence-based and faith-infused tools to help their kids navigate the current youth mental health crisis. The teachings in the course present from a general Christian worldview, simply because as the instructor - my views are deeply rooted in the Christian worldview when I discuss topics such as God given "deep strengths" and values. With that said, the course is not "overtly religious or Christian," and I believe this resource is one you could confidently recommend to anyone you know who may be looking for a way to help their child, even if the parent does not hold Christian beliefs. 

 

And here’s the exciting part—extending through Dec 2nd, the course is available for just $7 to personal friends and current GLL followers/supporters as part of our post-Thanksgiving sale! After that, it will gradually go up to $12, and eventually to around  $27. This is a perfect opportunity to invest in your child’s or grandchild's growth during this special season.  Struggles to Strength Course.

 

5. Coming Soon: Family Bible Study Series

I’m thrilled to announce an upcoming series of books designed for family Bible studies. Did you know that the number 1 activity that parents can do with their children and teens to help them establish a strong faith that continues into young adulthood is to teach them to read the Bible for themselves? It's true. Pew Research did a study of young adults who remained faithful to Christ after reaching adulthood and moving out of their parents' home. They found that the vast majority of those who continued with a strong faith had learned to read and use the Bible for themselves. 

 

We’ll start with the Gospel of Matthew and journey chapter by chapter through the text. This is a project I began several years ago, and for whatever reason,  I abandoned the project when it was only half written. Hopefully and prayerfully,  the first book in the series will be ready by mid-2025.  These studies will be tailored for families who want to deepen their understanding of Scripture together. Stay tuned!

 

Thank You for Your Support

Your encouragement, prayers, and feedback mean so much to me. Whether you’ve joined me on the blog, YouTube, or through one of my books, I am so grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside you in this journey of faith and learning.

 

As we wrap up November, let’s keep leaning into God’s goodness and the confidence we have in Christ. 

 

Blessings and gratitude,
Sherry 
Founder, Gospel Life Learning Ministries


Visit SherryElaine.com | the Blog YouTube Channel | Amazon Author Page

 

Jesus Bible Study - Words of Jesus Bible Study | Recommended Best Personal Daily Devotional Study for 2024 -25

I have been silent on the blog, blogcast, and youtube channel for the past month because I had committed to completing, editinga, nd publishing for this big project!

The Words of Jesus Bible Study: 10 Weeks on Christ's Teachings



This is a resource available for anyone who wants to fully understand what Jesus taught in a way that is instructional, personal, and reflective. 

It's a daily personal Bible study, or what is sometimes called a "deeper devotional."

I have known that I was called to teach, and specifically to teach through writing. 

Jesus told his disciples, just before he ascended to be with the Father: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Here, Jesus himself told his closest followers what it was that he wanted to be taught to others. Jesus told them, "Teach them to follow what I have taught you." It was a clear and simple instruction.  1) Teach them what I taught you. 2) Teach them to follow what I taught you. 

Now, for over a decade, the resources at Gospel Life Learning have been focused on these two main things:

1)Teaching what Jesus taught, and 

2) Teaching how to follow what he taught, or in other words, "spiritual formation." 

However, I don't like the term "spiritual formation" as it sounds too formal and stiff to me. I like to just call this "simple ways to grow closer to God." Thus, in 2018 was the release of the title Closer to God: Simple Methods, Starting Today.

The Words of Jesus Bible Study is a paperback journal-book, and it became available on Amazon just a few days ago. 

This work has been a little over 14 years in the making.  For any of you who have followed the blog all along (mostly just my parents, my husband, and my sister!) you may recall the early releases of the 14 Days Bible Studies on the Words of Jesus. 

The first one was titled Discovering God's Will: 14 Days in the Words of Jesus
The second was titled How Do We See God Working Today? 14 Days with the Miracles of Jesus
The third short title was Why Is There So Much Trouble In Life? 14 Days with the Parables of Jesus....and so on.

In the end there were 5 titles. 

The new work is a compilation of all 5 of the books, updated and revised for 2024.  At this time, it is only available on Amazon. The Kindle version can still be read for free through Kindle Unlimited.  You can also click on the Read a Sample button on the Kindle version Amazon page, and you are able to read the first 20 or so pages.  

I have such a testimony to tell outside the pages of this book. However, that is a post for another day.

In the meantime, here are the links and an image from my "proof copy" below:







With Care, 

Sherry Elaine

Esau McCaulley Interview at Biblical Literacy Class

I started my Fall Break with another weekend within the series of what I am now calling my "Mid Life Theology Weekends." Once again at the nearby Lanier Theological Library and Learning Center, I spent Friday evening and most of Saturday with Dr. Jeannine Hanger from Biola University and Dr. Esau McCaulley from Wheaton College. 

I will share today's interview with Esau McCaulley, an interview conducted by Mark Lanier, of biblical-literacy.org. Esau discusses his life background and how he went from a boy growing up in the poor side of Huntsville, Alabama - where families had two options - which in his own words were to grow up "in the church or on the streets." He gives a number of incredible, and humorous, anecdotes explaining how the Lord led him on a path from  to eventually studying with N.T. Wright in Scotland for his doctorate.

 If you enjoy the interview you may also like his book titled How Far to the Promised Land, a memoir which I was able to purchase the night of the final lecture.  I took it home and was up late into the night and nearly finished it the next day. For me, I read Esau's book from the perspective of an educator, (Part 1 of the book is about his experiences during the elementary through high school years) - and how we can better understand the experiences of our students who are like Esau was - kids from underprivileged backgrounds packaged with  so much potential, yet also wrapped up with a bit of trouble.  He also discusses at least two or three children's books he has written and a children's Bible he has recently authored that will be available within the next year. You can see some of the wonderful illustrations and get a "sneak peak" at some of those books during the video interview too. 

When you click on the video below, it should skip over the announcements and start right at the beginning of the interview at the 18:02 mark on the video:


I could write a few pages all that we learned over the weekend, and it was indeed eye-opening and fascinating learning.  However,  this week I have a few priority to-dos -  and the first thing on that to do list is to complete the final edits on the updated and expanded Words of Jesus Bible Study: 10 Weeks in Christ's Teachings.  The updated book will be available for order through Amazon sometime on or before next weekend, October 19th. This book is an updated and expanded version of the former book He Called: 56 Daily Studies with the Words of Christ published in 2016.  The new version is an 8x10, journal-text in paperback format, with space for the reader to write their own responses to the reflection prompts.

Enjoy the video interview with Esau McCaulley,  and check back later this week for a new post and blogcast within the "Gems from the Greek and Hebrew" playlist and blogroll - as well as the release of the revised and updated Words of Jesus Bible Study.  

Amy Orr-Ewing Interview at Biblical Literacy Class in Houston

 

I will write more later about my amazing mid-life theology weekend. For now, I want to share the video of the interview I attended this morning via Biblical Literacy class with Mark Lanier. 

Amy Orr-Ewing tells how she went from a young girl growing up within a fiercely anti-God, anti-Christian home, to how Jesus extraordinarily revealed himself to her family, to how she compassionately and intelligently addresses societal concerns today in a way that lovingly and logically shows that Christ alone is the only truth that makes any sense in our world. 

Enjoy!


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What Is the Greek Word for Holy? | What About Greet Each Other With A Holy Kiss? | Meaning of Holy Teaching Sermon | 1 Peter 1:15-16

10 Minute Teaching on the Greek Word for Holy and Meaning in 1 Peter 1:15-16

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Transcript:

What is the Greek word for holy in the New Testament? What does the word holy mean? The word holy seems to be used a whole lot in reference to people, places, and things related to religion and faith. Now, the Greek word for "holy" is hagios.

When I first think of something being holy, I kind of envision a picture or a vision of something glowing and radiating out golden rays of light—pure, undefiled, and sinless. Or, if it's in reference to a human, then those few holy people among us. But what does it mean when, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 1 (where I was reading this week), we are taught that we, as believers and as followers of Christ, are to be holy? Not just that one day we’re going to be perfected and holy and pure in God’s kingdom, but that we are to be holy now? And not just when times are good, but even when times are really bad. The letter in 1 Peter is written to Christians in exile who are being persecuted, and he’s saying, "Remember, be holy!" 

What is the Faith that Jesus Requires? Find Out If You Have It Based on the Greek Word for Faith in the Bible | Teaching Sermon on Faith

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The Greek Word for Faith In the Bible | Teaching on Pistis/Pisteuo for Faith, Belief, Trust, but Best Translated as "Belief with Trust"

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If there was just one word that we could choose to represent or to encompass all of Christianity, or all of the Christian life, it might be the word faith. Faith is critical to understanding God, following Jesus, and living the Christian life. Furthermore, faith, we are told in the Bible, is what gives us assurance of salvation. But what is faith? Or what did Jesus mean, or specifically what did the disciples and Paul mean, when they wrote "pistis," the Greek word that is usually translated as faith? Have we actually been taught or do we truly know what biblical faith is, and do we know what the word pistis is? It is in the New Testament over 240 times and guess what? In all its forms, it's translated three different ways. Most of the time, it's translated as faith; sometimes, it's translated as belief; and a few times, it's translated as trust. In actuality, biblical faith, pistis, is both belief with trust. We need a short phrase to really understand what pistis, the underlying Greek word for faith that's used 240 times, means—belief with trust.

I'm going to show you some examples here in the Greek grammar books. You can see here belief assuming trust, with trust -  belief, assuming trust, - and faith in God is belief with trust. It's something that builds and gets stronger throughout the Christian life as we walk with God, as we release our prayers to Him and anticipate His response. Let's look at a few times when Jesus was recorded as teaching on pistis, on faith, in the Book of John, and let's see how the word was translated into English. Let's start with John 14:1, where Jesus is telling His disciples that He's about to be turned over and put to death by the Romans. He says to them, "Let not your hearts be troubled; 'pisteuete' in God and also in me." Most translations, such as the NIV, the ESV, and the NASV, translate this as "believe in God and also believe in me," but the NLT translates it as "trust in God and also trust in me." Which one is best? Well, based on the Greek lexicons and dictionaries, the idea of "pistis" contains both. It is belief with trust. Jesus is saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe and trust in God and also believe and trust in me." When we understand it that way, it's clearer and it's a stronger understanding  of what faith is, what pistis is.

Now in Mark 5:34, the woman who had been bleeding internally for years was healed after she went into the crowd and touched Jesus's cloak. Jesus spoke with her, and He ended His statement with, "Daughter, the 'pistis' of you has healed you." In every major translation we have in English, this is translated as, "Daughter, your faith has healed you." Of course, this does not mean, "Daughter, your unreasonable faith, your blind faith has healed you." The best thought-for-thought translation would be, "Jesus said, 'Daughter, your belief with trust has healed you.'" Not just belief, because the woman could have heard about how Jesus healed others and believed that He was a healer— and not just blind faith because she had evidence that He had healed others. She went to Jesus with belief and trust that He could heal and that He could heal her too.

Let's look at John 3:16, which says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who 'pisteuōn' in Him should not perish but have eternal life." It is the underlying "pistis," that same underlying word for faith. "Pistis" could be faith, could be trust, could be belief, but this verse fully means that everyone who has belief and trust in God will not perish but will have eternal life. (By the way, in one of my next episode, I'm going to expand on the word "life" from the Greek, so look forward to that!)

Do you see how learning about the underlying word in the Greek text helps to bring clarity? For example, some Bible teachers say John 3:16 means that all someone has to do is believe and they are saved, meaning just having basic belief, basic agreement, basic assent. But it's not just an acknowledgment of, "I know who Jesus is, and sure, I believe He is the Son of God and died for my sins." It is more than just agreeing with the facts of who Jesus is and what He did. It's whoever believes strongly enough that they also trust in Jesus. This is why Jesus can say to those in the Book of Luke who say, "Hey, you know Jesus, we know you, we talked about you in the streets," and Jesus unfortunately replied, "Depart from me, I never knew you." They maybe believed about who He was, but they didn't have "pistis." They didn't have belief with trust.

It's much more clear when we understand not just faith in the English sense, but "pistis" in the Greek and the way it was used. In Romans 10:9, Paul teaches that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and "pisteuēs" in our heart that God raised Him up from the dead, we will be saved." Actually, in the Greek, the pattern of the language for Romans 10:9 reads more like this: "If you assent in your speech with the saying that Jesus is Lord and 'pisteuēs,' (believe and trust) that God raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved.

To sum up, take from this teaching and apply it when reading in the New Testament. When you see the English word faith, believe, or trust, know that the underlying Greek word is the word pistis, which means having belief with trust. Read the verses you come across that way, and you will have a better understanding of the message that was intended.

Let's close with a few more that are translated as faith in the New Testament. When we look at James 2:17, where it says "faith without works is dead," - that verse has thrown scholars and theologians into debates for centuries due to the English translation. Let me share with you how this reads in the Greek: the language is patterned more like this, "and in this manner, 'pistis,' if it does not have action, is dead by itself." So when you read it knowing the underlying word is "pistis" and knowing that the original structure of the language is written with an ending emphasis on the phrase by itself, it suddenly becomes much less debatable. We understand that the intent of the verse is to be understood as this: "and in this manner, in this way, belief with trust, if it does not have action, is dead by itself." It brings more clarity because we better understand that a belief alone doesn't necessarily imply that action be taken. However,  belief with trust implies that one will be acting on that belief because they trust it. Without any action on what God tells us to do or prompts us to do, it is a dead faith or a belief that doesn't represent trust. So how can it be a living faith if it is only just a thought, just a belief, or just general assent? 

Finally, in 1st Corinthians, we are told that faith, "pistis," is one of  three great things that will remain forever. Paul meant that belief with trust will be what we will have forever in heaven with God and with the other believers. 

The words faith, belief, and trust in the New Testament are all rooted in the word "pistis," and you are recommended to read those words as belief with trust when you come across them in the New Testament. As you do so, the debates, peculiarities, and any confusion start to melt away as we understand that faith in God and faith in Christ mean that we both believe and trust in Him. We believe and trust in His teachings, and we believe and trust in His promises.

For more from Sherry Elaine, including her books, visit her author page on Amazon HERE.

God Will Give This Every Time You Ask! | Biblical Greek Words for Wisdom, Ask, Generously | sophia, aiteo, haplos

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Have you ever noticed that when you ask God for insight, or for wisdom about a situation, that he often gives it to you fairly quickly? What are some problems or situations that you could use some of God’s insight to help resolve or manage?

In numerous situations,  I’ve found that insight or an answer from God has been given pretty quickly after asking Him for it – not always – but most of the time.  I learned something this week about the underlying Greek in a verse in James 1, which caused me to have some, “Yeah, that’s true!”  moments.

In James 1:5, it says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Then the next part sounds difficult. It says, in James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

Now, today, we sometimes use the words wisdom and knowledge interchangeably; but in the Bible, there are two words -sophia for wisdom and gnosis for knowledge - and they were not interchangeable. Sophia, or wisdom, always meant having specific knowledge or insight for the purpose of good decision making.  So here, the verse is saying – “If anyone needs insight, or needs good advice or direction based on insight -  then let him ask of God.”

Now the phrase “ask of God,” is unique because there is more than one word in the Greek that can be translated as ask, and in this verse, the underlying word for ask is aiteo (eye-tah’-oe).   Aiteo is used when someone is asking for something that they know they are supposed to get because they need it, and the person they are asking has what is needed. For example, it is used when a subordinate asks their supervisor for something they need for the job, and they are aware that the supervisor has it and will give it.  For example, as an educator, if I know that I need a certain textbook but I don’t have it, and I know my principal has the books in the book closet; I know that if I ask my principal for the book, that the principal is going to give it to me. In this situation – I lack something I need; I know where to get it; I do have to ask for it, but I know that I will get what I ask for because - it’s just a given. It would make no sense that my principal wouldn’t give me the book I need in such a case.  That is the type of ask that aiteo is.  We don’t have any word like aiteo for ask in English.

What James is telling us is this: When we have any problem or situation in which we need insight from God in how to solve, how to navigate, or how to handle -  we are told to go to God, ask for it, and know that we will receive the insight we ask for.  God has all the wisdom, and he knows we need it, and yes – it’s a given that God will provide the needed insight or wisdom.  The verse in James then goes on to say that God will give “generously and without reproach.”  The underlying word for generously is the word haplos, and it means that God is ready and willing to give us the requested wisdom, or insight, without holding anything back. The word haplos, also can mean that God will give it readily, simply, or clearly.  Finally, “without reproach” means that God, of course, is not going to criticize us or find any fault with us or be exasperated with us for asking for His wisdom.

Isn’t that amazing and fantastic?  So understanding about that word aiteo helps us to understand the next sentence in which James says, “one must ask and not doubt. “ It’s not so hard to ask without doubt now, with the understanding that we are asking in an aiteo way, in a way where we know the insight we are asking for will be given readily, generously, and clearly.

So what problem or situation do you have right now, today, that you need wisdom or insight from God?   Ask Him! I mentioned before that one of the “ah-ha’s” that I had - when I was studying the underlying language in this passage - is that I know, based on my own experience, that all of this is true.  When I have gone to God in close prayer, and  asked God for wisdom, for insight, in a number of different situations, I have nearly always received  the insight I requested readily. It usually has not taken long for the answer or the insight to be given.

 Do any of you have similar experiences?  Some of the things I have asked for insight on include:

 What does a very difficult passage of scripture really mean?

 I’ve asked for insight on how to best get bills paid on those months when there is more going out than coming in.

I’ve asked for insight on relationships with others – including co-workers, acquaintances, and even extended family members.  Do you know how much heartache we might save ourselves if we ask God to give us insight into our relationships?  When you start making a new friend or maybe start dating someone new if you are single –  you can pray, and you should pray early on - for God to give you insight on to whether or not it is going to be a good and beneficial relationship or friendship for you.  If you are in a relationship with someone who is not right for you, or who is trying to take advantage of you – God will give you insight if you ask Him for it.  You do have to ask Him for it; just like I had to ask for the book I needed that I knew I was going to get.

And remember, when you ask for God's wisdom or insight, He will give it to you readily, generously, clearly, and simply. In other words, God is not going to respond with a cryptic or mysterious response that we have to figure out or decode what He gives us. 

Some other areas I’ve asked for God for insight include how to best feed myself or exercise when I have needed to lose a lot of weight for health reasons. There were so many options and diets and exercise plans – and asking Him for insight made a difference. In fact, my first book published was about my experience with asking God for help with my health and my weight.  The book is still available at Amazon and can still be read for free with Kindle Unlimited. It’s simply titled Weight Loss for Christians, and I’m the author, Sherry Elaine Evans.  

When you understand more fully James 1:5; then James 1:6 also falls into place. Here it saysthat we need to ask without doubting, otherwise we are like are just being thrown around by waves. And this is understandable now, that if we are asking in an aiteo way, there is no doubt, because we understand our position with God, and we understand his nature and promise in that He will always give us His wisdom or insight when we need it and ask Him for it.

So what is something you need God's wisdom or insight in on now, today? I encourage you to go pray about it. Go to him in prayer, to your room, or to wherever you go to be alone with God. Ask him to give you insight, direction - to give you His good advice on the situation. I do believe as the Scripture says in James that He is ready and willing and will give that to you without holding back and without criticizing you. He will give you His wisdom. 

What Does the Word Prayer Mean to You? -Greek Word for Prayer | What Is Prayer Teaching | How to Pray Sermon

What Does the Word Prayer Mean to You?  Greek Word for What Is Prayer - How to Pray Teaching and Sermon  

Transcript:

How would you define the word prayer? Most of us would say prayer is simply having a conversation with God, or talking with God. To that I would respond – it’s deeper than that.  Saying that prayer is merely talking or conversing to God is true, but I think that it is a dumbed down definition of prayer. If conversation is all prayer is, then we wouldn’t even need the word prayer. We could just say, I’m  going to  talk to God, or I’m going to speak with God, or I am going to speak my wants and desires to the air.  


The Greek word underlying the word prayer, is proseuche (proe-soo-hey’). In this teaching, we will be focusing on three Greek words related to prayer with God: 1)  pros,  2) euchomai, and 3) thelema 

The Greek word underlying prayer is proseuche, and the word proseuche comes from the words pros and the word euchomai. Now the first part, pros is a preposition. It's a tiny little word, but it is a very specific little preposition. In nearly all cases when it is used in the New Testament, it it used to mean “to move or to go towards” a person, and it implies going towards to be close to the person. This is specific, and it is not used in the Greek when the someone is going or traveling to a place. See in English, we say, "I am going to my sister, or to see my sister;" or "I am going to the post office." It’s the same little preposition “to.”  In Greek, there are two prepositional words for moving to or moving towards:  pros – which implies going to a person to be with that person.

For example, when Jesus says,  "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." The word pros is used. When Jesus went to John to be baptized,  he went pros John.  When Jesus taught, the crowds went pros him.  They were coming to him, closely, so he had to go out into the boat and push out to teach from the middle of the lake in order to put some distance between himself and the crowds. When the sick came to be healed, they came pros Jesus.  It’s a different Greek preposition when someone is going to a place. 

 So do you now see why I am getting so excited about this little preposition?! The first syllable in proseuche means to go as one person goes to see or meet with to another person. It doesn’t mean to go to God as you go to a library. It doesn't even mean to go to God like you would go to church.  It’s come to God as one person to another person, implying coming close to God.  Remember, when Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened, it is this word pros, and when we come pros, Jesus will give us rest.

Now – the second part of proseuche, of prayer comes from the Greek root word euchomai, and in the religious sense we translate it as pray. However in the regular, non-religious Greek word, euchomai meant "wishes" It meant wish in the sense of having a wish, or having  a want or a desire for something. So now we see that prayer, proseuche, in the Greek literally means -  you as a person are bringing your wishes to God, and this implies closeness, like sitting side by side or speaking face to face.

Now, I could stop here, but I want to share one more perspective. It relates to the third word,  thelema. Thelema is the Greek word underlying the word will, like how we use it in the will of God, or God’s will. But there is one other way that thelema is translated in other places in the New Testament – it is also translated "wishes!'

Are you still on this road with me? Jesus, in the Lord’s Prayer and in His own prayer at Gethsemane, modeled what proseuche within the thelema of God is.  Jesus goes to God, as one person goes to another, to talk closely with him, sharing His wishes while also releasing His wishes, wants, and desires to be in line with God’s wishes.  That is prayer.

When we begin treating this way – when we 

1)take time to go to God as one person goes to visit or sit down with and give our focus to another person; and when we 

2) share our honest wishes to God; and then, most importantly,  when we end that time that we are spending with God with 

3) an honest statement of acceptance that we want to exchange our wishes for God’s wishes for us….that is the powerful prayer that accomplishes much.

 Proseuche and Thelema. Going towards God to be with Him and bring him our wishes; and thelema – allowing and even desiring to exchange our wishes with His wishes. That is the full picture of prayer.

The word  prayer is not just talking, not just conversing.  It's not just speaking our wishes out to impersonal forces. It is proseuche - taking your wishes close to God as one person to another, and then releasing your wishes and exchanging your wishes for God’s thelema, for God’s wishes.

Friends, that's all I have for this teaching. I want to close again with a recommendation. If you have not already read it, my book Closer to God: SimpleMethods, Starting Today.  In that book I share how my  mindset changed and how my daily practices changed in order to find closeness with God. It’s a short and simple read. It’s a little bit of a “why to,” but it more appropriately is a practical “how to.” It is available on Amazon,  and you can even read it for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

For the next two to three months, I will be sharing more of these “gems” from the biblical Greek. So subscribe wherever you watch or listen, either to the podcast or the Youtube channel, both are titled and can be found through a google search for Gospel Life Learning with Sherry Elaine. You can also enter your email in the form below to get a monthly email letting you know of any new epsiodes released during the month.

Goodbye for now, and spend some time in proseuche within God's thelema today, tomorrow, the next day, and going forward. 

- Sherry 

What is the Greek Word for Joy in the New Testament? The Pursuit of Happiness and the Bible | John 15:11

What is the Greek Word for Joy

Fourth of July | Pursuit of Happiness

The 4th of July, Independence Day, is the day the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, agreeing that we are all given inalienable rights by the Creator to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As a Christian, I wondered, “What does Jesus teach us about the pursuit of happiness?”

The Bible doesn’t really use a word that is equal to the way we typically use the word “happiness” today.  Instead, the Bible relies on the Greek word “chara,” which is usually translated as “joy.”  Now the word “chara” comes from the word “charis,” which is translated as “grace” in English.  This word chara, as it is used in the New Testament, is not a feeling we can create within ourselves.  I believe that chara may be best explained as a state of “soul-satisfaction” that is given to us by and through God’s grace. 

This word chara is used many times in the New Testament, but for the sake of time, I want to focus in on John 15, because here, Jesus teaches us how to gain chara, how to gain this joy.  In this chapter, Jesus encourages us to “abide” in him –  which means to be with him throughout life. Jesus said that he will abide with us; and we are encouraged to abide with him. Jesus knew that he was physically going away soon at the time that he explained this to his disciples. There is no doubt that Jesus was speaking, not of a physical, tangible way of being together. He was speaking of a spiritual way of being together.

Why did Jesus encourage his followers to abide in him? He gives the answer in John 15:11. Jesus basically says, I am encouraging you to abide in me so that “my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”  Let’s look at that again, remembering that the word chara is the word that underlies the word joy; and chara is a sense of a deep, soul-satisfaction that is profoundly deep and transformative. Let’s look at it again,  Jesus encouraged us to abide in Him, to spend plenty of time with Him. Why did he encourage this? Because when we spend ample time with Jesus, that is how we receive His chara in us, and how our chara becomes complete.

Over 10 years ago, I challenged myself to take on a new endeavor. I decided I wanted to o attempt to spend as much time with Jesus as I could, while also still having to manage all the things we all have to do – working full time, running errands, doing chores, parenting, paying bills, and more. I learned that we can do all those everyday things and still keep our minds on Jesus. I share my story and the strategies that I implemented to be able to do this in my short book titled Closer to God: Simple Methods,Starting Today. You can find the book on Amazon, and you can even read it for free if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited.

 

 

 

3 Strategies to Practice Giving Your Anxieties and Worries to God | 1 Peter 5:7 | Ephesians 6:18-20

 How do I give my anxiety to God? How Can God Help Me with My Anxiety?




Transcript:

Today, I'm going to share three strategies that anyone can use to help control and regulate their anxiety from day to day. This is part of the "Emotions Series" on this blog, blogcast, and on the Gospel Life Learning YouTube channel. 

We all know that Philippians 4 says,  "Don't worry about anything...Pray about everything." And scripture also tells us to cast all our anxieties, cast all our fears to the Lord - because he cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7). For many people, those are two of our favorite verses. It is so comforting to know that is what God wants for us,  and that is one way the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ wants to help us. 

But is anyone else wondering, "How? How do I do that?"  I'm going to give you three strategies, and two of the strategies you can do quickly almost anywhere. The third strategy -  you could probably also do almost anywhere but it takes a little bit more structure. In the context of what I teach, I teach these strategies (without the spiritual aspect) to the people that I work with—my students, my teens, their parents—but here,  I am able to teach these anxiety management strategies that I've learned through my training in psychology.  I can also combine them with the spiritual part,  because when we use these techniques together with our spiritual helper, the Holy Spirit, it just takes an even deeper root. 

The first strategy is probably one that you've heard: visualization. Often times we're told, when we're stressed or even in pain, to visualize one of your favorite places, your relaxing vacation place, and just visualize that you are there. Now what I do, what I recommend relates back to the verse to  "cast your anxieties to him."  What I do is - I actually visualize all of my worries (in a large bag). I visualize all the little things going on in my head - what might happen later this afternoon, all the things that I need to get done and I don't think I have enough time to do it, waiting for someone to get a report back from the doctor—all of these things. I visualize that they are in a big laundry sack, and that is my laundry sack of my worries and anxieties, and it' has become heavy. When I visualize, I actually visualize that Jesus is standing right there, like four to five feet away from me, and I just toss it. I toss that bag to him, and he catches it, and he smiles and says thank you, I'll carry this load from here. 

That is the first strategy. When I am going through a really stressful week or a stressful time, I will actually do that each morning before I leave the home. I will do that visualization exercise where I'm tossing my anxieties; and it does make a huge difference for me. So go ahead and try that! 

The second strategy is through praying in the Spirit , or sitting still with God and just asking God to send his Spirit to pray on our behalf. In prayer, say, "I'm having a lot going on in my mind, I'm having a hard time even focusing on this prayer. I just ask that you bring to my mind the power of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit will intercede for me." I've only been doing this for about the past year, and it's been pretty tremendous. It's a way to worship and to have the Spirit intercede for us. Sometimes I can sit there for as long as seven or eight minutes, allowing him to evaluate what's going on, to take care of it, and to take my worries. Praying in the Spirit is basically sitting still with God, thinking about things of God, and allowing the Spirit to intercede for you while you are requesting for it to pray on your behalf. That's the second strategy. 

The third strategy is to have a time and a place to worry and to have a worry journal for that time to worry. Now, some of you are saying, "Wait a minute, we're not supposed to worry. We're supposed to reduce worrying, and now you're telling us to purposefully worry?" Yes! What this does is it actually puts worry into its place. It puts worry into a box, into the notebook. So as you're going through your day, when you become aware that you're starting to get into an anxious spin, you can say, "Oh, I'm going to write that down at 8:00 and I'm going to stress as much as I can about it at 8:00."  Then you sit down each day at 8:00 p.m. or whatever time you've set, and you just set that timer for 10 minutes and you just scribble it out—all your worries, all your concerns, everything that's got you going - you put it down on that paper. 

In a regular counseling session without the spiritual component, that's all you would do, and that would be pretty effective in helping to keep you from being worried all day long. But once again, with the spiritual aspect, you take that journal, you close it, and set it maybe even on top of your Bible. Then you do the visualization task again, and you can visualize that you hand the notebook of worries off to God, saying, "Thank you, God, I'm handing this off to you." It becomes even a more powerful strategy.

 Now regardless of whether you do the spiritual handing it off to God or not, which I hope that you do, the strategy is effective because as you go through your day, you will have times when you aware that you're starting to spiral a little bit. When you realize it, you can say, "Oh, I'm going to write that down at 8 o'clock, and I'm going to spend as much time as I can, up to 10 minutes, worrying about that at my worry time at 8:00." Eventually, what happens is - you get to 8:00 or whatever time you've set, and you don't need a full 10 minutes. Maybe you only need 8 minutes, then maybe you only need four minutes, and eventually you get to that worry time and you realize, "I don't even really need to worry." At that point, you can turn your worry journal into a prayer and thanksgiving journal, and you can still hand those thoughts of gratitude off to the Lord.

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How can we pray without ceasing? Is this instruction from the Bible just rhetoric? Should we even try? To learn simple strategies to grow closer to God in our daily routines and rhythms, read Closer to God: Simple Methods, Starting Today by Sherry Elaine


Find the author's books at Sherry Elaine books on Amazon

Follow on YouTube Gospel Life Learning with Sherry Elaine


Acceptance and Commitment Strategy for Christians: Addressing Life's Ups and Downs with Evidence Based Strategies and Biblical Examples

There are 3 ways to access new blogposts: 1) Listen at the Gospel Life Learning podcast; 2) Read here on the blog; or 3) Watch the corresponding video cast on the Gospel Life Learning YouTube channel:


Transcript: 

In the previous blogcast episode, I talked about the simple strategy that Paul demonstrated in Phillipians .  Do go back and review that when you are able if you didn’t read or listen to that one yet.  

Then today – I will share the second strategy, and then I will wrap up with a biblical example.  This second strategy is called Acceptance and Commitment, and it can be applied to any negative emotion, but especially depression, anxiety, fear, and issues of doubt.  It’s different from cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive therapy is good, but it’s actually hard, and it can be hard to implement on your own. It's hard because you have to be aware of your thoughts, and you often need someone trained to help you pull up the thoughts that you are having. You also have to identify the not-always conscious scripts that are running in the background of your mind. Then you have to learn how to reframe those thoughts more positively, and then you have to practice thinking those new thoughts. It’s very effective and there is more research on cognitive behavior therapy than any other therapy strategy; but it is hard. What I mean is - that it is definitely not always intuitive. So, I love this Acceptance and Commitment strategy, and even though it was developed by secular psychology, it is clearly demonstrated by what several biblical characters modeled for us.

 


The first thing has to do with Acceptance. This means taking a step back from your day and all its activity,  and just being aware of what you are feeling. For example,  “I’m starting to feel really down. I’m starting to feel tired,  starting to feel unmotivated.” Then you take time to accept those feelings. You don’t have to talk back to the thoughts. You don’t have to say to yourself, “Oh,  I shouldn’t be feeling tired and sad or unmotivated or scared.” You just accept it. You think about it. You validate it. These feelings are real for me at this time. I am feeling down.” You allow yourself to sit with the negative emotion as long as you need to.  You tune into the indicators that God has given you through your emotions.

 

Here is the next step, the important, transformative step. After you give yourself time to feel all of those feelings - and actually think about the negative thoughts you are already having - then you move to the next step – a very powerful step. You tell yourself, “Yes, I feel this way, and I accept that I feel this way; and I am still going to choose to act within my value system anyway.”

 

That is it. Well there is actually more to it than that. There is a whole acceptance and commitment therapy training that’s been developed around this strategy.  I’m just explaining the very surface of it. If  this hits home with you and you want to learn more you can read up on it or find a Christian counselor or therapist who practices Acceptance and Commitment therapy.  Again, you take the time needed to accept that negative thing that you’re feeling. You let yourself feel it.  You allow yourself to experience it.  We are not trying to squash the feeling. We are accepting it, acknowledging that it exists. Then after we have accepted it and acknowledged it; it breaks the power over our behavior. That is when we consciously decide,  “I’m going to choose to act or respond in a way that is congruent with my values.” 

 

One of the best examples of this in the Bible is the Psalms of David.  When you look at his psalms, David writes and sits with his emotions and his feelings first. When he writes,  “I am downcast in my soul!,”  he is acknowledging his emotion first. Then after he has taken the time to explore the emotion and the thoughts around the emotion; he then flips from acceptance to a commitment. He moves on to “And I still choose to believe in God and to trust God. I still know that there is nothing better than having God with me.”

 

There are more biblical examples: Elijah, Solomon, Hannah, Mary, Paul, and even Jesus - all give us examples of acceptance and commitment. I will have to save those examples for another time or for the book and journal I am currently working on.  I find it fascinating that the Bible models this for us beginning 4000 years before psychology began developing its theories. It's even more interesting to me that the process of exploring and developing those theories led right back to methods exemplified in the Bible by David and Solomon and Elijah.

 

When applying these strategies I’ve shared through this Emotions Series, you will maintain better mental health, and you will also strengthen your identity and values. So yes, this is something to use and to teach your children and teens. When you choose to act within your values, you actually reduce what psychologists and counselors call “cognitive dissonance.” Do you know what cognitive dissonance is? It is when a person becomes aware that the way they are behaving or the direction they are heading, or the life they are living or the thoughts that they are thinking are not in line with their true values.  Cognitive dissonance is not always at the forefront of our awareness, but from a spiritual perspective it is a disconnect between our physical selves and our spiritual selves. I believe you might even say it’s a disconnect between our physical selves and our souls.

 

So review this and use these strategies, and teach them to your pre-teens and teens. They will enjoy the process too, and they will learn that it feels good to make a decision in line with their values. They will also learn, “When I make a decision that is not within my values, it doesn’t feel good; but when I decide within my values – it feels good!” As I talked about in the blogcast episode just before this one -  Do we want natural dopamine or do we want “blah” and sadness and spiraling emotions?

 

Before I close, I again want to remind you where you will find a link to my books. One book which I want to highlight is titled Closer to God: Simple Methods, Starting Today.  If you enjoyed these teachings on very simple strategies that can help you take charge of your emotions and your mental health; then you will also like the book title Closer to God: SimpleMethods, Starting Today.  A link to the book may be found at the website sherryelaine.com, gospellifelearning.com. The paperback and kindle versions of the book may be found on Amazon, and the Kindle version may be accessed for free if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited.


Finally, if you have missed any of the writings or episodes in the "Emotion Series," you may find a list of all the episodes, in the order they were released here:


The Emotions Series on Gospel Life Learning



Gratefully, 


Sherry Elaine