Jean Stockdale...

A Strategy For Dealing with Irregular People

I am bringing my series on irregular people to a close as the holidays breathe down our necks. I hope they have been helpful. Here are some recaps.

1.Not all relationships that present themselves in our lives are healthy. Some are toxic.

2.As a Christian, we are to extend love and grace to everyone. We are ambassadors for Christ. We can do this without letting an irregular person use our emotional well-being as a punching bag.

3.We are not required to allow any one to repeatedly wound us. We can set up some healthy boundaries and still maintain our Christian testimony. Ask God for wisdom to help you with this difficult person. (James 1:5-8).

4.We need some strategies for being with this person. My previous posts have some suggestions.

5.We need to accept the fact the irregular person is emotionally crippled and cannot relate well with us. We may never know where their pain is emanating from, but even if they choose to vent it on us, we do not have to receive it. It takes 2 to tug-a-war. When they "throw down" the rope, refuse to pick it up. Say, "Hmmmmmm" and busy yourself with something. Walk away without taking the bait. We are not responsible for their actions; we are responsible for our reactions. Big difference!

6.Generally, confronting your irregular person will not have the desired outcome. They are not looking to change and they are particularly not interested in YOU helping them change. Learning to live within the limitations of the damaged relationship is generally best. Make this a matter of prayer. I am speaking in general terms and God may lead you differently.

7.In a nutshell, but ministry oriented towards this person and emotionally distant. This allows you to extend God's love to them without allowing them to "terrorize" you emotionally.

Some of you are dealing with people who have wounded you so deeply that you are in emotionally bondage. Your person has slashed you and left you bleeding (mentally and emotionally) in the wake of their cruel words. These people do not just "rub you the wrong way." This is not a matter of personality differences. Irregular people pierce your soul with calculated cruelty and purposeful pain. Why? I cannot fathom the reason anyone would do this. And typically it is a member of your extended family. If you genuinely have an irregular person in your life, my words are resonating in your heart. Physically you are suffering from their repeated verbal jabs and barbs. Emotionally you are reeling. Spiritually you are drained. Look to the Lord. Read and mediate on Psalm 91 as your prepare to spend time with your person over the holidays. Ask the Lord to help you rise above the downward pull of your flesh that would love to retaliate.

What is the right way to handle an irregular person? In a nutshell, be ministry minded and emotionally detached. Write and let me know how this works for you. Tomorrow I will post one more. And then it is every man for himself!!

God Stood Strong

The men have recently been putting in a job in Louisiana. Dawson started the job on Monday a week ago; Craig went on Thursday; Jason went down on Sunday; Daws came home on Tuesday and Craig and Jas drove home on Saturday. On Saturday night when Jas and Craig were just moments from our house, on Macon Road, a drunk driver sideswiped them at about 9pm. She did not have on her headlights and hit them at high speed. Jas was driving an Avalanche and she was also driving a truck. She hit them so hard that the mirror was snapped off, thrown through the driver's window, shattered the driver's window and landed in the floor of the cab. The drunk driver took off and stopped at the 4way stop down the road. Dawson had been at our house picking up Marleigh (their boxer). He passed Jason and Craig who were stopped on the side of the road. He did not realize it was them. At the 4way stop, the drunk driver was stopped and ranting outside her truck. She flagged Daws down. He stopped to help and realized she was very drunk. She said the black truck had hit her and ruined her truck.Daws got her to drive back where Craig and Jas were. In the meantime Crag had called the police to report the accident. The women cussed the men out. When the police arrived she blamed the accident on Jas. They could smell the alcohol, administered a sobriety test and arrested her. 

The window shattering covered both men with small shards of glass-especially Jason. When the men got to our house, Jason had about 15 tiny cuts on his arms. Glass was in their pockets, shoes and hair.Shards of glass were imbedded in the face of his Iphone. How grateful we are of God's protection. The officer said if the drunk driver had been over 2 feet, the outcome would have been very different.

On Sunday Jason woke up with pain in his eyes. His friend, Wes Persell, an eye dr. in Oakland, met him and checked his eyes. He found 2 shards of glass in his eye. He thinks antibodic drops and cream will heal it without permanent damage.

I am a strong believer in the sovereignty of God. Our recent mission trips have caused me to come to grips with what I believe about this issue. While I cannot begin to unravel the deep mysteries of this truth, I am learning to rest in God's providential care. This event has once again forced me to examine my own heart on this issue. Again I have come to the conclusion that God is sovereign and He is a good God. Relish His goodness with me, one more time. God stood strong.

Oh my Heart!

This is what my heart looks like:

 

And a little bit like this:

 

Oh, my heart!

Hmmmmmm!

We do not get a pass when it comes to dealing with irregular people. We are not allowed to be unkind and respond cruelly, even if it is the appropriate response! As believers, we cannot become critical of irregular people lest we fall into the trap of becoming like them!! BUT, we are not required to allow them to repeatedly use our emotionally well-being as a punching bag. We learn to respond by saying, "Hmmmmmmmm." That can be a complete sentence. It acknowledges their remark without being drawn into their junk. Don't take the bait. Practice with me. "Hmmmmmmmm. Hmmmmmm." Alternative responses: "Bless your heart." "Really." Seriously"(good as a question or a declarative statement!). We can be kind without being unwise.

As Christian womenn, we cannot allow anyone to totally upset our spiritual equilibrium just because they can-and seem to find delight in it. We can (and must for the sake of our own immediate family) protect our self-worth in Christ without destroying our integrity as believers. This is done by acknowledging the walls the irregular person has built without banging our heads on them repeatedly.

The irregular person sets up barricades in the relationship, in order to be wise we agree (in our minds not out loud to the person because they will immediately try to point out how all of this is your fault!) to live within them. Start by acknowleding what you think you need from your person. Truthfully ascertain what you actually get from your person. You may feel you need warm and fuzzy from your person; you get prickles and pokes. You may feel you need words of affirmation and encouragement; you get criticism and cruel remarks. For you own wellbeing begin to accept the limitations of your person and the roadblocks your person is setting up in your relationship.

Someone said, "It is the definition of insanity to expect a different outcome from the exact same circumstances." If you person is a "pit bull dog", don't knock on the door and expect to see a yellow lab  answer! Live within the limits they set and say, "Hmmmmmm" alot to avoid being baited and drawn in to their (unresolved) conflict. Respond to the limitations the irregular person decrees. This is not the relationship you wanted but it is the one you got. Work with it. Lower your expectations. Don't expect your person to change. Don't fool yourself into thinking this holiday will be different. Instead, make some strategies to avoid the emotional fallout that comes from time with this person.

Read 2 Corinthians 6:11-12. Paul is saying that when they came to the Corinthians church, they were totally open in their spirit towards them. But the Corinthians restrained them. They set limits and Paul and the disciples agreed to live within them. He says, "You are not restrained by us." That he, Paul did not set the limits on the relationships. He was open to love them and serve them in the name of the Lord. But they retrained Paul and his co laborers. Paul said, "You are the ones who restrained us by your own affections. You set the restraints and limited our ministry to you." Paul's words let me know that irregular people are nothing new-inside the body of Christ or outside.

Operate within the parameters your irregular person sets up. They will miss out on knowing you on a deep level, because you cannot risk exposing your truest self. They will have to settle with a surface knowledge of you; they will never know you heart. You will always be an enigma to them. They will probably miss out on knowing your great kids because kids are discerning enough to know who is "safe" to befriend and who is best to avoid. Accept this reality and stop making yourself sick over them.

Remember, not every relationship that presents itself is a healthy one. Some are just plan toxic. Protect yourself with your spiritual haz-mat suit (the full armor of God). Save up your emotional energy to lavish on your husband and children. Do not spill it or pour it out on a relationship that will never be anything more than a painful one. If they are retrained in their own affections towards you, accept it and see yourself hidden in God in Christ. Hmmmmmmmmm. Think about it!

The Angst of Aggravating People

So what do you do if your irregular person is in the household of faith?

Many of the women I meet describe their irregular person as a family member who is a Christian. They cannot reconcile the actions of their irregular person with Biblical mandates for those who know and love the Lord. They cannot reconcile their own feelings with their very difficult person. So now what?

People can be divided into 2 categories: lost and saved. The saved can be divided into 3 groups: baby believers, carnal believers and growing Christians. The baby believer is young in the faith and (rightly so) needs to be discipled. The carnal Christian has chosen to "sit down" and refuses to go any deeper with the Lord and needs to be slapped. Just kidding! I am a kidder. The carnal Christian needs to be convicted-which is God's job. If the CC does not respond to God's prompting to get up and grow, God will deal with them. They are not your pet project or responsibility to "fix." You have your hands full with YOU. Obviously the growing Christian is one in the process of growing in the Lord.They need to be encouraged.

So your irregular person is a Christian. So what is the deal? The problem may be that you have "out grown" your irregular person's level of belief! This will cause tension and stress in the relationships. Your person may be a carnal believer-stuck in the wilderness while you have crossed the Jordan and set up camp in the Promised Land.

So, do you correct them or confront them? You will have to get a word from the Lord about this, but in general I can tell you that confronting them is not effective. Your irregular person does not want to change. Whatever they are doing has been working for them for years and they are quite content. They are not looking to be corrected or changed. If they wanted to change, they would have by now. And they certainly do not want a child (or daughter-in-law, or whatever you are) to tell them how to act. After all, they think YOU are the problem anyways. And if you confront them, they will take you "emotionally hostage." That is, they will turn this back on you and make you the "bad guy". They will not receive your counsel. When confronted, they will not say, "Oh, now I see. Now I  understand. Thank you for pointing this out to me. I will definitely change and I will do it immediately because now I can see how hurtful I have been." It does not work this way. Even if they are a believer.

So, if you cannot confront, counsel, or correct your irregular person, what are you supposed to do? Here is some practical advice. I hope it helps. Accept the boundaries your irregular person has placed on your relationship and live within them. If you person cannot be to you what you need from them, accept it. Find someone in the body of Christ who is more like-minded and invest time with them. Accept the fact you cannot fix your person. Limit your exposure to them. Stop giving them the right to wound you. During the holidays when you are forced to be with them, try this. Wear and Ipod. Involve yourself in "safe activities" like go and read a good book. Take your kids for a walk. Stop sitting there and making yourself a target for their junk. Don't get drawn into it. Refuse it. When they start in on you say, "Hummmm. Excuse me but I promised the kids a trip to the mall (or whatever)." A little distance may be a good thing.

Stop responding to their attempt to draw you into theirr stuff. The way to do this is to politely say, "Hummm." Hmmmmm is a short polite answer that will avoid being drawn into conflict. Wow, with a nod of the head, works too. The point is don't respond to their junk. Try this technique. It can defuse the situation and give you an out. Furthermore, stop expecting your person to change. Lower your expectations and busy yourself with activities that will bolster your faith, rather than giving someone the right to tear it and you down.

We are called to love others. We are called to honor our parents. We are called to be kind. We are not called to give someone the right to abuse us physically, emotionally or verbally. We can set healthy boundaries and still honor the Lord our God. Hope this is helpful.More to come. Blessings.

Virus Alert

Bummer. I have found out the hard way that sneaky people live in cyberland and take great delight in messing with the rest of us. I have received a nuisance virus through facebook. I responded to a fb comment that I received a fb note that said, "hey has anyone emailed you to let you know ur default image is displayed on queenblab.com." It is a virus and I got it! I am so naive that I thought it had something to do with Esther!! If you get anything that sounds like this, do not open it!

I fear it may have sucked up my address book into cyberland, so if you get anything unusal that suggests to click over to another site, please do not do it. And I apologize if my error caused any of you problems. Now tomorrow I will post again about dealing with irregular people. That will be from me! Hope it will encourage you! Blessings.

Too Many Hats!

In my lesson on Thursday with the moms, I read a poem I wrote called "Too Many Hats." The reason many of us are so stressed and so ineffective for Christ, is that we are simply way too tired because we are wearing too many hats. Our only "hat" (other than the helmet of salvations-see Ephesians 6) is to be the crown of righteousness. Our relationship with Christ as placed us into His royal line. As we wear His crown of righteousness and pursue personal holiness, we will lay up crowns in heaven to cast at His feet when we see Him face to face.

 

Too Many Hats~by Jean Stockdale

 

As I start each day, new and fair

I never know which hat I’ll wear.

My life is fast paced and chaotic

So, I’m conflicted and a trifle bit neurotic,

 

I am the counselor, psychoanalyst and nurse

Keeper of the diaper bag, the car keys and my purse.

I’m the referee, the judge, and short-order cook

Responsible for the budget and balancing the checkbook.

 

I’m skilled in management and conflict resolution

I practice spelling words and help memorize the constitution

I’ve done book reports, school projects and a salt map

Taught children to whistle, use manners and how to snap.

 

I’ve waited hours in those awful carpool lines

Discovered lost library books to avoid expensive fines.

I done bake sales and make my share of cupcakes

Bought oodles of wrapping paper and light bulbs, for heaven’s sake.

 

I never raise my voice or speak above a shout

I keep track of schedules, bedtimes and timeouts.

I’m often in the kitchen making a meal or a mess

All the while trying to look my very best

 

I read Southern Living and follow Martha Stewart

But frankly, there’s no way that I can do it.

I am a chauffer, a gopher and a teacher

A mentor, a tutor and a self-proclaimed preacher.

 

I’m the photographer and resident memory maker

Coffee connoisseur, nutritionist and gourmet baker.

I’m really quite content and shouldn’t whine

But seriously..are all these hats really mine?

 

Take off your "too many hats" and put on your CROWN, brethren and sistern!!

 

Dealing With Difficult People

 

The holidays can be the toughest times of the year. For one thing our level of expectations are very high-for ourselves and for others. Most women suffer from "The Norman Rockwell Syndrome" and envision something totally unrealistic for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If this is true of you, read on.

Unresolved issues and painful relationships often surface during the holidays. That is because we are generally "forced" to be with people that we consider difficult. Note: Your irregular person may be able to fully function with other people, but somehow they drive you nuts, pushing ALL your buttons and stepping all over your toes. It is maddening! Can I get a witness?

I am truly trying to speak transparently and practically. Please understand that I understand that you can love the Lord with all your heart but still have someone in your life that you detest to spend time with. So if that is true, now what? What is the proper response for a Christian? It is going to take me several days to give you everything that I think about this topic, so bear with me. What I am sharing is based on the Bible and from many years of talking to women about this issue. That is my disclaimer, so let me get back to the issue at hand.

You may have walked in victory dealing with these issues all year, but then Thanksgiving rolls around and Christmas, right on its heels. You may have been able to keep your difficult person (or people-God love you if you have more than one!) at bay most of the year, but then November rolls around and it's "katie bar the door." A family wedding, a reunion or a funeral can also trigger these events, but the holidays are notorious for pushing some of us over the edge!

You may have even thought you had dealt with this and put all your broken pieces in the Father's hands. But then you check your calendar and Christmas is coming. And it is your year to host it. You want to celebrate this holy day but you know it will be spoiled because of your person. Suddenly you put all the baggage of the past (which you THOUGHT you had unpacked) on wheels and drag it around with you, sapping your strength and draining your emotional energy. If this weren't bad enough, the part of us that should be poured out in loving and serving the Lord is wasted on just trying to cope with the difficult people in our circle of extended family. (I say extended family, because that is usually where irregular people reside. If it were a difficult neighbor or co-worker we would either move or find another job. A true irregular person is stuck in our life and we cannot easily shake them. If we could, we would have already done that! Seriously!)

If you have irregular people in your life, I have good news for you. While, as believers, we are required to extend love and grace (and aren't we grateful that God did that for us when we were quite irregular to Him and His holiness!), we are not Scripturally bound to give them the liberty to totally annihilate us with hurtful words or cruel or cutting remarks.

Your person may be your father or your mother (It is interesting, but even if you person is dead and gone-if they were truly irregular-they may still hold sway over you. How's that for power! It does not make any sense but it is true none the less. A ghost of memories can still bind us and fill us with feelings of anxiety or inadequacy). Maybe it is an in-law. The good news is that in Christ we get a whole new family.

Jesus teaches us that our true family is not rooted in familial family ties, but in Him. Read Matt 12:46-50. "While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. "Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.".But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers ?"And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers !"For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

Our true family-father, mother, brother, etc.-are to be found within the family of God. If you had a tough mom or dad growing up, you get a new one in the family of God!! If a sibling was (and is) hurtful, guess what? You get all new ones! Look to the family of God for genuine fellowship-and lower your expectations on those familial relationships. Stop looking for your person to change. They aren't going to. That are quite satisfied with themselves or they would change! They think you are the problem so give up on the idea that this situation is going to miraculously change. It is not. God is capable of doing anything but He will not intrude on the free will of His human creation even to prevent you from being hurt! Your person probably will not ever change. If they wanted to change, they would not be waiting around for YOU to help them! They don't want to change. They think they are just fine. Stop kidding yourself into believing this year will be different. It won't. Your victory will not come because your irregular person changed; your victory will come because you changed your approach to your irregular person. Got it? Now you are ready! Look into the family of God. You will, by the way, find some irregular people in there, but you can find some like-minded folks with great courage and conviction who will value your friendship! Surround yourself with like-minded believers and relish your place in the family of God.

In the Scriptures, most family relationships are never mentioned-only the relationships rooted in Christ. For instance, Paul never mentions his immediate family(they most likely disowned him at the moment of his conversion-but he did not spend his life trying to convert them) but he writes often about Timothy and others, speaking of them as his "true child in the faith" and his "brothers." Paul invested in relationships that would prove to be fruitful for the cause of Christ. Does this mean we get to leave all our family lost and dead in their sins (or if they are saved-lost in their carnality) with no responsibility to try to reach them and love them to Christ. NO! We will be coming back to this point in the future. Stay tuned. My point is, we get a NEW FAMILY. So start enjoying what your birthright in Christ secured for you in the area of relationships.

If your family is rough on you, you can combat some of the fall-out by building strong relationships in the family of God. Consider a get together of your "real family of faith" immediately after the holidays to have something to look forward to as you walk through strained times with irregular people in your own extended family.

You might ask, "What if my irregular person is a believer? Then what?" I will be giving you some insight about the practical working out of these situations, but in broad strokes here is the big picture. Do not give over the control of your emotional or spiritual wellbeing to a toxic relationship just because they are related to you!

Not every relationship that presents itself in your life is of the Lord. Not everyone is good for you. Some are just plain toxic. Quite making yourself sick, trying to make your irregular person well. Focus on the Lord. Build an ever-deepening relationship with Him. In doing so, you will find your irregular people's hold over you to be less threatening and you will find Jesus to truly be the "friend that sticks closer than a brother."

Oh my soul, even when I write I have alot of words! If you are still reading this note at this point-you are seriously committed to finding victory and you must love me dearly!! I hope over the next few days I can give you some insight that will be helpful! Blessings.

Irregular People

The holidays are upon us. For many, that can only mean one thing: turkey, dressing, and difficult people. Many will spend the holidays with what I call "irregular people." These are folks that are tough to love and hard to tolerate. These are people you are forced to be wit-generally due to extended family members. Even though you love God, the very thought of spending a few days coped up with them is about to send you over the ledge! So...what to do? What to do?

Over the next few days I will be writing some insight about dealing with difficult people. I hope it will encourage you to walk in grace and equip you to walk in love. The real challenge is not just dealing with your irregular person, the real challenge is NOT TO BECOME SOMEONE ELSE'S IRREGULAR PERSON! Keep pressing on. The best is yet to come!

A Funny Thing Happened...

A funny thing happened in my life when I was a young mom with 2 boys aged 10 and 8. I got a call from Marge Lenow asking me if I might like to teach in a new ministry called "Moms." I was just trying to live for Jesus and keep from losing my testimony as I picked through the minefield called mothering! How could have known (apart from God the Father) that this moment in time would change the direction of my life and become the defining passion of it.

On Thursday I am looking forward to celebrating my 19th year in this ministry and by all accounts, it is still going strong. In January I will teach the book of Philippians. My Bible study-the 6th one I have written and published- is called "Joy in the Journey" and it has certainly been one wild ride-full of madness, choas, dizzying highs and shattering lows. And joy. Unspeakable joy in Jesus

The Commercial Appeal is going to do an article on my ministry. They have made plans to come and take some pictures during lecture time on Thursday at Moms at Bellevue. I have asked them not to attend the share time, since it is a "holy moment" and I want to protect that time from distraction. They are planning on stopping in during lecture. They will be taking a few pictures, without flash, during the lecture time.I assume they will take some shots of the audience, although I do not know this for certain.

I would also ask you to be prayerful that the photographer does not distract anyone from the message. Please ask God to protect the hearts and minds of our moms and not allow the enemy to use this opportunity to gain ground in distractions! Also, pray for a "good end result" from the article. I am so very mindful of the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church (You know she is royalty!) and I want every word I say to speak to God's holiness and His righteousness. I will be interviewed on Wed. I do not know when the article will run but it will be in the M section in the Family and Relationship column.

I thought you might like to know how this came about. It is simply a God thing. Holly Nelson, one of my leaders, is being interviewed and featured in Midsouth Moms. She told the writer, Catherine Stout, about my ministry and that she needed to interview me. Please look up Ephesians 6:18-20. Personalize this passage and pray this for me. I want to make Jesus known. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14.

Oh, and one more thing, we can never possibly know when God will step into our lives and change the direction according to His choosing and divine direction. This is the reason we need to be growing in the Lord and always preparing for His divine interruptions. For such a time as this, we need to be armed and rready for battle. If we fail to prepare for the call to arms, "Reflief and deliverance will arise...from another place. Who knows wheteher you havenot attained royalty for such a time as this" (Esther 5:14). Blessings.

The Ring

When Craig and I got married, we were 19 years old and madly in love. We were also seriously broke! We opted to exchange single silver wedding bands. My wedding band cost a grand total of $28.00 and Craig's set me back $32.00 at Service Merchandise in 1974. I have never considered myself a "diamond gal" until the boy's picked out engagement rings for the girls. After trying them on, I began to rethink my philosophy’about the whole issue. Jason selected the setting and the stone and had Patti's custom made. Dawson actually designed Kathryn's ring and had it hand made. He designed another ring for her right hand on their first anniversary. We had that ring for several days as we were assigned the task of sneaking it into their room for her to find on her pillow! My men are such romantics! This they learned from their father! I had tried on Kathryn's ring and commented to Craig that I might be ready for a diamond ring after all!

In August 2007 Craig's mom passed away and left me several diamonds. I told Craig I intended to have them made into a ring to wear on my right hand. I did not want them sitting in a safe somewhere. I intended to wear them and enjoy them. Dawson asked if I might like to have him design a ring with them. I was thrilled at the idea and said we would go to the jewelers one day in the future and do that. Well, for my birthday my guys and my girls had Dawson design a ring and had it made as a gift from them, the grands, and Mr. Stockdale. Sunday they stopped by after church and...oh my! What a love gift!

  

I won't deny it; I am disappointed. I supported John McCain and Sarah Palin. I prayed for their campaign and for the election. I am sorry John McCain was not elected as president of the United States. I am saddened by the national concern for the state of the economy and lack of concern for the state of morality.

For whatever reason, God has allowed Obama and Biden to be elected into the White House. As my president and vice president, I intend to honor their office and authority, but I do not intend to abandon the post as a prayer warrior. I suppose you will join me. In fact, I believe most Christians have offered up more concentrated prayer in the last few weeks than at any other time. Many have been compelled to pray and seek God desperately. Could this be the reason God has allowed these men to rise to the highest office in the United States? Is this how God will prompt us to pray for our nation? Could this be the harbinger of revival-produced by a disappointing outcome in the election? Could this possibly be how God will drive His church to her knees and rain ("reign" is actually a better choice) down His glory? Maybe, just maybe, this disappointment (a bitter one at that) will fall out to our benefit!

I am reminded of the apostle Paul. In Philippians 1:12-13) Paul wrote, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the praetorian guard and to everyone else." Paul was writing of his imprisonment. It turned out to be a blessing born out of the disappointment of confinement and a 2-year prison term for preaching the gospel. Paul did not view his imprisonment with human eyes. With the eye of faith Paul was convinced God was in charge of his circumstance, and in them-he would rejoice!

Chained to a Roman guard for 24 hours, Paul was able to advance the kingdom in ways he could have never dreamed! Before you become chained to your disappointment over the election, here are some things you might want to remember in these post-election days (thanks to Patti May for sending me this list), dear child of God:

1. The Bible will still be reliable

2. Prayer will still be answered.

3. The Holy Spirit will still exalt the Lord Jesus.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. God will still use the preaching of the gospel.

6. The purposes of God will still not be thwarted.

7. God will still care for His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross!

9. Jesus is still coming again.

10. Jesus will continue to save sinners and continue to build His church.

Beloved Christian, our God reigns over the heavens and the earth AND over the White House. "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6-7). Blessings.