RELATIONSHIPS:17-21

the continuation of

How to Pursue Relational Health

This is just a reminder because I added it to the end of previous blog post. I generally try to define/explain terms so I would like to do so for Relational Health:

 

"Relational Health refers to the capacity to develop and sustain safe, stable and nurturing relationships, which in turn prevent the extreme or prolonged activation of the body's stress response systems" Garner 2021

DAYS 17 - 21

Day 17: Stop Living for People's Love and Love Them Instead - 2 Cor. 5:14-15

Day 18: Live Hidden in Plain Sight - Col. 3:3; 2 Corinthians 2:14

Day 19: Practice Joy, Prayer, and Thankfulness - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Day 20: Set Your Heart on Heaven - Hebrews 12:1-2

Day 21: Anchor Your Hope in Jesus - 1 Peter 1:3-4. 13

I will continue to pursue Relational Health in my life.

"... To set our hearts on heaven, we must live now in light of where we are ultimately going. ... by "looking to" being fixed on) Jesus (Heb. 12:1), who is enthroned in heaven (Col. 3:1-3). This biblical truth has helped me so much in my RELATIONAL struggles."

Day 20 (quote above) ends with a prayer in ACT to consider praying:

"Lord, I confess that I think so much more about this life and what I see, feel, and hear. Help me fix my eyes on Jesus and warm my heart with love for Him. Give me a desire to be sober minded and alert to the enemy's schemes to hijack my focus off of You and onto this life. Most of all, Lord, deepen my understanding to set my hope fully on You."

Then on Day 21, we "Anchor ... Hope in Jesus" because we have a living Hope through our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus ... because "when we seek our living hope in an earthly RELATIONSHIP, we unanchor ourselves from Christ's promises, setting ourselves adrift in an unpredictable sea. A person's love, words of affection, need, and praise of us can never be "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading"; they don't have the power! We undo healthy hope we've placed on people by honestly expressing to God our pain, sin, and fears; renewing our thinking; practicing prayerful thankfulness; living through Christ's life and love...". I know what it is like to be 'unachored' and adrift in an unpredictable sea until I was tossed and turned enough to be awakened by Jesus - and the Truth. Thank You Lord Jesus, my Anchor, firm and secure is set in You, amid any tossing of waves that has crashed or may crash; my future hope is anchored upon the grace, love, mercy and peace of You, Jesus - our Lord.   

Our Living Hope has a Name, His name is Jesus!

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It's taken me years to understand and become aware of dysfunctional behaviors,
which is long overdue.
I am far beyond thankful that I have been saved & in a wonderful 
RELATIONSHIP
with
JESUS
as I'm
TAKING REFUGE IN CHRIST
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A dear sister and friend began a YV plan (20 day plan) on 10/17 and by mistake it appeared publicly when it was suppose to be with a group privately, but for me - it's a God-incidence and blessing, because it goes so well with this topic of Relational Health. It was provided from a Church in NZ and they started this series on October 17th with their first Message of a 7 week series until November 27th: Wellbeing: An invitation to a flourishing life . I recommend it and I will be doing it also along with the Church and YV plan. If you go to the website linked, you will find out more and they also offer a short "wellbeing self- assessment"  free, through another church. Perfect timing for me (in the middle of this 31 day journey) to discover a continuation of seeking to 'live a flourishing life' (which for me, just means healthy, the way God desires me to in all my relationships and the rest of my life) so I will continue this journey through the different areas of well-being from physical {ouch}, emotional, and spiritual to relational, financial and  even vocational well-being - since I'm retired, I have plenty of time to address and focus on these and perhaps I don't need vocational as much but God still may have a vocational purpose for me (beyond what I do or have done). We're not finished until God says we are 😉

RELATIONSHIPS: 13-16

How to Pursue Relational Health

There's a beautiful prayer that begins this section seeking "to grow to rest in the truth that the Lord is our True Refuge. Asking our Lord to change us and help us walk forward, one step at a time - in obedience to Him as we work on developing deep, caring RELATIONSHIPS without being bound to our fear and insecurity based on how people need or want us. Not wanting to use people or be used but learning how to love them because the Lord loves us & we can be secure in Him.

DAYS 13 through 16

 

Day 13: Ask God to Reveal Your Heart's Pain & Sin - Ps. 139:23-24

Day 14: Admit Your True Fears - Ps. 142:1-4

Day 15: Connect with Spiritual Family - 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

Day 16: Renew Your Thinking about Relationships and Love - Romans 12:2

I have divided days 13-21 for this section into 2 different blog posts: this one will cover just these days (13-16) and my next blog post will cover days 17-21 - all these days are about "How to Pursue *Relational Health". 

For me personally, I believe that this is the most important part and where I need the most work and/or change. So I am hoping that by lessening the amount of days, I will spend more time unpacking the verses and understanding what God reveals and honestly deal with myself and my RELATIONSHIPS. 

 

Day 16 "... How do we renew our minds?"..."First, we commit to reading and meditating on God's Word so that it has a home in us (Col. 3:16) ...  2nd "... We resist and flee influences that corrupt our thought life. We toss out anything that soils our minds with selfishness, lust, fear, anger, or unbelief; we cut off paths to ungodly supply sources that keep our sinful thoughts nourished. The more we're washed in the Word of God, the easier it becomes to recognize when pollution has entered in. ... " "Act: What steps do you need to take to have God's Word dwell in you more deeply?"

I find it's helpful to define terms (and this is not from the devotional book):

* “Relational health refers to the capacity to develop and sustain safe, stable and nurturing relationships, which in turn prevent the extreme. or prolonged activation of the body's stress response systems.” Garner. 2021. 

... and Why it's important?

"Relational health focuses on establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships with self, other individuals, groups and communities and develops from our interactions and connections with others. Having a network, grounded in supportive relationships, can help create feelings of satisfaction and security." (Resource)