Posted on May 29, 2022 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
MindFull: Heart, Soul, Mind
By Lisa Zulke
If you have ever been on an airplane, you have heard the safety protocols. Today I was reminded of the instruction to secure your own air mask before helping others. As in air safety and cabin depressurization, so in life and mental health. I am not much good to others if I am not taking care of myself first. Ever find that hard to do? I confess at times I do. When my mind, my heart or my soul become too full, too disoriented, or too numb, it is an easy step to focus outward and help my friends, or my family. Anything but dive into the swirling, whirling dervish that is my state of being.
In this series we have heard many tips, and impactful passages from the Bible on where to take our anxious thoughts, how to mourn or lament the state of our world or our lives, and how to restore and renew our mind. This is the one that sticks with me, because it is the one I avoid. Not all the time. But, when those knots are super tangled, I need a win. I need to see something I am doing making the world a better place. And so I go to helping.
Now clearly this isn’t bad…until days, weeks or months go by without diving into the swirling whirl. Something Tom said struck a chord today: "You will never look into the eyes of someone that God doesn’t love completely, that God didn’t intend for a purpose." That is a phrase we must learn to embrace for ourselves, too. To look in the mirror and realize first that God feels that way about me. About you. When I am able to do that…my energy and ability to help others is multiplied a thousand fold. When I comprehend the love God has for me, I am transformed. I can feel safe. I can find purpose and feel that who I am and what I bring matter.
Your life and your story matter. They matter in your inner circle of friends and family. They matter where you work, study or play. Your life and story matter in our community. Heartland isn’t fully expressed until your life and your story intersect within community. Honestly, that is woven into the symbol that is our logo…each line and arrow representing a life, intersecting with Jesus, intersecting in community here, and intersecting with one another. What has God written into your story that connects with the story of Heartland? That might encourage another Heartlander?
We would love to hear your story, and share your story. If you’d like to contribute to our story page, CLICK HERE. Or,CLICK HERE to read, watch and be encouraged by the stories of others.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: Loving my neighbor as myself requires that I must first love myself well. (We can’t give others what we have not received and embraced ourselves.) Loving myself well becomes easier as I get better at loving God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. How do you practice Matthew 22:37-39? Who do you know that loves themselves and their neighbor well? Consider "interviewing" them to learn some of their secrets. Or, take a good look in the mirror, and consider where you need to anchor yourself in the truth that God loves you incredibly, powerfully well, just as you are, because he created you.
{heartland mental health and care resources}
Join us this month and next for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This 8 week course will help us all explore how to pursue emotional health in our relationship with God, our understanding of ourselves, and our relationship with others. You can sign up for the in-person course starting in May, or the online (zoom) course starting in June. CLICK HERE to sign up.
Need an assist from a member of our care team? Contact us at care@heartlandchurch.org, and our team will reach out to connect you to the best resource for your need or interest.
{bible reading plan}
For the next few months we will be exploring the Psalms. For an overview of the Psalms, watch this 9 minute video from our friends at The Bible Project. To learn more about how to read the Psalms, check out this video resource.
As you lift your eyes to God this week, what mercy do you need from him? What kind of sign are you looking for? Put your thoughts into words or phrases that you can repeat throughout the day.
Take a few moments to reflect back on your life. Where has God rescued you? Where has he offered protection? Where have you felt his presence at your side?
Oh, that my heart would always be in tune with God’s. I am thankful when it is. I am discouraged when it is not. Consider making your own "tune up" list, noting the things that would be going well if your heart was in tune with God’s. What would life look like, feel like? Use that checklist to identify the places you need fine tuning.
Are you in a season of weeping or of joy? Planting, or harvesting? Life ebbs and flows, and it is normal to move in and out of these seasons. Take some time to name where you are and then pray that God would meet you in this space…just as you are.
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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