I first read her book Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
in 2002. I kept a journal of what I was learning. I was going to be positive if it killed me and there were times it felt like it did. What happened next is a perfect example of "New Level New Devil".In her book Never Give Up!: Relentless Determination to Overcome Life's Challenges
Joyce Meyer writes "Anytime we step out to do something new for God we will almost always and almost immediately face a negative circumstance that will try to discourage us or convince us we cannot do what God ask of us" (p.31 Never Give Up) In other words,"New Level New Devil"I had vowed that I was going to be positive. I would not be like one those Israelites with their desert mentalities that Joyce Meyer describes in Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
. The first few weeks went well I was just starting to feel proud of myself and WHAM!! I got a nasty,messy tummy bug.This bug was not the kind that lasted 24 hours or even 48 . It lasted for days and then it went away for a few days and then it was back. This went on for 3 weeks. I was getting so aggrvated. I would sit in the bathroom and have a pity party. "Oh poor me, poor, poor me I have a nasty bug! There is nothing to be postive about this. Why is God doing this to me?? Why?? Why?? Poor , poor me." and on and on it went. "I was feeling so sorry for myself. Didn't God realize I wanted to be a positive person! Why would he let me get sick when I was trying so hard."
Finally, it dawned on me the Bible said in Philippians 4:6
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." BUT IN EVERYTHING Not just when the getting is good ,not just when you are healthy but in everthing.
I regained my determination and from then on when I was in the bathroom being sick. I would say "Thank you Lord for indoor plumbing." "Thank You Lord I can't imagine how awful it would be to be sick in this nasty weather and have to go to an outhouse." I also said Thank you for the inventor of toilet paper, thank you for my central heat. I finally got it. God wants me to praise him and thank him all the time not just when I feel he is blessing me
Now you would think after that kind of lesson that I would become a positively postive person. Nope! that's not what happened. I was more positive than I had been but nowhere near where I needed to be.
Fast forward to the year 2010. I decided that I need a refresher so I ordered myself my very own copy ofBattlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
. I pulled my old journal out and started reading. It was really sad to read my journal and see how little progress I had made in 9 years. I had learned so much and written good notes but I had not followed through on the life application.I knew I needed to make some changes in my life and my way of thinking. How could I apply the lessons I learned and not forget them. I got out a package of 3 by 5 index cards. Instead of keeping a journal I wrote down various quotes and other things that I thought were important. Some of the cards I taped above my desk,some I taped on the bathroom mirror and others I displayed on my desk. I was determined that this time I would be successful at applying the lessons I had learned. I carried my cards in my purse and pulled them out to read when I sitting in waiting rooms. Gradually the way I was thinking began to change. Now when a situation occurs I feel myself responding to it differently then in the past, the lessons,quotes and verses I want to recall now come to mind quicker.
When the 2010 school year began I decided that I needed to create a more positive learning enviroment for my children. I wanted to share some of the lessons I had learned. I had a wonderful educational catalog full of motivational posters and charts to hang in the classroom. Since all of the items were designed for a schoolroom most were to big for what I wanted and being the frugal person that I need to be I didn't want to spend the money. I did a quick internet search for free motivational quotes and free printable posters . I was able to find some really good sites. I plastered the walls of the house with posters and quotes. I downloaded motivational screen savers. Having the reminders all over the house has been such a blessing
Some of the sites I use:
...and Spiritually Thinking.
Positively Positive
Motivational-quotes-for-women.
Crosscards
These sites all have facebook pages so if you "like" them you will get the latest quotes, posters etc in your feed.
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