Diana Savage - 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times. Promises of Hope and Encouragement from God

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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Cover by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Cover photos iStockphoto / Thinkstock

52 HEART LIFTERS FOR DIFFICULT TIMES

Copyright 2014 by Diana Savage

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Savage, Diana, 1950-

52 heart lifters for difficult times / Diana Savage.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-7369-5660-4 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-5661-1 (eBook)

1. Christian lifeMeditations. 2. ConsolationMeditations. 3. EncouragementReligious aspectsMeditations. I. Title. II. Title: Fifty-two heart lifters for difficult times.

BV4501.3.S2835 2014

242'.4dc23

2013016745

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This book is dedicated to the dozen or so members of a loosely knit support group divinely assembled during one of the darkest times in my life. You know who you are, although you might not be aware of the identity of the other members. All of you contributed important buoyancy to keep my nose above water. You prayed. You listened. You shared and sympathized appropriately. You gave of your time, energy, and even financial resources on occasion.

I was able write this book because of your loving friendship and support. I am forever grateful.

Contents

A heart lifter is a smile, a chortle, a glimpse of a blessing. Its a reminder were not alone on lifes journey. Its the assurance that we can count on fellow survivors to show us the route theyve charted to better places.

Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, claims that no matter how many times he visits New York City, hes always struck by the same thinga yellow taxicab. Thats pretty much a description of what happens in life, isnt it? There seem to be two kinds of people in this world: those who have experienced difficult times and those who are about to.

Often we describe our reaction to setbacks by saying we feel as if weve been run over by a truck. Or maybe someone threw us under the bus. I took years to understand that the way I choose to perceive such experiences determines my chances of emotional and spiritual recovery.

I heard about a woman who was helping her grandchildren craft figures from modeling clay. The four-year-old girl made a recognizable dog, but the grandmother had trouble identifying what her three-year-old grandson had shaped. So she asked him.

He replied, Its a cat, but a truck ran over it.

A while later, the little girl formed another animal shape while her brother produced another flat slab. The grandma asked him, What happened to this animal?

He shrugged. Same truck.

Dont you hate being knocked down again and again by the same truck? The good news is, we arent helpless in averting such dangers. It may take practice, but eventually we can learn to identify the sound of approaching trucks and jump out of the way. Or we can avoid the street altogether and remain on the sidewalk. Of course, then we may have to be alert for the sound of flowerpots falling from upper-story windows, but at least we would have made some progress. And even when were blindsided, focusing on the love and support available from God and fellow believers helps us get back on our feet and resume the journey.

To assist you in that process, these meditations are arranged in four parts.

Part One: Choosing Our Outlook. What we allow our minds to dwell on ultimately determines our destiny.

Part Two: Living Miraculously. To experience the miraculous, we must believe not only that God has the power to perform miracles in our lives but also that he wants to.

Part Three: Participating Joyfully. When we realize God always has our best interests at heart, we can live life with gusto.

Part Four: Pursuing Possibilities. Going after new possibilities in life, regardless of what weve been through, is an important part of Gods wonderful plan for us.

These heart lifters are the result of encouragement I have received from others in times of need. Now Im passing it on to you. My hope is that this book will provide chuckles and cheer, along with insights and inspiration, to help you return to full mobility after being struck by lifes yellow taxicabs.

~ Diana Savage

H umorist Jay Trachman has pointed out that the formula for a happy marriage is the same as the one for living in California. When you find a fault, dont dwell on it.

Thats a good strategy for life in general. God gives each of us the power to choose either the positive or the negative. We can opt for cleanliness or clutter, acceptance or rejection, life or death.

The focus we adopt impacts our self-talk. Our mindset determines whether we cling to encumbrances or dump such baggage for good. Our thoughts and speech patterns affect the way we respond to everything and everyone around us.

It can be frightening and yet positively liberating to realize that what we allow our minds to dwell on ultimately determines our destiny. Our outlook is a key factor in our success.

So lets choose wisely, not only in California but also in any other spot on the planet.

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

D EUTERONOMY 30:19

A t a birthday party for a man who had turned 102, he was asked if he thought he would live long enough to enjoy his next birthday celebration. I certainly do, he replied. According to statistics, very few people die between the ages of 102 and 103.