Mental & Emotional Battles

----- Original Message -----
From: Fink Holloway
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 10:02 AM
Subject: Pure Joy Update 2-8-08

In my last update I mentioned the mental and emotional battles that I had been facing. In the Bible we are told that David encouraged himself, and he calmed himself. Here are the verses that tell what David did:

I Samuel 30: 6 (KJV)
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Psalm 131:2 (KJV)
Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul [is] even as a weaned child.

To “quiet myself” I meditate on scriptures and sing hymns and songs. These are the ones that were especially meaningful to me recently.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Obviously, the promise “God has not given me a spirit of fear” is comforting. But the last words: “He has given me a sound mind” is also important. Dozens of books and articles that I have read mention the phrase “chemo brain.” Last week I made several absent minded mistakes. I won’t bore you with details, but enough happened that I began to pray and asked others to pray that the Lord would help me to concentrate and do my work well. This week has been better.

Two other songs that especially ministered to me were “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” and “I Know Whom I Have Believed” If you know the melody, I encourage you to take a few moments and sing them with me.

"I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"
By Ira Stanfill

I don't know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Chorus:
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden s getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.

Chorus:
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me
And I m covered with His blood.

Chorus:
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.



"I Know Whom I have Believed"
By Daniel Whittle

I know not why God's wondrous grace
to me he hath made known,
nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.
Refrain:
But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day.

2. I know not how this saving faith
to me he did impart,
nor how believing in his word
wrought peace within my heart.
(Refrain)

3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
convincing us of sin,
revealing Jesus through the word,
creating faith in him.
(Refrain)

4. I know not when my Lord may come,
at night or noonday fair,
nor if I walk the vale with him,
or meet him in the air.
(Refrain)